Section 463 IPC: Forgery

Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 463 IPC at a Glance

Section 463 IPC deals with forgery. From 1 July 2024 it is replaced by Section 336(1) BNS.

Punishment

None. Section 463 IPC defines forgery and prescribes no punishment. Penalties are provided under Section 465 IPC for general forgery and under Section 466 to Section 469 IPC for aggravated forms.

BNS Equivalent

Section 336(1) →

Section 463 IPC Bare Act Text

463. Forgery

Whoever makes any false document or false electronic record or part of a document or electronic record, with intent to cause damage or injury, to the public or to any person, or to support any claim or title, or to cause any person to part with property, or to enter into any express or implied contract, or with intent to commit fraud or that fraud may be committed, commits forgery.

Source: Section 463, Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 463 IPC in Simple Words

Section 463 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) defines forgery. A person commits forgery when he makes any false document or false electronic record, or part of a document or electronic record, with intent to cause damage or injury to the public or to any person, or to support any claim or title, or to cause any person to part with property, or to enter into any express or implied contract, or with intent to commit fraud or that fraud may be committed.

Making a false document is defined in Section 464 IPC. Section 463 IPC is a definition section and prescribes no punishment of its own.

Forgery is punished under Section 465 IPC, and aggravated forms are punished under Section 466 to Section 469 IPC. Because Section 463 IPC only defines the offence, it has no entry in the First Schedule to the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and compounding under Section 320 CrPC does not apply.

Ingredients of Section 463 IPC

  • The accused made a false document or false electronic record, or part of a document or electronic record, within the meaning of Section 464 IPC
  • The accused acted with intent to cause damage or injury to the public or to any person, or to support any claim or title, or to cause any person to part with property, or to enter into any express or implied contract, or with intent to commit fraud or that fraud may be committed

Punishment Under Section 463 IPC

Imprisonment

None. Section 463 IPC defines forgery and prescribes no punishment. Penalties are provided under Section 465 IPC for general forgery and under Section 466 to Section 469 IPC for aggravated forms.

Fine

None. Section 463 IPC prescribes no fine. Fines are provided under Section 465 IPC and subsequent sections according to the nature of the forgery.

Section 463 IPC defines forgery without prescribing any penalty of its own. Penalties are enacted under Section 465 IPC and subsequent sections.

Example of Section 463 IPC

In Dehradun in July 2017, Saurabh wanted to obtain a job as an accountant at a firm owned by Kalyani. Without authority from his former employer Prakash, Saurabh typed a certificate on Prakash's business letterhead stating that Saurabh had worked for five years with an unblemished record, and signed Prakash's name at the bottom, intending Kalyani to believe that Prakash had issued it. Saurabh created this false document intending to induce Kalyani to enter into an employment contract with him. By making a false document with intent to cause Kalyani to enter into a contract, Saurabh committed forgery under Section 463 IPC.

When Section 463 IPC Does Not Apply

  • No false document or false electronic record, or part of one, was made within the meaning of Section 464 IPC.
  • A false document or false electronic record was made without any of the intents specified in Section 463 IPC, such as intent to cause damage or injury, support a claim or title, induce someone to part with property or enter into a contract, or commit fraud.
  • A person told a verbal falsehood without making or altering any document or electronic record.

Section 463 IPC in the BNS

Section 463 IPC is now covered under Section 336(1) BNS.

Section 463 IPC corresponds to Section 336(1) BNS. The definition of forgery is carried forward into Section 336(1) BNS without any change in wording. Section 336(1) BNS consolidates the definition with three punishing sections: Section 465 IPC becomes Section 336(2) BNS, Section 468 IPC becomes Section 336(3) BNS, and Section 469 IPC becomes Section 336(4) BNS.

View detailed comparison (IPC 463 vs BNS 336(1)) →

FAQs on Section 463 IPC

What does Section 463 IPC define?▼

Section 463 IPC defines forgery as making a false document or false electronic record, or part of one, with intent to cause damage or injury to the public or to any person, or to support any claim or title, or to cause any person to part with property, or to enter into any express or implied contract, or with intent to commit fraud or that fraud may be committed.

What are the essential ingredients of forgery under Section 463 IPC?▼

The prosecution must establish that the accused made a false document or false electronic record, or part of one, as defined in Section 464 IPC, and that he did so with at least one of the specific statutory intents set out in Section 463 IPC.

Under Section 463 IPC, what is the punishment for forgery under the Indian Penal Code?▼

None in Section 463 IPC itself, which serves only as a definition. General forgery is punished under Section 465 IPC with imprisonment of either description for up to two years, or with fine, or with both. Aggravated forms are punished under Section 466 to Section 469 IPC.

Is an offence under Section 463 IPC bailable?▼

Section 463 IPC only defines forgery and has no separate entry in the First Schedule to the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. Bail status follows the punishing section. General forgery under Section 465 IPC is bailable, whereas offences under Section 466 IPC, Section 467 IPC and Section 468 IPC are non-bailable.

Can an offence defined in Section 463 IPC be compounded?▼

No. Section 463 IPC prescribes no punishment and is not listed in Section 320 CrPC. Furthermore, none of the punishing sections for forgery under Section 465 to Section 469 IPC is compoundable under Section 320 CrPC.

Which court tries an offence involving forgery under Section 463 IPC?▼

Trial jurisdiction is determined by the punishing section rather than the definition. Forgery under Section 465 IPC is triable by a Magistrate of the first class.

Under Section 463 IPC, can a person commit forgery by signing his own name?▼

Yes. Explanation 1 to Section 464 IPC provides that a signature by a man of his own name may amount to forgery. Its illustration covers a person who signs his own name to a bill of exchange, intending it to be believed that the bill was drawn by another person of the same name.

Where is Section 463 IPC placed in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita?▼

Section 463 IPC corresponds to Section 336(1) BNS, located in Chapter XVIII, Of Offences Relating to Documents and to Property Marks.

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Sources: Bare Act Text, Indian Penal Code, 1860 · Last updated: 16 Oct 2026 ·