Ohio Rev. Code » Chapter 2913
Ohio Revised Code

Ohio Rev. Code § 2913.30 (2026)

Counterfeiting

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Effective:
April 9, 2025
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 366 - 135th General Assembly
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(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Access device" means any debit or credit card representing a monetary security or retail amount by any financial institution, including a bank, savings bank, savings and loan association, credit union, or business entity. "Access device" includes a gift card as defined in section 1349.61 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Obligation or other security" means an instrument recognized as currency or legal tender or that is issued by the United States treasury, including bills, coins, bonds, or checks.

(3) "Encoding machine" means an electronic device that is used to encode information onto an access device.

(4) "Merchant" means an owner or operator of a retail establishment or an agent, employee, lessee, consignee, officer, director, franchisee, or independent contractor of the owner or operator.

(5) "Scanning device" means a scanner, reader, wireless access device, radio frequency identification scanner, an electronic device that utilizes near field communication technology, or any other electronic device that is used to access, read, scan, obtain, memorize, or store, temporarily or permanently, information encoded on an access device.

(B) No person, with purpose to defraud or knowing that the person is facilitating a fraud, shall do any of the following:

(1) Falsely make, forge, counterfeit, or alter any obligation or other security of the United States;

(2) Pass, utter, sell, purchase, conceal, or transfer any counterfeit obligation or other security of the United States;

(3) Possess with the purpose to utter any obligation or other security of the United States, knowing that the obligation or other security has been counterfeited;

(4) Without authorization of the issuer, falsely make, forge, counterfeit, alter, or knowingly possess any access device;

(5) Directly or indirectly use a scanning device to access, read, obtain, memorize, or store, temporarily or permanently, information encoded on an access device without the permission of the authorized user of the access device, the financial institution issuing the authorized user's access device, or a merchant;

(6) Directly or indirectly use an encoding machine to place information encoded on an access device onto a different access device without the permission of the authorized user of the access device from which the information was obtained, the financial institution issuing the authorized user's access device, or a merchant.

(C) Whoever violates this section is guilty of counterfeiting. Except as otherwise provided in this division, counterfeiting is a felony of the fourth degree, and in addition, the court shall impose on the offender a fine from the range of fines for a felony of the fourth degree that is not less than five hundred dollars.

(1) If the value of the counterfeited obligations or other securities or access devices is five thousand dollars or more and is less than one hundred thousand dollars, or if the offense involves five or more access devices, counterfeiting is a felony of the third degree.

(2) If the value of the counterfeited obligations or other securities or access devices is one hundred thousand dollars or more and is less than one million dollars, counterfeiting is a felony of the second degree.

(3) If the value of the counterfeited obligations or other securities or access devices is one million dollars or more, counterfeiting is a felony of the first degree.

(D) A prosecution for a violation of this section does not preclude a prosecution for a violation of section 2913.02, 2913.31, or 2913.32 of the Revised Code based on the same conduct. However, if an offender is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violation of this section and is also convicted of or pleads guilty to a violation of section 2913.02, 2913.31, or 2913.32 of the Revised Code based on the same conduct involving the same victim that was the basis of the violation of this section, the two or more offenses are allied offenses of similar import under section 2941.25 of the Revised Code.

Last updated January 21, 2025 at 3:09 PM

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 12 cases (12 in the last 5 years), 2021–2025 · leading case: State v. Flowers, 2021-Ohio-2966.
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State v. Flowers, 2021-Ohio-2966. · cites it 3× “Background {¶ 2} On or about June 11, 2020, appellant was charged by way of indictment with eight counts of counterfeiting in violation of R.C. 2913.30(B)(3) and (C), each a felony of the fourth degree.”
State v. Gibler, 2025-Ohio-4689. · cites it 4× “30(B)(4) and (C)(1), a third- degree felony (Count 2); counterfeiting, a violation of R.C. 2913.30(B)(1) and (C), a fourth-degree felony (Count 3); counterfeiting, a violation of R.”
State v. Wyatt, 2021-Ohio-3146. “11(A) and (C)(1)(b), a Warren CA2020-11-076 felony of the third degree, one count of counterfeiting in violation of R.C. 2913.30(B)(3) and (C), a felony of the fourth degree, one count of possessing drug abuse instruments in violation of R.”
State v. Fountain, 2023-Ohio-3111, 224 N.E.3d 97. “11(B), (F), a first-degree misdemeanor, and Count Two of counterfeiting in violation of R.C. 2913.30(B)(2), (C), a fourth-degree felony.”
State v. Kemp, 2024-Ohio-5733. “11(A)(1) and (D), a second-degree felony (count 5); and counterfeiting in violation of R.C. 2913.30(B)(4) and (C)(1), a fourth-degree felony (count 6).”
State v. Kirks, 2021-Ohio-2027. · cites it 5× “30 states, in relevant part, as follows: {¶38} (B) No person, with purpose to defraud or knowing that the person is facilitating a fraud, shall do any of the following: {¶39} (1) Falsely make, forge, counterfeit, or alter any obligation or other security of the United; {¶40} (4)…”
State v. Alexander-Keels, 2024-Ohio-3138. · cites it 4× “30 (B)(3), required the State to prove: (B) No person, with purpose to defraud or knowing that the person is facilitating a fraud, shall do any of the following: … (3) Possess with the purpose to utter any obligation or other security of the United States, knowing that the…”
State v. Kirks, 2021-Ohio-3194. “{¶3} On February 11, 2020, he was indicted on sixteen counts of Counterfeiting in violations of R.C. 2913.30(B)(4)&(C)(1) and one count of Forgery in violation of R.”
State v. Cowan, 2022-Ohio-4241. “12(B), and counterfeiting, a fourth-degree felony, in violation of R.C. 2913.30(B)(2). Cowan pleaded not guilty, and the case proceeded to jury trial.”
State v. Burtis, 2023-Ohio-4162. “Factual Background and Procedural History {¶ 2} On April 21, 2022, the Wood County Grand Jury indicted Burtis on one count of counterfeiting in violation of R.C. 2913.30(B)(2) and (C), a felony of the fourth degree, and one count of forgery in violation of R.”
State v. Delong, 2025-Ohio-534. “FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY {¶ 2} On September 20, 2023, the Muskingum County Grand Jury indicted Delong on one count of counterfeiting in violation of R.C. 2913.30, one count of obstructing official business in violation of R.”
State v. Starcher, 2025-Ohio-4777. “51, two counts of counterfeiting in violation of R.C. 2913.30, and one count of domestic violence in violation of R.”
Ohio Rev. Code § 2913.30(A)(2): 1 case
State v. Alexander-Keels, 2024-Ohio-3138. “30 (B)(3), required the State to prove: (B) No person, with purpose to defraud or knowing that the person is facilitating a fraud, shall do any of the following: … (3) Possess with the purpose to utter any obligation or other security of the United States, knowing that the…”
Ohio Rev. Code § 2913.30(B)(1): 1 case
State v. Gibler, 2025-Ohio-4689. “30(B)(4) and (C)(1), a third- degree felony (Count 2); counterfeiting, a violation of R.C. 2913.30(B)(1) and (C), a fourth-degree felony (Count 3); counterfeiting, a violation of R.”
Ohio Rev. Code § 2913.30(B)(2): 4 cases
State v. Fountain, 2023-Ohio-3111, 224 N.E.3d 97. “11(B), (F), a first-degree misdemeanor, and Count Two of counterfeiting in violation of R.C. 2913.30(B)(2), (C), a fourth-degree felony.”
State v. Gibler, 2025-Ohio-4689. “30(B)(4) and (C)(1), a third- degree felony (Count 2); counterfeiting, a violation of R.C. 2913.30(B)(1) and (C), a fourth-degree felony (Count 3); counterfeiting, a violation of R.”
State v. Cowan, 2022-Ohio-4241. “12(B), and counterfeiting, a fourth-degree felony, in violation of R.C. 2913.30(B)(2). Cowan pleaded not guilty, and the case proceeded to jury trial.”
State v. Burtis, 2023-Ohio-4162. “Factual Background and Procedural History {¶ 2} On April 21, 2022, the Wood County Grand Jury indicted Burtis on one count of counterfeiting in violation of R.C. 2913.30(B)(2) and (C), a felony of the fourth degree, and one count of forgery in violation of R.”
Ohio Rev. Code § 2913.30(B)(3): 4 cases
State v. Flowers, 2021-Ohio-2966. “Background {¶ 2} On or about June 11, 2020, appellant was charged by way of indictment with eight counts of counterfeiting in violation of R.C. 2913.30(B)(3) and (C), each a felony of the fourth degree.”
State v. Wyatt, 2021-Ohio-3146. “11(A) and (C)(1)(b), a Warren CA2020-11-076 felony of the third degree, one count of counterfeiting in violation of R.C. 2913.30(B)(3) and (C), a felony of the fourth degree, one count of possessing drug abuse instruments in violation of R.”
State v. Gibler, 2025-Ohio-4689. “30(B)(4) and (C)(1), a third- degree felony (Count 2); counterfeiting, a violation of R.C. 2913.30(B)(1) and (C), a fourth-degree felony (Count 3); counterfeiting, a violation of R.”
State v. Alexander-Keels, 2024-Ohio-3138. “30 (B)(3), required the State to prove: (B) No person, with purpose to defraud or knowing that the person is facilitating a fraud, shall do any of the following: … (3) Possess with the purpose to utter any obligation or other security of the United States, knowing that the…”
Ohio Rev. Code § 2913.30(B)(4): 4 cases
State v. Kemp, 2024-Ohio-5733. “11(A)(1) and (D), a second-degree felony (count 5); and counterfeiting in violation of R.C. 2913.30(B)(4) and (C)(1), a fourth-degree felony (count 6).”
State v. Gibler, 2025-Ohio-4689. “30(B)(4) and (C)(1), a third- degree felony (Count 2); counterfeiting, a violation of R.C. 2913.30(B)(1) and (C), a fourth-degree felony (Count 3); counterfeiting, a violation of R.”
State v. Kirks, 2021-Ohio-2027. “30 states, in relevant part, as follows: {¶38} (B) No person, with purpose to defraud or knowing that the person is facilitating a fraud, shall do any of the following: {¶39} (1) Falsely make, forge, counterfeit, or alter any obligation or other security of the United; {¶40} (4)…”
State v. Kirks, 2021-Ohio-3194. “{¶3} On February 11, 2020, he was indicted on sixteen counts of Counterfeiting in violations of R.C. 2913.30(B)(4)&(C)(1) and one count of Forgery in violation of R.”
Ohio Rev. Code § 2913.30(C): 1 case
State v. Flowers, 2021-Ohio-2966. “Background {¶ 2} On or about June 11, 2020, appellant was charged by way of indictment with eight counts of counterfeiting in violation of R.C. 2913.30(B)(3) and (C), each a felony of the fourth degree.”
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