To provide an image forming apparatus which sufficiently satisfies a distance between an image carrier, an endless belt such as an intermediate transfer belt or a transfer material conveyance belt, and a transfer member, prevents fluttering when the belt is driven, and prevents wear of the transfer member.

When a retreat position of a transfer member 14 is a first separation position 14-1, an endless belt 31 and an image carrier 2 are not in contact with each other and the transfer member 14 and the endless belt 31 are not in contact with each other. When a retreat position of the transfer member 14 is a second separation position 14-2, the endless belt 31 and the image carrier 2 are not in contact with each other and the transfer member 14 and the endless belt 31 are in contact with each other. In separation state during non-image formation, a transfer member 14c of at least one chromatic image forming station Pc is located in a second separation position 14c-2. In monochrome image formation, transfer members 14a, 14b, 14c of the chromatic image forming stations Pa, Pb, Pc are located in the first separation positions 14a-1, 14b-1, 14c-1.