Federal · Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure

18 U.S.C. § 642: Tools and materials for counterfeiting purposes

Felony

What this law says, in plain English

Federal law prohibits unauthorized possession, theft, or concealment of tools, materials, or equipment used to counterfeit U.S. currency, bonds, stamps, and official documents. Violation is punishable by fine and/or imprisonment up to ten years.

Read the full statutory text
Whoever, without authority from the United States, secretes within, or embezzles, or takes and carries away from any building, room, office, apartment, vault, safe, or other place where the same is kept, used, employed, placed, lodged, or deposited by authority of the United States, any tool, implement, or thing used or fitted to be used in stamping or printing, or in making some other tool or implement used or fitted to be used in stamping or printing any kind or description of bond, bill, note, certificate, coupon, postage stamp, revenue stamp, fractional currency note, or other paper, instrument, obligation, device, or document, authorized by law to be printed, stamped, sealed, prepared, issued, uttered, or put in circulation on behalf of the United States; or Whoever, without such authority, so secretes, embezzles, or takes and carries away any paper, parchment, or other material prepared and intended to be used in the making of any such papers, instruments, obligations, devices, or documents; or Whoever, without such authority, so secretes, embezzles, or takes and carries away any paper, parchment, or other material printed or stamped, in whole or part, and intended to be prepared, issued, or put in circulation on behalf of the United States as one of such papers, instruments, or obligations, or printed or stamped, in whole or part, in the similitude of any such paper, instrument, or obligation, whether intended to issue or put the same in circulation or not— Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.

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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.