(a) Except as otherwise provided by Subsection (a-1), the department may charge a person a fee for processing inquiries for criminal history record information. The department may charge:
(1) a fee of $10 for each inquiry for criminal history record information on a person that is processed only on the basis of the person’s name, unless the inquiry is submitted electronically or by magnetic media, in which event the fee is $1;
(2) a fee of $15 for each inquiry for criminal history record information on a person that is processed on the basis of a fingerprint comparison search; and
(3) except as provided by Subsection (b), actual costs for processing all other information inquiries.
(a-1) The department may not charge a fee under Subsection (a) for providing criminal history record information to:
(1) a criminal justice agency;
(2) the office of capital and forensic writs; or
(3) a public defender‘s office.

Terms Used In Texas Government Code 411.088

  • Justice: when applied to a magistrate, means justice of the peace. See Texas Government Code 312.011
  • Person: includes corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005
  • Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.

(b) The department may not charge for processing an electronic inquiry, made through the use of the Internet, for information described as public information under:
(1) § 411.1355; or
(2) Article 62.005, Code of Criminal Procedure.
(c) The fee a municipality pays under Subsection (a)(1) for an inquiry submitted electronically or by magnetic media may be used to allow the department to make the information available through electronic means under § 411.129.