---
type: "LegalText"
title: "18 U.S.C. § 472"
description: "Uttering counterfeit obligations or securities"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 18
title_name: "CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
chapter_number: "25"
chapter_name: "COUNTERFEITING AND FORGERY"
section: "472"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 472"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc18@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t18/s472"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-18/usc18.xml"
source_hash: "5cf741e82a21f44fc6649c538059c593a5d950ee24475f4b505e236a2d883a24"
raw_snapshot_hash: "1a1bbbbdb59e376ada4eb7ad1056fd68d396679ee7ab59f0561af15006122708"
text_hash: "12a89c2e88909a57dddb98795f0c2aa3d2006e13502845f9a5613637c85f032a"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 18 U.S.C. § 472 - Uttering counterfeit obligations or securities

## Text

Whoever, with intent to defraud, passes, utters, publishes, or sells, or attempts to pass, utter, publish, or sell, or with like intent brings into the United States or keeps in possession or conceals any falsely made, forged, counterfeited, or altered obligation or other security of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 705; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 107–56, title III, § 374(c), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 340.)

## Notes

Historical and Revision NotesBased on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 265 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 151, 35 Stat. 1116). Mandatory punishment provision was rephrased in the alternative. Changes in phraseology were made.

Editorial Notes

Amendments2001—Pub. L. 107–56 substituted “20 years” for “fifteen years”. 1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.