---
title: O.C.G.A. § 16-7-22. Criminal damage to property in the first degree.
collection: code
id: 16-7-22
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 16-7-22 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-7-22
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-7-22.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-7-22/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t16-ch7-11-(v14a)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=f5e4f5fa_0#page=16
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CRIMES AND OFFENSES / DAMAGE TO AND INTRUSION UPON PROPERTY / CRIMINAL TRESPASS AND DAMAGE TO PROPERTY / GENERAL PROVISIONS
extraction_warnings:
  - dehyphenation_unverified:self-replicat-ing
  - dehyphenation_unverified:rail-roads
---

# O.C.G.A. § 16-7-22. Criminal damage to property in the first degree.

(a) As used in this Code section, the term:

(1) “Critical infrastructure” shall have the same meaning as provided in Code Section 16-11-220.

(2) “Electronic means” means any unauthorized transmission of fraudulent or unauthorized data, including data that is self-replicating or self-propagating, and any use of other technology that successfully modifies, alters, damages, destroys, records, or transmits information which disrupts normal operations.

(3) “Public transportation system” shall have the same meaning as provided in Code Section 16-11-220.

(4) “Vital public service” includes water, sewerage, drainage, energy, electric, gas, natural gas, telecommunication, internet, cable, navigation, collision avoidance, public transportation systems, railroads, and other services the loss of which would have a debilitating impact on the health, safety, or financial security of the public.

(b) A person commits the offense of criminal damage to property in the first degree when he or she:

(1) Knowingly and without authority interferes with any property in a manner so as to endanger human life;

(2) Knowingly and without authority and by either force or violence or by electronic means interferes with the proper operation of any critical infrastructure or any vital public service; or

(3) Knowingly and without justification causes damage to a building by discharging a firearm while inside a vehicle or after immediately exiting a vehicle.

(c) A person convicted of the offense of criminal damage to property in the first degree shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years; provided, however, that a person convicted of a violation of paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of this Code section shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than two nor more than 20 years.

## History

Code 1933, § 26-1501, enacted by Ga. L. 1968, p. 1249, § 1; Ga. L. 2023, p. 69, § 2/HB 227, effective July 1, 2023; Ga. L. 2024, p. 528, § 1-2/SB 421, effective July 1, 2024.

## Amendments

The 2023 amendment, effective July 1, 2023, added subsection (a); redesignated former subsections (a) and (b) as present subsections (b) and (c), respectively; in subsection (b), added “or she” at the beginning, rewrote paragraph (b)(2), which formerly read: “Knowingly and without authority and by force or violence interferes with the operation of any system of public communication, public transportation, sewerage, drainage, water supply, gas, power, or other public utility service or with any constituent property thereof.”; and added the proviso at the end of subsection (c).

The 2024 amendment, effective July 1, 2024, deleted “or” from the end of paragraph (b)(1), substituted “; or” for a period at the end of paragraph (b)(2), and added paragraph (b)(3).