Federal · Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure

18 U.S.C. § 1017: Government seals wrongfully used and instruments wrongfully sealed

Felony

What this law says, in plain English

It is a federal crime to fraudulently affix a U.S. government seal to documents or to knowingly use, buy, sell, or transfer documents bearing a fraudulently affixed seal. Penalties include fines and up to five years imprisonment.

Read the full statutory text

Whoever fraudulently or wrongfully affixes or impresses the seal of any department or agency of the United States, to or upon any certificate, instrument, commission, document, or paper or with knowledge of its fraudulent character, with wrongful or fraudulent intent, uses, buys, procures, sells, or transfers to another any such certificate, instrument, commission, document, or paper, to which or upon which said seal has been so fraudulently affixed or impressed, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

Verify at the official source: Federal legislative text

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.