Texas § 12.01 FELONIES.

Texas Statutes

§ 12.01 — FELONIES.

Texas § 12.01

Code CRCode of Criminal Procedure

This text of Texas § 12.01 (FELONIES.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Tex. Code of Criminal Procedure Code Ann. § 12.01 (2026).

Text

Art. 12.01. FELONIES. Except as provided in Articles 12.015 and 12.03 , felony indictments may be presented within these limits, and not afterward:

(1)no limitation:

(A)murder and manslaughter;

(B)sexual assault under Section 22.011 (a)(2), Penal Code, or aggravated sexual assault under Section 22.021 (a)(1)(B), Penal Code;

(C)sexual assault, if:

(i)during the investigation of the offense biological matter is collected and the matter:

(a)has not yet been subjected to forensic DNA testing; or

(b)has been subjected to forensic DNA testing and the testing results show that the matter does not match the victim or any other person whose identity is readily ascertained; or

(ii)probable cause exists to believe that the defendant has committed the same or a similar sex offense against five

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Art. 12.01. FELONIES.
Except as provided in Articles 12.015 and 12.03 , felony indictments may be presented within these limits, and not afterward:
(1) no limitation:
(A) murder and manslaughter;
(B) sexual assault under Section 22.011 (a)(2), Penal Code, or aggravated sexual assault under Section 22.021 (a)(1)(B), Penal Code;
(C) sexual assault, if:
(i) during the investigation of the offense biological matter is collected and the matter:
(a) has not yet been subjected to forensic DNA testing; or
(b) has been subjected to forensic DNA testing and the testing results show that the matter does not match the victim or any other person whose identity is readily ascertained; or
(ii) probable cause exists to believe that the defendant has committed the same or a similar sex offense against five or more victims;
(D) continuous sexual abuse of young child or disabled individual under Section 21.02 , Penal Code;
(E) indecency with a child under Section 21.11 , Penal Code;
(F) an offense involving leaving the scene of a collision under Section 550.021 , Transportation Code, if the collision resulted in the death of a person;
(G) trafficking of persons under Section 20A.02 (a)(7) or (8), Penal Code;
(H) continuous trafficking of persons under Section 20A.03 , Penal Code;
(I) compelling prostitution under Section 43.05 (a)(2) or (3), Penal Code;
(J) tampering with physical evidence under Section 37.09 (a)(1) or (d)(1), Penal Code, if:
(i) the evidence tampered with is a human corpse, as defined by that section; or
(ii) the investigation of the offense shows that a reasonable person in the position of the defendant at the time of the commission of the offense would have cause to believe that the evidence tampered with is related to a criminal homicide under Chapter 19 , Penal Code;
(K) interference with child custody under Section 25.03 (a)(3), Penal Code;
(L) burglary under Section 30.02 , Penal Code, if:
(i) the offense is punishable under Subsection (d) of that section because the defendant entered a habitation with the intent to commit an offense under Section 22.011 or 22.021 , Penal Code; and
(ii) during the investigation of the offense biological matter is collected and the matter:
(a) has not yet been subjected to forensic DNA testing; or
(b) has been subjected to forensic DNA testing and the testing results show that the matter does not match the victim or any other person whose identity is readily ascertained;
(M) failure to stop or report sexual or assaultive offense against child under Section 38.17 , Penal Code; or
(N) continuous promotion of prostitution under Section 43.032 , Penal Code;
(2) ten years from the date of the commission of the offense:
(A) theft of any estate, real, personal or mixed, by an executor, administrator, guardian or trustee, with intent to defraud any creditor, heir, legatee, ward, distributee, beneficiary or settlor of a trust interested in such estate;
(B) theft by a public servant of government property over which the public servant exercises control in the public servant's official capacity;
(C) forgery or the uttering, using, or passing of forged instruments;
(D) injury to an elderly or disabled individual punishable as a felony of the first degree under Section 22.04 , Penal Code;
(E) sexual assault, except as provided by Subdivision (1) or (10);
(F) arson;
(G) trafficking of persons under Section 20A.02 (a)(1), (2), (3), or (4), Penal Code;
(H) compelling prostitution under Section 43.05 (a)(1), Penal Code;
(I) real property theft under Section 31.23 , Penal Code; or
(J) real property fraud under Section 32.60 , Penal Code;
(3) seven years from the date of the commission of the offense:
(A) an offense under Chapter 32 , Penal Code, except as provided by Subdivision (2)(C) or (J);
(B) a felony violation under Chapter 162 , Tax Code;
(C) money laundering;
(D) health care fraud under Section 35A.02 , Penal Code;
(E) bigamy under Section 25.01 , Penal Code, except as provided by Subdivision (7); or
(F) possession or promotion of child pornography under Section 43.26 , Penal Code;
(4) five years from the date of the commission of the offense:
(A) theft or robbery;
(B) except as provided by Subdivision (5), kidnapping;
(C) except as provided by Subdivision (1) or (5), burglary;
(D) injury to an elderly or disabled individual that is not punishable as a felony of the first degree under Section 22.04 , Penal Code;
(E) abandoning or endangering an elderly or disabled individual;
(F) insurance fraud;
(G) assault under Section 22.01 , Penal Code, if the assault was committed against a person whose relationship to or association with the defendant is described by Section 71.0021 (b), 71.003 , or 71.005 , Family Code;
(H) continuous violence against the family under Section 25.11 , Penal Code; or
(I) aggravated assault under Section 22.02 , Penal Code;
(5) if the investigation of the offense shows that the victim is younger than 17 years of age at the time the offense is committed, 20 years from the 18th birthday of the victim of one of the following offenses:
(A) kidnapping under Section 20.03 , Penal Code, or aggravated kidnapping under Section 20.04 , Penal Code; or
(B) subject to Subdivision (1)(L), burglary under Section 30.02 , Penal Code, if the offense is punishable under Subsection (d) of that section because the defendant entered a habitation with the intent to commit an offense described by Subdivision (1)(B) or (D) of this article or Paragraph (A) of this subdivision;
(6) 20 years from the 18th birthday of the victim of one of the following offenses:
(A) trafficking of a child under Section 20A.02 (a)(5) or (6), Penal Code; or
(B) sexual performance by a child under Section 43.25 , Penal Code;
(7) ten years from the 18th birthday of the victim of the offense:
(A) injury to a child under Section 22.04 , Penal Code;
(B) bigamy under Section 25.01 , Penal Code, if the investigation of the offense shows that the person, other than the legal spouse of the defendant, whom the defendant marries or purports to marry or with whom the defendant lives under the appearance of being married is younger than 18 years of age at the time the offense is committed; or
(C) abandoning or endangering a child;
(8) ten years from the date the offense was discovered: trafficking of a disabled individual under Section 20A.02 (a)(5) or (6), Penal Code;
(9) four years from the date the offense was discovered: failure to report child abuse or neglect if the offense is punishable as a state jail felony under Section 261.109 (c), Family Code;
(10) two years from the date the offense was discovered: sexual assault punishable as a state jail felony under Section 22.011 (f)(2), Penal Code; or
(11) three years from the date of the commission of the offense: all other felonies.
Reenacted and amended by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 87 (S.B. 1969 ), Sec. 6.001, eff. September 1, 2009.
Reenacted and amended by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1227 (S.B. 1495 ), Sec. 38, eff. September 1, 2009.
Reenacted and amended by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 161 (S.B. 1093 ), Sec. 3.003, eff. September 1, 2013.
Reenacted and amended by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 250 (H.B. 1778 ), Sec. 4.01 , eff. September 1, 2025.
Reenacted and amended by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 761 (S.B. 127 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2025.
Reenacted and amended by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 887 (S.B. 2798 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2025.
Reenacted and amended by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., 2nd C.S., Ch. 16 (S.B. 16 ), Sec. 1, eff. December 4, 2025.

Legislative History

Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722. Amended by Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 975, ch. 399, Sec. 2(B), eff. Jan. 1, 1974; Acts 1975, 64th Leg., p. 478, ch. 203, Sec. 5, eff. Sept. 1, 1975. Amended by Acts 1983, 68th Leg., p. 413, ch. 85, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1983; Acts 1983, 68th Leg., p. 5317, ch. 977, Sec. 7, eff. Sept. 1, 1983; Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 330, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 26, 1985; Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 716, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 565, Sec. 6, eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 476, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 740, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 39, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1285, Sec. 33, eff. Sept. 1, 2000; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 12, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1479, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1482, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 371, Sec. 6, eff. Sept. 1, 2003; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, Sec. 5.001, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1162 (H.B. 3376 ), Sec. 6, eff. September 1, 2005. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 285 (H.B. 716 ), Sec. 6, eff. September 1, 2007. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 593 (H.B. 8 ), Sec. 1.03, eff. September 1, 2007. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 640 (H.B. 887 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 841 (H.B. 959 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007. Amended by: Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 24 ), Sec. 2.03, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 122 (H.B. 3000 ), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 222 (H.B. 253 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 620 (S.B. 688 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011. Amended by: Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 332 (H.B. 10 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2015. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 918 (H.B. 189 ), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2015. Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 392 (S.B. 998 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2017. Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 381 (H.B. 2894 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2019. Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 408 (H.B. 8 ), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2019. Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 436 (S.B. 1259 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2019. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 221 (H.B. 375 ), Sec. 2.07, eff. September 1, 2021. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 837 (S.B. 109 ), Sec. 6, eff. September 1, 2021. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 93 (S.B. 1527 ), Sec. 2.07, eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 118 (H.B. 467 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 127 (H.B. 1207 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 422 (H.B. 1769 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 520 (H.B. 3025 ), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 689 (H.B. 1506 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 704 (H.B. 2019 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 709 (H.B. 2190 ), Sec. 119, eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 768 (H.B. 4595 ), Sec. 5.001, eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 830 (H.B. 2187 ), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 885 (H.B. 4635 ), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1041 (S.B. 129 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2023.