Notice: The uscode.house.gov website is currently operating in a temporary format. While the United States Code remains available from its authoritative source, some website features and functionality are temporarily unavailable.
The United States Code Online is current through Public Law 119-120 (October 7, 2026).
Search & Browse Currency and Updating Classification Tables Popular Name Tool Positive Law Codification Editorial Reclassification Downloads
18 U.S.C. 494: Contractors’ bonds, bids, and public recordsText contains those laws in effect through Public Law 119-120 (October 7, 2026).
From Title 18-CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURECHAPTER 25-COUNTERFEITING AND FORGERY

§494. Contractors’ bonds, bids, and public records

Whoever falsely makes, alters, forges, or counterfeits any bond, bid, proposal, contract, guarantee, security, official bond, public record, affidavit, or other writing for the purpose of defrauding the United States; or

Whoever utters or publishes as true or possesses with intent to utter or publish as true, any such false, forged, altered, or counterfeited writing, knowing the same to be false, forged, altered, or counterfeited; or

Whoever transmits to, or presents at any office or to any officer of the United States, any such false, forged, altered, or counterfeited writing, knowing the same to be false, forged, altered, or counterfeited⁠—

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

( June 25, 1948, ch. 645 , 62 Stat. 711 ; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(H) , Sept. 13, 1994 , 108 Stat. 2147 .)

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 72 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 28, 35 Stat. 1094).

Reference to persons causing, procuring, aiding or assisting was omitted as unnecessary as such persons are made principals by section 2 of this title.

Changes were also made in phraseology.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994⁠—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000”.