A Texas Parks and Wildlife civil restitution demand is a bill the state sends you for the value of any fish, bird, mammal, reptile, or amphibian you illegally killed, caught, injured, or possessed. It is separate from any criminal fine a court orders, it is calculated using a species formula set by regulation, and it must be paid directly to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). Ignoring the notice can cost you your hunting and fishing privileges, expose you to a civil lawsuit for the full amount plus investigation and attorney costs, and turn a future hunting or fishing trip into a Class A misdemeanor.
Why the State Can Bill You for an Animal
Wildlife in Texas belongs to the state, not to the landowner where the animal happens to be found.1State of Texas. Texas Parks and Wildlife Code Section 61-022 That is the legal basis for every restitution claim. Parks and Wildlife Code § 12.301 makes any person who illegally kills, catches, possesses, or injures fish, shellfish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, or other animals liable to the state for the value of each one.2State of Texas. Parks and Wildlife Code Chapter 12 – Powers and Duties Concerning Wildlife A companion regulation, 31 TAC § 69.19, tells TPWD to “actively seek full restitution” for wildlife and habitat losses caused by human activity.3Legal Information Institute. 31 Texas Administrative Code 69.19 – Restitution and Restoration
The practical consequence is that the criminal citation a game warden writes and the civil restitution demand run on two separate tracks. Pleading out the criminal charge, paying the court fine, or finishing deferred adjudication does not erase the civil debt. TPWD still wants to be paid for the animal.
How the Dollar Amount Is Set
The restitution figure is not negotiable in the field, and the warden does not invent it. Values come from 31 TAC § 69.22, which scores each species on eight criteria including recreational demand, scarcity, reproductive capacity, and ecological role. The combined score is then multiplied by a scarcity weighting factor and mapped to a dollar amount.4Justia. Texas Administrative Code 31 TAC 69.22 – Wildlife – Recovery Values The multiplier runs from 1.0 for abundant species up to 1.5 for scarce ones, which is why endangered or threatened animals carry the heaviest restitution values.
White-tailed and mule deer get an added layer. TPWD measures antlers using Boone and Crockett scoring, and a trophy-class buck can produce a restitution demand of several thousand dollars on its own. The number that lands on your notice is the one the regulatory schedule produces for that specific animal.
What the Notice Looks Like and How to Pay It
After a warden documents the violation, TPWD mails a civil restitution notice to the person involved. It arrives separately from any court paperwork and lists the incident date, the citing officer, the species and value at issue, a payment deadline, and a Case ID number used to track the file.
Before you pay, compare the notice to your copy of the citation. If the date, species, or officer does not match, raise it with the department before sending money, because the Case ID is what ties your payment to the correct enforcement file.
TPWD accepts cashier’s checks and money orders made payable to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and mailed to its Austin headquarters, and it offers an online payment option as well. Once the balance clears, the department updates your record to settled status, which usually takes several business days. A criminal fine paid in court does not satisfy this bill; the civil demand has to be resolved directly with TPWD.
What Happens If You Do Not Pay
The consequences of ignoring a restitution notice stack quickly, and they are not limited to a past-due balance.
License Denial and Suspension
Under § 12.508, TPWD can refuse to issue or transfer any hunting or fishing license, permit, or tag if you have been convicted of the underlying violation, are liable under § 12.301, and have failed to pay after receiving a notice of liability. Section 12.501 separately lets the department director suspend or revoke a license already in your hand on the basis of that § 12.301 liability.2State of Texas. Parks and Wildlife Code Chapter 12 – Powers and Duties Concerning Wildlife The hold stays on your record until the restitution is verified as paid.
A New Criminal Charge if You Hunt or Fish Anyway
Going afield while your restitution is unpaid is itself a crime. Hunting or fishing after failing or refusing to pay civil restitution is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $500 to $4,000 and possible jail time.5Texas Parks and Wildlife. Laws, Penalties and Restitution That charge sits on top of whatever came from the original violation.
Reciprocal Suspension in Other States
Texas participates in the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact.6State of Texas. Parks and Wildlife Code Chapter 92 – Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact A Texas suspension can trigger reciprocal suspensions in the other member states, which include most of the country. If your Texas privileges are gone, you may not be able to buy a license in the states you would normally hunt or fish in either.
A Civil Lawsuit with Costs on Top
If you leave the notice unanswered, TPWD does not have to settle for an administrative hold. Section 12.303 lets the attorney general or the county attorney where the violation occurred sue you in the state’s name for the full wildlife value. Section 12.308 then lets the department recover the actual cost of its investigation, reasonable attorney’s fees, and reasonable expert witness fees on top of the restitution.2State of Texas. Parks and Wildlife Code Chapter 12 – Powers and Duties Concerning Wildlife A case that started as a few hundred dollars in wildlife value can grow substantially by the time a judgment is entered.
If more than one person was involved, § 12.304 makes all defendants jointly and severally liable.2State of Texas. Parks and Wildlife Code Chapter 12 – Powers and Duties Concerning Wildlife The state can collect the full judgment from whichever defendant has the money, regardless of how the group split the activity.
Civil Penalty in Place of Suspension
Commercial license holders in particular may be offered a civil penalty as an alternative to having a license suspended. Under § 12.507, TPWD sets the amount based on the economic impact a suspension would cause and what is needed to deter future violations, with a floor of $150 per day of the suspension that would otherwise have been imposed.7State of Texas. Texas Parks and Wildlife Code Section 12-507 – Alternatives to Suspension You have five days from the department’s notice to pay. Miss that window and the suspension proceeds.
Federal Exposure if the Animal Crossed a State Line
Paying TPWD does not necessarily close the book. If the illegally taken wildlife moved in interstate commerce, the Lacey Act makes it a separate federal offense to transport, sell, receive, or purchase it.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 16 USC 3372 – Prohibited Acts A knowing felony violation involving wildlife worth more than $350 carries up to $20,000 in fines and five years in prison; the “should have known” misdemeanor version reaches $10,000 and one year. Civil Lacey Act penalties go up to $10,000 per violation and can apply to negligent conduct, and equipment used in the violation can be forfeited.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 16 USC 3373 – Penalties and Sanctions Federal penalties stack on top of the Texas civil restitution; one does not resolve the other.