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”.

Attorney's Note

Under the Iowa Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class D felonyup to 5 yearsbetween $1,025 and $10,245
Aggravated misdemeanorup to 2 yearsbetween $855 and $8,540
For details, see Iowa Code902.9 and Iowa Code§ 903.1
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Terms Used In Iowa Code 715A.2

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Forgery: The fraudulent signing or alteration of another's name to an instrument such as a deed, mortgage, or check. The intent of the forgery is to deceive or defraud. Source: OCC
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • person: means individual, corporation, limited liability company, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or association, or any other legal entity. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • property: includes personal and real property. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Rule: includes "regulation". See Iowa Code 4.1
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • United States: includes all the states. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Writing: includes printing or any other method of recording information, and includes money, coins, tokens, stamps, seals, credit cards, badges, trademarks, and other symbols of value, right, privilege, or identification. See Iowa Code 715A.1
 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.