To provide an image forming apparatus capable of easily and speedily performing copy restriction processing to restrict copying regarding a document based on a background pattern included in a document image read from the document.

The number of lines in a background pattern contained in a document image read from a document (S2) is detected (S3), it is determined (S4) whether the detected number of lines is the specified number of lines (less than 65) and in accordance with determination results, copying is permitted (S5) or restricted (S6).