According to Nolo, the penalty for forging a signature varies by state, but the crime is considered a felony in all 50 states. The punishment for such a crime ranges from jail time to fines and probation.
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.
