Cal. Codes » Penal Code / PART 1. OF CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS / TITLE 13. OF CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY / CHAPTER 4. Forgery and Counterfeiting
California Codes

Cal. Penal Code § 476 (2026)

Forgery and Counterfeiting

✓ leginfo export of Sept. 26, 2026 (applied Oct. 1, 2026)
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Every person who makes, passes, utters, or publishes, with intent to defraud any other person, or who, with the like intent, attempts to pass, utter, or publish, or who has in his or her possession, with like intent to utter, pass, or publish, any fictitious or altered bill, note, or check, purporting to be the bill, note, or check, or other instrument in writing for the payment of money or property of any real or fictitious financial institution as defined in Section 186.9 is guilty of forgery.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 49 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 1951–2025 · leading case: Francisco Jose Morales-Alegria v. Alberto R. Gonzales, 449 F.3d 1051 (9th Cir. 2006).
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Francisco Jose Morales-Alegria v. Alberto R. Gonzales, 449 F.3d 1051 (9th Cir. 2006). · cites it 7× “Morales-Alegria maintains that his conviction for forgery under California Penal Code section 476 1 does not qualify as an “aggravated felony.”
Smith v. Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, Inc., 723 F. Supp. 2d 1205 (N.D. Cal. 2010). · cites it 3× “) The Official Notice, sent on district attorney letter head, states that “This Office has received a report(s) of criminal activity alleging that you have violated California Penal Code Section 476(a), ‘Passing a Worthless Check.”
People v. House, 183 Cal. App. 4th 1049 (Cal. Ct. App. 2010). · cites it 2× “NA076708 with 12 theft-related offenses: two counts of identity theft (Pen. Code, § 530.”
People v. Nolan, 95 Cal. App. 4th 1210 (Cal. Ct. App. 2002). “FACTS Nolan pled no contest to passing a bad check (Pen.Code, § 476) in 1998. Her terms of probation required her to submit to drug testing and not to use or possess illegal drugs.”
Schwarm v. Craighead, 233 F.R.D. 655 (E.D. Cal. 2006). “) These letters advise the check writer of a pending investigation, reference California Penal Code § 476(a), and request payment for the amount of the bad check, bank fees, bad *658 check fees, and diversion fees.”
People v. Norwood, 26 Cal. App. 3d 148 (Cal. Ct. App. 1972). “For instance, the general forgery section (Pen. Code, § 470) specifically mentions “county order or warrant, or request for the payment of money, or the delivery of goods or chattels of, any kind.”
People v. Carter, 75 Cal. App. 3d 865 (Cal. Ct. App. 1977). “’’ 2 Penal Code section 476 makes criminal the possession of “any fictitious bill, note, or check” with intent to defraud.”
People v. Lowery, 8 Cal. App. 5th 533 (Cal. Ct. App. 2017). “(Pen. Code, § 476.) In 2015, he petitioned to designate the offense a misdemeanor under Proposition 47.”
People v. Mason, 259 Cal. App. 2d 30 (Cal. Ct. App. 1968). “Code, § 470), issuing a check without sufficient funds with intent to defraud (Pen. Code, § 476). Defendant was also charged with a prior conviction of forgery, a felony, on September 11, 1951, and two other prior convictions of forgery, both felonies, on March 31,1956, and…”
People v. Jarvis, 135 Cal. App. 3d 154 (Cal. Ct. App. 1982). “(Pen. Code, § 476.) Defendant contends the court erred in denying her motion, pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 170.”
People v. Graff, 230 P.2d 654 (Cal. Ct. App. 1951). “(Pen. Code, § 476.) First, the attorney general argues that the appeal must be dismissed, because defendant’s notice of appeal was not filed with the clerk of the superior court within 10 days after rendition of the judgment, as required by rule 31 of Rules on Appeal.”
People v. Munoz, 167 Cal. App. 4th 126 (Cal. Ct. App. 2008). “FACTS Munoz and Prado were each charged with one count relating to their alleged possession of counterfeit currency (Pen. Code, § 476), and three counts relating to their alleged possession of methamphetamine and related paraphernalia (Health & Saf.”
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Cal. Penal Code § 476(a): 3 cases
Smith v. Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, Inc., 723 F. Supp. 2d 1205 (N.D. Cal. 2010). “) The Official Notice, sent on district attorney letter head, states that “This Office has received a report(s) of criminal activity alleging that you have violated California Penal Code Section 476(a), ‘Passing a Worthless Check.”
Schwarm v. Craighead, 233 F.R.D. 655 (E.D. Cal. 2006). “) These letters advise the check writer of a pending investigation, reference California Penal Code § 476(a), and request payment for the amount of the bad check, bank fees, bad *658 check fees, and diversion fees.”
McInnes v. Comm'r, 47 T.C.M. 1145 (T.C. 1984).
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