The present invention provides an image forming apparatus and an image reading apparatus. An image forming apparatus has R, G and B dot pattern detection units that detect the presence/absence of image data of operation restricting dot patterns of R, G and B color components respectively in document image data; a dot pattern color determination unit determining the presence/absence of the operation restricting dot pattern and the color of the operation restricting dot pattern on a document from the detection results from the detection units; a restriction detail table storage unit storing, beforehand, a table showing the correspondence relationship between the color of the operation restricting dot pattern and a restriction detail concerning a copy operation; an image formation control unit determining, based on a determination of the dot pattern color determination unit and the table, whether a current setting of a multi-functional peripheral is relevant to the restriction detail corresponding to the color, and, when relevant, prohibits the copy operation. Therefore, action control at heights with various different restrictions can be realized through simple structures and processes.