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Gov't Code 501.015 — clothing, money and an identification certificate on release
The vote. A person finally convicted of a felony is a qualified voter again once the whole sentence is fully discharged, including any term of incarceration, parole or supervision, or a period of probation ordered by any court is completed, or once pardoned or otherwise released from the disability to vote. Voting after a conviction has its own page.
Identification before release. Before discharging an inmate or releasing one on parole, mandatory supervision or conditional pardon, the department determines whether the inmate has a valid driver's license or personal identification certificate. If not, it asks the Department of Public Safety, as soon as is practicable, to issue a personal identification certificate so it can be handed over at release. The department may charge the inmate the actual costs or the fees. This does not apply to an inmate not legally present in the United States, or not a resident of the state before entering custody.
- On discharge, or release on parole, mandatory supervision or conditional pardon, the department provides suitable civilian clothing and the money held in the inmate's trust account.
- An inmate released on parole, mandatory supervision or conditional pardon is entitled to $100 and transportation to where the inmate is required to report to a parole officer: $50 on release and $50 on first reporting.
- An inmate not required to report, or authorized to report outside the state, receives $100 and transportation to the inmate's residence in the state or to a transit point.
- The department also provides the personal identification certificate, if one is available.
The cash is not paid to an inmate who on release is transferred to a state jail felony facility, or who is subject to a felony detainer and released to the custody of another jurisdiction.
A driver's license suspended or revoked for an offense, occupational licenses, housing and benefits on release, and the department's reentry programs are not on this page. Sealing a record and clearing an arrest record have their own pages. Whether a particular right has come back is a question for a licensed Texas attorney.
Sources for this section (3)
- Gov't Code 501.015 — Providing discharged or released inmate with clothing and money; burial expenses
- Gov't Code 501.0165 — State-issued identification; necessary documentation
- Elec. Code 11.002 — Qualified voter
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Texas attorney.