{"jurisdiction": "us-ny", "code": "penal", "section": "170.00", "citation": "Penal Law § 170.00", "heading": "Forgery; definitions of terms", "text": ["§ 170.00 Forgery; definitions of terms.", "1. \"Written instrument\" means any instrument or article, including computer data or a computer program, containing written or printed matter or the equivalent thereof, used for the purpose of reciting, embodying, conveying or recording information, or constituting a symbol or evidence of value, right, privilege or identification, which is capable of being used to the advantage or disadvantage of some person. For the purposes of this article, a card provided to a person by a vaccine provider indicating the date a person received a vaccination against COVID-19, the type of vaccine and its lot number, and bearing a government logo or other indication that it is created by a governmental instrumentality, shall be considered a written instrument.", "2. \"Complete written instrument\" means one which purports to be a genuine written instrument fully drawn with respect to every essential feature thereof. An endorsement, attestation, acknowledgment or other similar signature or statement is deemed both a complete written instrument in itself and a part of the main instrument in which it is contained or to which it attaches.", "3. \"Incomplete written instrument\" means one which contains some matter by way of content or authentication but which requires additional matter in order to render it a complete written instrument.", "4. \"Falsely make.\" A person \"falsely makes\" a written instrument when he makes or draws a complete written instrument in its entirety, or an incomplete written instrument, which purports to be an authentic creation of its ostensible maker or drawer, but which is not such either because the ostensible maker or drawer is fictitious or because, if real, he did not authorize the making or drawing thereof.", "5. \"Falsely complete.\" A person \"falsely completes\" a written instrument when, by adding, inserting or changing matter, he transforms an incomplete written instrument into a complete one, without the authority of anyone entitled to grant it, so that such complete instrument appears or purports to be in all respects an authentic creation of or fully authorized by its ostensible maker or drawer.", "6. \"Falsely alter.\" A person \"falsely alters\" a written instrument when, without the authority of anyone entitled to grant it, he changes a written instrument, whether it be in complete or incomplete form, by means of erasure, obliteration, deletion, insertion of new matter, transposition of matter, or in any other manner, so that such instrument in its thus altered form appears or purports to be in all respects an authentic creation of or fully authorized by its ostensible maker or drawer.", "7. \"Forged instrument\" means a written instrument which has been falsely made, completed or altered.", "8. \"Electronic access device\" means a mobile identification number or electronic serial number that can be used to obtain telephone service."], "official_source": "https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PEN/170.00", "from_official_api": true, "plain_english": "This article defines:\n- **(1)** A “**written instrument**” as an information-bearing item—including computer data or a program—or evidence of value, rights, privileges, or identification usable to someone’s advantage or disadvantage; a government-marked COVID-19 vaccination card counts.\n- **(2)** A “**complete written instrument**” appears genuine and has every essential feature; an endorsement or similar signature is both its own complete instrument and part of the main one.\n- **(3)** An “**incomplete written instrument**” has some content or authentication but needs more to be complete.\n- **(4)** To “**falsely make**” is to create a complete or incomplete instrument that appears authentically made by a fictitious or nonconsenting maker.\n- **(5)** To “**falsely complete**” is, without authority, to add or change matter so an incomplete instrument appears complete and authentic.\n- **(6)** To “**falsely alter**” is, without authority, to change an instrument so it appears authentic and authorized.\n- **(7)** A “**forged instrument**” was falsely made, completed, or altered. ★\n- **(8)** An “**electronic access device**” is a mobile identification number or electronic serial number usable to obtain telephone service.", "in_force_on": "2026-05-31", "retrieved": "2026-09-27", "url": "https://elyphived.com/us-ny/penal/170.00", "publisher": "Elyphived LLC"}