Forgery is the criminal offense of making or uttering a false document or other instrument with the intent to defraud or harm someone—including a written or printed document, money, coins, tokens, stamps, checks, cashier’s checks, bonds, money orders, traveler’s checks, real property deeds, contracts, stock certificates, lottery tickets, wills, seals, credit cards, badges, trademarks, and symbols of value, right, privilege, or identification. Uttering a document means to declare—either directly or indirectly, and through words or actions—that the document is legitimate and what it purports to be.

Forging a document includes altering, making, completing, executing, or authenticating a writing so it purports (1) to be the act of another who did not authorize that act; (2) to have been executed at a time or place or in a numbered sequence other than was in fact the case; or (3) to be a copy of an original when no such original existed.

Forging a document also includes the acts of issuing, transferring, registering the transfer of, recording, passing, publishing, or otherwise uttering a document that is forged. And in some states the mere possession of a forged document with the intent to utter it constitutes forging a document.

The definitions, penalties, and punishments for the crime of forgery vary from state to state and are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code.

In Nevada, forgery is considered a serious criminal offense under Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 205.090. The law defines forgery as the act of falsely making, altering, forging, or counterfeiting certain public and private documents or instruments with the intent to defraud. This includes, but is not limited to, checks, bonds, money orders, stock certificates, and other items of value. Uttering a forged instrument, which involves passing or attempting to pass a forged document as genuine, is also a crime under NRS 205.185. The mere possession of a forged instrument with the intent to utter it can also constitute forgery. Penalties for forgery in Nevada can be severe and may include imprisonment, fines, or both. Forgery is typically charged as a category D felony, which can result in a sentence of one to four years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000. Given the complexity of forgery laws and the potential consequences, individuals accused of forgery should seek the counsel of an attorney to navigate the legal process.