Penal Code
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Title 1 — General Provisions Title 2 — Offenses Against Persons Title 3 — Offenses Against Property Title 4 — Fraud, Financial, and Cyber Offenses Title 5 — Public Order and Community Safety Title 6 — Government, Courts, and Administration of Justice Title 7 — Weapons and Explosives Title 8 — Controlled Substances Title 9 — Motor Vehicles and Traffic Title 10 — Business, Licensing, and Regulated Activity Title 11 — Emergency Services and Critical Infrastructure Title 12 — Wildlife, Animals, and the Environment Title 13 — Aviation, Maritime, and Rail Title 14 — Sentencing Enhancements and Administrative Penalties Title 15 — Field Reference Appendixes
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Title 7 — Weapons and Explosives

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§ 7.01 — Definitions and lawful possession

  • Firearm: A weapon designed to expel a projectile by combustion, including the frame or receiver.
  • Handgun: A firearm designed to be fired with one hand.
  • Long gun: A rifle or shotgun intended to be fired from the shoulder.
  • Restricted weapon: A machine gun, short-barreled rifle or shotgun, destructive device, disguised firearm, or weapon prohibited by server policy.
  • Destructive device: A bomb, grenade, mine, rocket, explosive projectile, or similar device, excluding lawful industrial and approved pyrotechnic devices.
  • Prohibited possessor: A person barred by felony conviction, qualifying violent order, adjudicated dangerous incapacity, fugitive status, or other court order.

Lawful peace officers, military personnel, licensed dealers, certified security personnel, and authorized emergency or industrial workers are exempt only while acting within the scope of authority.

Chapter 7A — Firearm possession and carrying

SectionOffenseGradeElements
§ 7.10Unlawful concealed carryM1Knowingly carries a concealed handgun in public without a valid license or exemption.
§ 7.11Unlawful open carryM2Openly carries a firearm where prohibited or in a manner violating license conditions. Holstered carry allowed by server policy is excluded.
§ 7.12Firearm possession by a prohibited personF4Knowingly possesses or controls a firearm while legally prohibited. Possession during a violent felony is F3.
§ 7.13Firearm in a restricted placeM1Knowingly possesses a firearm in a courthouse, jail, secure airport area, school, polling place, or posted government facility without authorization. Criminal purpose is F4.
§ 7.14Unlawful possession of a restricted weaponF3Knowingly possesses a restricted weapon without the license or authorization required by state policy.
§ 7.15Unlawful possession of an unregistered suppressorF4Knowingly possesses or uses a firearm suppressor not registered or authorized as required.
§ 7.16Possession of firearm while intoxicatedM1Carries or controls a readily accessible firearm in public while materially impaired by alcohol or drugs, excluding secured transport.
§ 7.17Failure to secure firearm from a child or prohibited personM1Criminally negligently stores or leaves a firearm where a child or known prohibited person gains access. Use causing injury is F4.
§ 7.18Possession of weapon in detention facilityF3Knowingly possesses or introduces a firearm, destructive device, or deadly weapon in a jail or prison without authority.

Chapter 7B — Use, transfer, and trafficking

SectionOffenseGradeElements
§ 7.20Brandishing a weaponM1Displays or exhibits a deadly weapon in a threatening manner not justified by self-defense or lawful duty.
§ 7.21Unlawful discharge of a firearmM1Knowingly discharges a firearm in a prohibited area or without a safe lawful purpose. Discharge creating substantial danger is F5.
§ 7.22Discharge into an occupied structure or vehicleF3Knowingly discharges a firearm at or into a structure or vehicle known or reasonably believed to be occupied.
§ 7.23Negligent handling of a firearmM1Through criminal negligence, handles, stores, transports, or fires a firearm in a manner creating substantial risk of injury.
§ 7.24Defacing a firearm serial numberF4Knowingly removes, alters, obliterates, or counterfeits a firearm serial or identification mark.
§ 7.25Possession of a defaced firearmF5Knowingly possesses a firearm whose identifying mark has been unlawfully removed or altered.
§ 7.26Straw purchase of a firearmF4Acquires or attempts to acquire a firearm for a prohibited person or falsely represents the true buyer.
§ 7.27Unlawful firearm transferM1Knowingly transfers a firearm without required verification, record, waiting period, or license. Transfer to a prohibited person is F4.
§ 7.28Firearm traffickingF3As part of a business or repeated scheme, unlawfully acquires, transports, sells, or distributes firearms. Five or more weapons or organized-crime purpose is F2.
§ 7.29Furnishing a weapon for a felonyF4Knowingly provides a firearm or deadly weapon intending that it be used in a felony.
§ 7.30Possession of armor-piercing ammunitionF5Knowingly possesses restricted armor-piercing or explosive ammunition without lawful occupational authority. Use in crime is F3.
§ 7.31Body armor during commission of a felonyF5Knowingly wears or uses ballistic body armor while committing or fleeing an intentional felony. This may be charged in addition to the felony.

Chapter 7C — Explosives and other weapons

SectionOffenseGradeElements
§ 7.40Unlawful possession of explosivesF4Knowingly possesses explosive material or a blasting device without required license, storage, or lawful purpose.
§ 7.41Manufacture of a destructive deviceF2Knowingly manufactures, assembles, or modifies a bomb or destructive device without lawful authority.
§ 7.42Possession of a destructive deviceF2Knowingly possesses, transports, or controls a destructive device without lawful authority.
§ 7.43Use of a destructive deviceF1Detonates, deploys, or attempts to use a destructive device to damage property, injure, terrorize, or influence government. Death may support capital murder.
§ 7.44Explosive threat or placementF3Places an apparent explosive or threatens detonation with intent to alarm, evacuate, extort, or interfere with public operations. An inert hoax device may be charged here or under § 5.35, not both.
§ 7.45Unlawful sale of explosivesF3Knowingly sells or transfers explosives or destructive-device components without authority or to a prohibited person.
§ 7.46Possession of prohibited melee weaponM1Knowingly carries a weapon specifically prohibited by state policy, such as a disguised blade, ballistic knife, or weapon designed to evade detection. Ordinary tools and lawful sporting knives are excluded.
§ 7.47Possession of weapon with criminal intentF5Possesses any dangerous weapon under circumstances demonstrating intent to use it in a felony, when no more specific weapons offense applies.

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§ 7.01 — Definitions and lawful possession Chapter 7A — Firearm possession and carrying Chapter 7B — Use, transfer, and trafficking Chapter 7C — Explosives and other weapons