Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-102
§1021 Title Records
Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 47 — FRAUD AND FALSE STATEMENTS › § 1021
Summary
Makes it a crime for a federal official who is allowed to record property deeds or other recordable documents to knowingly lie about whether the document was recorded. The person can be fined under federal law, imprisoned 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
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102