---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 510"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "510"
heading: "Forging endorsements on Treasury checks or bonds or securities of the United States"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/510"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 25 — Counterfeiting and Forgery"
---

# §510. Forging endorsements on Treasury checks or bonds or securities of the United States

- (a) [Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1), with intent to defraud—
  - (1) falsely makes or forges any endorsement or signature on a Treasury check or bond or security of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9); or
  - (2) passes, utters, or publishes, or attempts to pass, utter, or publish, any Treasury check or bond or security of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) bearing a falsely made or forged endorsement or signature;

  shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.

- (b) [Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1), with knowledge that such Treasury check or bond or security of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) is stolen or bears a falsely made or forged endorsement or signature buys, sells, exchanges, receives, delivers, retains, or conceals any such Treasury check or bond or security of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.
- (c) If the face value of the Treasury check or bond or security of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) or the aggregate face value, if more than one Treasury check or bond or security of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9), does not exceed $1,000, in any of the above-mentioned offenses, the penalty shall be a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 98–151, § 115(a), Nov. 14, 1983, 97 Stat. 976; amended Pub. L. 101–647, title XXXV, § 3514, Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat. 4923; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(H), (L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, §§ 602(e), 606(b), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3503, 3511; Pub. L. 107–273, div. B, title IV, § 4002(a)(1), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1806.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2002—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 107–273 substituted “fine under this title” for “fine of under this title”.

1996—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–294, § 602(e), struck out “that in fact is stolen or bears a forged or falsely made endorsement or signature” after “bond or security of the United States”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104–294, § 606(b), substituted “$1,000” for “$500”.

1994—Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(1)(L), substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $10,000”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(1)(H), substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000”.

1990—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–647 inserted semicolon after “or signature” in par. (2) and moved provisions beginning with “shall be fined” flush with left margin.