Iowa · Through Iowa Code 2026 edition

Iowa Code § 715A.2: Forgery.

1. A person is guilty of forgery if, with intent to defraud or injure anyone, or with knowledge that the person is facilitating a fraud or injury to be perpetrated by anyone, the person does any of the following:
a. Alters a writing of another without the other’s permission.
b. Makes, completes, executes, authenticates, issues, or transfers a writing so that it purports to be the act of another who did not authorize that act, or so that it purports to have been executed at a time or place or in a numbered sequence other than was in fact the case, or so that it purports to be a copy of an original when no such original existed.
c. Utters a writing which the person knows to be forged in a manner specified in paragraph “a” or “b”.
d. Possesses a writing which the person knows to be forged in a manner specified in paragraph “a” or “b”.
2. a. Forgery is a class “D” felony if the writing is or purports to be any of the following:
(1) Part of an issue of money, securities, postage or revenue stamps, or other instruments issued by the government.
(2) Part of an issue of stock, bonds, credit-sale contracts as defined in section 203.1, or other instruments representing interests in or claims against any property or enterprise.
(3) A check, draft, or other writing which ostensibly evidences an obligation of the person who has purportedly executed it or authorized its execution.
(4) A document prescribed by statute, rule, or regulation for entry into or as evidence of authorized stay or employment in the United States.
(5) A driver’s license, nonoperator’s identification card, birth certificate, or occupational license or certificate in support of an occupational license issued by a department, agency, board, or commission in this state.
b. Forgery is an aggravated misdemeanor if the writing is or purports to be a will, deed, contract, release, commercial instrument, or any other writing or other document evidencing, creating, transferring, altering, terminating, or otherwise affecting legal relations.

Where this section sits in the code

Title XVI - CRIMINAL LAW AND PROCEDURE (Ch. 687 - 916)
Chapter 715A - FORGERY AND RELATED FRAUDULENT CRIMINAL ACTS

a. Alters a writing of another without the other’s permission.

b. Makes, completes, executes, authenticates, issues, or transfers a writing so that it purports to be the act of another who did not authorize that act, or so that it purports to have been executed at a time or place or in a numbered sequence other than was in fact the case, or so that it purports to be a copy of an original when no such original existed.

c. Utters a writing which the person knows to be forged in a manner specified in paragraph “a” or “b”.

d. Possesses a writing which the person knows to be forged in a manner specified in paragraph “a” or “b”.

2. a. Forgery is a class “D” felony if the writing is or purports to be any of the following:

(1) Part of an issue of money, securities, postage or revenue stamps, or other instruments issued by the government.

(2) Part of an issue of stock, bonds, credit-sale contracts as defined in section 203.1, or other instruments representing interests in or claims against any property or enterprise.

(3) A check, draft, or other writing which ostensibly evidences an obligation of the person who has purportedly executed it or authorized its execution.

(4) A document prescribed by statute, rule, or regulation for entry into or as evidence of authorized stay or employment in the United States.

(5) A driver’s license, nonoperator’s identification card, birth certificate, or occupational license or certificate in support of an occupational license issued by a department, agency, board, or commission in this state.

b. Forgery is an aggravated misdemeanor if the writing is or purports to be a will, deed, contract, release, commercial instrument, or any other writing or other document evidencing, creating, transferring, altering, terminating, or otherwise affecting legal relations.

Collected 2026-09-14T19:40:18Z. Source file · JSON

Browse this collection