Title 18Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73

§498 Military or naval discharge certificates

Title 18 › Part PART I— - CRIMES › Chapter CHAPTER 25— - COUNTERFEITING AND FORGERY › § 498

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Anyone who makes, alters, or uses fake U.S. military discharge papers, knowing they are fake, may be fined under federal law, jailed up to one year, or both.

Full Legal Text

Title 18, §498

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Whoever forges, counterfeits, or falsely alters any certificate of discharge from the military or naval service of the United States, or uses, unlawfully possesses or exhibits any such certificate, knowing the same to be forged, counterfeited, or falsely altered, shall be fined under this title 11 See 1994 Amendment note below. 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., § 136 (Mar. 4, 1917, ch. 180, 39 Stat. 1182). Reference to any person causing, procuring, aiding or assisting was omitted as unnecessary as such persons are made principals by section 2 of this title. At the end of this section words “in the discretion of the court” were omitted as unnecessary, as the punishment provisions, being framed in the alternative by the use of the disjunctive “or,” vest in the court the power to impose a fine or prison sentence in its discretion. Changes in phraseology were made.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–322, which directed the amendment of this section by substituting “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”, was executed by making the substitution for “fined not more than $1,000”, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

18 U.S.C. § 498

Title 18Crimes and Criminal Procedure

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73