VIOL OF HANDLING USED OIL
Violation of of Handling Used Oil in Texas: what bail is set at, how often a personal bond is granted, and what usually happens to the charge.
What “VIOL OF HANDLING USED OIL” means
Texas Water Code § 7.176 creates criminal offenses for mishandling used oil, enforcing the used-oil collection and recycling program of Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 371. Under subsection (a), a person commits an offense by intentionally discharging used oil into a sewer or septic tank, or into a drainage system, surface water or groundwater, a watercourse, or marine water; knowingly mixing used oil with solid waste destined for a landfill or disposing of used oil on land or in landfills; knowingly transporting, treating, storing, disposing of, recycling, or otherwise handling used oil in violation of management standards or without required registration; intentionally applying used oil to roads or land for dust suppression, weed abatement, or similar uses; violating a commission cease-and-desist order; or intentionally making a false statement in a compliance document. Unknowingly disposing of used oil that a generator failed to segregate from other waste is expressly excepted.
| Charged as | Share of bail records | Possible confinement | Fine | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Third-degree felony | 98% | 2 to 10 years in prison (TDCJ) | Fine up to $10,000 | Penal Code § 12.34 |
Ranges are the statutory maximums for the level; enhancements, prior convictions and plea agreements change what is actually imposed.
Bail for VIOL OF HANDLING USED OIL in Texas
Across 774 Texas bail settings for this charge (1 counties, Apr 2022 – Apr 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $10,000 (middle half: $1,000 – $10,000). 1% of defendants were released on a personal bond. When this was the only charge at booking (17 records), the median was $7,500 and 47% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midland | 760 | $10,000 | $1,000 – $10,000 | 0% | 0% |
Showing the 1 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 VIOL OF HANDLING USED OIL?
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Find a Defense AttorneyBail data: Texas Office of Court Administration magistration reports (SB 6), Apr 2022 – Apr 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.