Driving without a valid license is against the law in Texas and chapter 521 of the TX Transportation code gives information on the offense and penalties associated with a conviction of this violation.

Section 521.021 of the transportation code is title License Required. Here it states that a person, other than a person expressly exempted under this chapter, may not operate a motor vehicle on a highway in this state unless the person holds a driver's license issued under this chapter.

Then section 521.025 is titled License to be carried and exhibited on demand gives more information on this situation as well as information on the criminal penalty associated with it.

Subsection (a) states that a person required to hold a license under Section 521.021 shall: (1) have in the person's possession while operating a motor vehicle the class of driver's license appropriate for the type of vehicle operated; and

(2) display the license on the demand of a magistrate, court officer, or peace officer, (b) A peace officer may stop and detain a person operating a motor vehicle to determine if the person has a driver's license as required by this section. (c) A person who violates this section commits an offense. An offense under this subsection is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $200.

So it appears being cited for a first time offense of being an adult that is driving without a license in Texas you will get a fine of up to $200. This section of Texas law does go on to show that if you continue to drive without a license and get cited the penalties get more severe for instance being convicted for a third time of this offense can get you a fine of up to $500 and confinement in the county jail for not less than 72 hours or more than six months.

The state of Texas will collect more money above the fine amount though. Texas has a Driver Responsibility Program which assesses fees for a variety of driving-related offenses. With this assessment program surcharges are due every year for three years for certain convictions of Texas laws. Driving without a valid license comes with a surcharge amount of $100 per year.

The exact amount of the fine would be up to the judge in jurisdiction where the ticket was received for driving without a valid license. So if you were cited for driving without a valid license in Texas you should contact the court listed on the ticket to find out what the cost of the ticket will be.