An image forming apparatus includes an image holding member on which an image is held, and a transfer unit transferring the held image to a recording material, wherein the transfer unit includes, a transfer roll disposed to be opposite to the image holding member, forming a transfer electric field, and transferring the image to the recording material, a drive unit applying driving force to the transfer roll, a torque limiting machanics limiting an upper limit of torque which acts on the transfer roll, and an inertia member provided to increase an amount of inertia with respect to the transfer roll and moving the transfer roll with inertia in a direction in which a speed difference between the image holding member and the transfer roll is decreased when the upper limit of torque acts on the transfer roll.