---
title: "Is forgery a felony in Rhode Island?"
description: "Yes, most forgery offenses in Rhode Island are charged as felonies in Superior Court. That includes forging a check, altering a legal document, and uttering a forged instrument. A felony conviction..."
url: https://bankandmunns.com/faq-items/is-forgery-a-felony-in-rhode-island/
date: 2026-04-22
modified: 2026-04-22
author: "Bank and Munns"
type: avada_faq
lang: en
---

# Is forgery a felony in Rhode Island?

Yes, most forgery offenses in Rhode Island are charged as felonies in Superior Court. That includes forging a check, altering a legal document, and uttering a forged instrument. A felony conviction carries potential state prison time, significant fines, full restitution to the victim, and a permanent record that will show up on background checks for jobs, housing, licensing, and immigration. A small number of check cases can be charged as misdemeanor obtaining money under false pretenses when the loss is low and authority is ambiguous, and a **Rhode Island forgery lawyer** will fight hard to keep any case in that lower lane when the facts allow. The felony-versus-misdemeanor decision often turns on dollar amount, prior record, and whether the State can prove intent to defraud, which is why early defense strategy matters so much.