Title 18Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73

§502 Postage and revenue stamps of foreign governments

Title 18 › Part PART I— - CRIMES › Chapter CHAPTER 25— - COUNTERFEITING AND FORGERY › § 502

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Full Legal Text

Title 18, §502

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Whoever forges, or counterfeits, or knowingly utters or uses any forged or counterfeit postage stamp or revenue stamp of any foreign government, 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., § 349 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 220, 35 Stat. 1132; May 26, 1926, ch. 396, 44 Stat. 653). A paragraph defining “foreign government” was combined with other like provisions to form section 11 of this title. A proviso against repeal, “Provided, however, That nothing in this section shall be held to repeal or modify section 350 of this title [now section 504 of this title]”, was deleted as unnecessary since that section by express reference to this one makes it clear that these sections are in pari materia. Minor changes in phraseology were also made.

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. § 502

Title 18Crimes and Criminal Procedure

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73