PURPOSE: To prevent the copying of a defective copying paper from being charged to a user by preventing a copying paper which is in a transfer process when copying operation is stopped and then discharged thereafter from being counted.

CONSTITUTION: When a clear/stop key 312 is turned on, a stop flag is set to 1 irrelevantly to whether the copying device is in four transfer processes or finishes them, and a separation claw solenoid is turned on. Therefore, when the clear/stop key 312 is inputted, a copying paper begins to be discharged immediately without reference to the state of the transfer and a next mode is set immediately. Then when the stop flag is 1 (namely, copying operation is stopped), the stop flag is only clear and a total counter 324 never counts up. Consequently, trouble on the side of the user, e.g. the charging for a defective copying paper is evaded.