18 USC § 479 - Uttering counterfeit foreign obligations or securities

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t18/s479"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "18 USC § 479 - Uttering counterfeit foreign obligations or securities"
title_number: 18
title_name: "CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "479"
section_name: "Uttering counterfeit foreign obligations or securities"
chapter_number: 25
chapter_name: "COUNTERFEITING AND FORGERY"
part_number: "I"
part_name: "CRIMES"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 707; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(J), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 107–56, title III, § 375(b), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 341.)"
---


# § 479. Uttering counterfeit foreign obligations or securities

section 478 of this title

Whoever, within the United States, knowingly and with intent to defraud, utters, passes, or puts off, in payment or negotiation, any false, forged, or counterfeited bond, certificate, obligation, security, treasury note, bill, or promise to pay, mentioned in , whether or not the same was made, altered, forged, or counterfeited within the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.

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**Source Credit**: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 707; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(J), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 107–56, title III, § 375(b), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 341.)

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 271 (, ).

Mandatory punishment provision was rephrased in the alternative.

Changes were made in phraseology.

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2001— substituted “20 years” for “three years”.

1994— substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $3,000”.