Is Burning Money Illegal In Montana?

Seems like a silly or moronic idea to burn money in this day in age with all the economic turmoil that is present in America today, but have you ever thought about burning money?

I have, but not actively, actually burning money in my backyard or anything. However we see it in movies all the time whether it's the Joker burning a literal mountain of money in that Batman movie, or some rich fictional character lighting a cigar with a hundred dollar bill, the idea is definitely ingrained in American culture.

via GIPHY

Before anyone grabs gas or a lighter and ACTUALLY burns money, we have to make sure we are not breaking laws.

Is burning money Illegal?

Yes.

Burning money is definitely Illegal. Federally illegal.

According to U.S. Title 18 Section 333 via Cornell School, it states:

Whoever mutilates, cuts, defaces, disfigures,
or perforates, or unites or cements together, or
does any other thing to any bank bill, draft,
note, or other evidence of debt issued by any national
banking association, or Federal Reserve
bank, or the Federal Reserve System, with intent
to render such bank bill, draft, note, or
other evidence of debt unfit to be reissued, shall
be fined under this title or imprisoned not more
than six months, or both.

According to ThoughtCo, prosecution is rare in most cases and sometime burning money can fall under 1st Amendment rights which is quite interesting because as they say it's akin to burning the American Flag.

Maybe hold off on burning your money, how else are going to go get snacks this afternoon?