What Is the Penalty for Forging a Signature?

Nolo says that it is up to the judge to determine the best course of action to take against a forgery crime. For example, in the state of Oregon, the penalties for forgery are community service, probation or five years in jail and up to $125,000 in fines. Judges in Oregon typically only hand out the community service and probation punishment if the severity of the forgery crime is reduced to a misdemeanor.