Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73
§1021 Title records
Title 18 › Part PART I— - CRIMES › Chapter CHAPTER 47— - FRAUD AND FALSE STATEMENTS › § 1021
Summary
A federal official allowed to record property papers who knowingly lies about whether those papers were recorded can be fined under federal law or jailed for up to five years, or both.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §1021
Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever, being an officer or other person authorized by any law of the United States to record a conveyance of real property or any other instrument which by such law may be recorded, knowingly certifies falsely that such conveyance or instrument has or has not been recorded, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 194 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 105, 35 Stat. 1107). Words “five years” were substituted for “seven years” as more in conformity with comparable sections of this chapter. Minor change was made in phraseology.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 1021
Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73