TRAFFIC OFFENSE CLASS C
Traffic Offense Class C is a Class C misdemeanor in Texas. It is punishable by a fine up to $500 (no jail time).
Below: how these cases end in Texas courts, how long they take, and the punishment.
What does “TRAFFIC OFFENSE CLASS C” mean?
Traffic Offense Class C is a Class C misdemeanor in Texas.
This entry is a catch-all courthouse label rather than a single statute: Texas court records and jail rosters use "Traffic Offense Class C" for fine-only moving and vehicle-equipment violations charged under the Texas Transportation Code or a municipal traffic ordinance. Class C misdemeanors are the lowest grade of criminal charge in Texas and are filed in municipal courts or justice of the peace courts. Common examples include speeding, disregarding a stop sign or traffic signal, failing to maintain financial responsibility (liability insurance), driving with an expired registration, driving without a valid license, and defective-equipment violations. Most such offenses are regulatory violations for which the State generally need only prove that the person committed the prohibited act on a public roadway, without proving a culpable mental state. The specific statute violated, and therefore the precise elements, depends on the underlying citation in the individual case.
What usually happens to a TRAFFIC OFFENSE CLASS C charge?
2% ended without a conviction, 35% in deferred adjudication and 64% in a conviction.
How 66 resolved TRAFFIC OFFENSE CLASS C charges filed 2019–2023 ended, across 5 counties (Bell, Collin, Denton, FortBend, Galveston):
Outcome is the final disposition recorded on the charge. “Other” (0) covers waived counts, bond forfeitures, transfers and unrecorded outcomes. Bexar County records disposition dates but not outcomes, so it counts toward time-to-disposition only. Tarrant County criminal records are not in this dataset.
How long does a TRAFFIC OFFENSE CLASS C case take to resolve?
Typically about 10 months: half of resolved cases closed within 298 days of filing.
Across 66 resolved TRAFFIC OFFENSE CLASS C charges filed 2019–2023, the median time from filing to disposition was 298 days. The middle half took between 210 and 473 days.
Time depends on the county's docket, whether the case is set for trial, and plea negotiations.
How did real TRAFFIC OFFENSE CLASS C cases end?
Individual cases from the public court record, with the disposition and sentence text exactly as the clerk entered it. Every case is decided on its own facts.
Ended without a conviction
Deferred adjudication
Ended in a conviction
What is the punishment for Traffic Offense Class C in Texas?
A fine up to $500 (no jail time).
| Charged as | Possible confinement | Fine | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class C misdemeanor | No jail | Fine up to $500 | Penal Code § 12.23 |
Ranges are the statutory maximums for the level; enhancements, prior convictions and plea agreements change what is actually imposed.
How much is bail for TRAFFIC OFFENSE CLASS C in Texas?
The median bail is $800, and 15% of defendants were released on a personal bond.
Across 912 Texas bail settings for this charge (11 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $800 (middle half: $466 – $2,450). 15% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 130 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (62 records), the median was $500 and 40% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wise | 171 | $930 | $500 – $2,400 | 0% | 0% |
| San Patricio | 120 | $4,000 | $1,000 – $5,000 | 20% | 33% |
| Bandera | 83 | $200 | $200 – $500 | 10% | 8% |
| Parker | 83 | $802 | $748 – $1,247 | 0% | 0% |
| Real | 83 | $978 | $975 – $982 | 11% | 87% |
Showing the 5 counties with the most records; use the selector for any county with at least 30. Per-charge bond settings on original magistrations, from Texas OCA bail reporting under SB 6. Bail is set case by case — these are statistics, not a prediction.
Charged with TRAFFIC OFFENSE CLASS C?
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Find a Defense AttorneyBail data: Texas Office of Court Administration magistration reports (SB 6), Apr 2022 – Jun 2025. Court outcomes: county district and county clerk records. Statistics describe past cases and are not legal advice; every case is decided on its own facts.