Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73
§1018 Official certificates or writings
Title 18 › Part PART I— - CRIMES › Chapter CHAPTER 47— - FRAUD AND FALSE STATEMENTS › § 1018
Summary
Anyone authorized under U.S. law who knowingly issues a false certificate faces a fine, one-year imprisonment, or both, if no other penalty exists.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §1018
Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever, being a public officer or other person authorized by any law of the United States to make or give a certificate or other writing, knowingly makes and delivers as true such a certificate or writing, containing any statement which he knows to be false, in a case where the punishment thereof is not elsewhere expressly provided by law, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 195 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 106, 35 Stat. 1107). Minor changes were made in phraseology.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $500”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 1018
Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73