Currency Regulations

Obviously, we don’t want to get anyone in trouble, so please take a minute to review the information below. There are several country- and region-specific regulations that should be taken into consideration before writing on any bills.

UNITED STATES
In the United States, it is LEGAL to write on your bills as long as you aren’t intentionally rendering it unusable (i.e. it must remain recognizable and in-tact). It is LEGAL as long you are NOT making them “unfit for recirculation.” According to Title 18, Section 333 of the US Code, this is defined as “mutilating, cutting, disfiguring, perforating, uniting or cementing together, or doing anything else to a bank bill with the intent to render such item(s) unfit to be reissued.”

CANADA
In Canada, the law is similar to that in the US: it is LEGAL to write on your bills, as long as you aren’t intentionally rendering it unusable. (i.e. it must remain recognizable and in-tact)

THE UNITED KINGDOM
In the United Kingdom, it is “illegal to write on currency” (avoid writing on the Queen’s picture, this seems to be the only issue noted) but nobody has ever been prosecuted for it. Despite any additional wording or printing that may appear on a banknote, it remains legal tender. The British Currency and Bank Notes Act, 1928, provides: “If any person prints or stamps or by any like means impresses on any bank note any words, letters or figures, he shall, in respect of each offence, be liable on summary conviction to a penalty not exceeding one pound.”

EURO-TERRITORIES
In territories using the Euro, it is LEGAL to write on your bills as long as you aren’t intentionally rendering it unusable (i.e. it must remain recognizable and in-tact). If a person presents more than one-hundred “tagged” bills to a bank, they cost ten cents to replace with “fresh” bills. Other than that, there is no penalty for writing on currency.

If you have any questions, feel free to send an e-mail to info@united4iran.org