A color image forming apparatus forming a full color image by superimposing images of individual colors includes a correction possibility determination device to determine whether or not deviations in position and errors in magnification ratio of images of individual colors that are superimposed on top of one another to form a full color image can be correctly performed and a correction device to perform the operation of correcting deviations in position and errors in magnification ratio of individual colors that are superimposed on top of one another to form a full color image. The operation of correcting deviations in position and errors in magnification ratio of individual colors that are superimposed on top of one another to form a full color image is performed by the correction device when the correction possibility determination device has determined that deviations in position and errors in magnification ratio of images of individual colors that are superimposed on top of one another to form a full color image can be correctly corrected.