An image forming apparatus used with a replaceable process cartridge mounted therein, including: a new article detecting unit which detects whether or not the mounted process cartridge is a new process cartridge; a detection storage unit which stores a number of times of detection that the new article detecting unit has detected that the mounted process cartridge is a new process cartridge; and a type determining unit which determines a type of the mounted process cartridge, based on the number of times of detection stored in the detection storage unit, when the new article detecting unit has detected that the mounted process cartridge is a new process cartridge.