ILCS » Chapter 720 · Act 5
Illinois Compiled Statutes

720 ILCS 5/24-5 (2026)

Defacing identification marks of firearms

✓ current as of May 2026
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(720 ILCS 5/24-5) (from Ch. 38, par. 24-5)
    Sec. 24-5. Defacing identification marks of firearms.
    (a) Any person who shall knowingly or intentionally change, alter, remove or obliterate the name of the importer's or manufacturer's serial number of any firearm commits a Class 2 felony.
    (b) A person who possesses any firearm upon which any such importer's or manufacturer's serial number has been changed, altered, removed or obliterated commits a Class 3 felony.
    (c) Nothing in this Section shall prevent a person from making repairs, replacement of parts, or other changes to a firearm if those repairs, replacement of parts, or changes cause the removal of the name of the maker, model, or other marks of identification other than the serial number on the firearm's frame or receiver.
    (d) A prosecution for a violation of this Section may be commenced within 6 years after the commission of the offense.
(Source: P.A. 93-906, eff. 8-11-04.)

    
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 50 cases (20 in the last 5 years), 2005–2025 · leading case: People v. Ramirez, 2023 IL 128123 (Ill. 2023).
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People v. Ramirez, 2023 IL 128123 (Ill. 2023). · cites it 3× “” 720 ILCS 5/24-5 (West 2018). Subsection (a) criminalizes the changing, altering, removing, or obliterating of the serial numbers placed on any firearm by the manufacturer or importer as a Class 2 felony.”
People v. Lee, 2019 IL App (1st) 162563 (Ill. App. Ct. 2019). · cites it 4× “" 720 ILCS 5/24-5 (West 2016). Defendant objected to the use of Illinois Pattern Jury Instructions, Criminal, No.”
People v. Lee, 2019 IL App (1st) 162563 (Ill. App. Ct. 2019). · cites it 3× “” 720 ILCS 5/24-5 (West 2016). Defendant objected to the use of Illinois Pattern Jury Instructions, Criminal, No.”
People v. Falco, 2014 IL App (1st) 111797 (Ill. App. Ct. 2014). · cites it 3× “OPINION ¶1 Following a jury trial, defendant James Falco was convicted of possession of a firearm with defaced identification marks (720 ILCS 5/24-5(b) (West 2006)) and was sentenced to 2 years’ probation with 90 days in the Cook County department of corrections.”
People v. Pitts, 2016 IL App (1st) 132205 (Ill. App. Ct. 2016). “He moved to suppress the evidence recovered from his home on the basis that the complaint supporting the search warrant for his home was incomplete: the second page of the complaint, which had been signed by the judge issuing the warrant, had gone missing.”
People v. Harris, 2017 IL App (1st) 140777 (Ill. App. Ct. 2017). “at 605 (quoting 720 ILCS 5/24-5(b) (West 2006)). On appeal, the defendant argued that the evidence was insufficient to demonstrate that he had knowledge of the defacement of the firearms at issue.”
In re D.L., 2018 IL App (1st) 171764 (Ill. App. Ct. 2020). “(West 2016)), alleging that 16-year-old respondent committed a Class 3 felony of defacing identification marks of a firearm (720 ILCS 5/24-5(b) (West 2016)), two Class 4 felonies of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon (720 ILCS 5/24-1.”
People v. Rhinehart, 2011 IL App (1st) 100683 (Ill. App. Ct. 2011). “720 ILCS 5/24-5(b) (West 2008). Thus, the State was required to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that defendant possessed the handgun at issue in order to prove him guilty of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and defacing identification marks of a firearm.”
People v. Box, 2024 IL App (4th) 230649-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2024). · cites it 4× “Box, was found guilty of possession of cannabis with intent to deliver (720 ILCS 550/5(d) (West 2020)) (count IV), possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number (720 ILCS 5/24-5(b) (West 2020)) (count V), unlawful use of a weapon by a felon (UUWF) (720 ILCS 5/24-1.”
People v. Shelly, 2024 IL App (3d) 220432 (Ill. App. Ct. 2024). “¶ 1; 720 ILCS 5/24-5(b) (West 2018). There are two facts the State must prove to establish a violation of section 24-5(b): (1) the defendant possessed a firearm, and (2) the firearm was defaced.”
People v. Salgado, 2019 IL App (1st) 171377 (Ill. App. Ct. 2019). · cites it 2× “¶6 The State charged defendant with one count of defacing the identification marks of a firearm (720 ILCS 5/24-5(b) (West 2016)) (count I) and eight counts of AUUW (720 ILCS 5/24- 1.”
People v. Salgado, 2019 IL App (1st) 171377 (Ill. App. Ct. 2020). · cites it 2× “¶6 The State charged defendant with one count of defacing the identification marks of a firearm (720 ILCS 5/24-5(b) (West 2016)) (count I) and eight counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon (AUUW) (720 ILCS 5/24-1.”
Show all 50 citing cases →
— 720 ILCS 5/24-5(B) — 1 case
Culbreath v. The Town of Cicero (N.D. Ill. 2022).
— 720 ILCS 5/24-5(a) — 3 cases
People v. Tribble, 2025 IL App (1st) 240619-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2025).
People v. Quinones (Ill. App. Ct. 2005).
People v. Mendez, 931 N.E.2d 308 (Ill. App. Ct. 2010).
— 720 ILCS 5/24-5(b) — 47 cases
People v. Ramirez, 2023 IL 128123 (Ill. 2023). “” 720 ILCS 5/24-5 (West 2018). Subsection (a) criminalizes the changing, altering, removing, or obliterating of the serial numbers placed on any firearm by the manufacturer or importer as a Class 2 felony.”
People v. Lee, 2019 IL App (1st) 162563 (Ill. App. Ct. 2019). “" 720 ILCS 5/24-5 (West 2016). Defendant objected to the use of Illinois Pattern Jury Instructions, Criminal, No.”
People v. Falco, 2014 IL App (1st) 111797 (Ill. App. Ct. 2014). “OPINION ¶1 Following a jury trial, defendant James Falco was convicted of possession of a firearm with defaced identification marks (720 ILCS 5/24-5(b) (West 2006)) and was sentenced to 2 years’ probation with 90 days in the Cook County department of corrections.”
People v. Pitts, 2016 IL App (1st) 132205 (Ill. App. Ct. 2016). “He moved to suppress the evidence recovered from his home on the basis that the complaint supporting the search warrant for his home was incomplete: the second page of the complaint, which had been signed by the judge issuing the warrant, had gone missing.”
People v. Harris, 2017 IL App (1st) 140777 (Ill. App. Ct. 2017). “at 605 (quoting 720 ILCS 5/24-5(b) (West 2006)). On appeal, the defendant argued that the evidence was insufficient to demonstrate that he had knowledge of the defacement of the firearms at issue.”
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