Getting a call from your son or daughter about a fake ID charge is not the kind of news any parent wants to hear. Whether your college student child was stopped near the Pedestrian Mall in downtown Iowa City, cited after trying to enter a bar on Clinton Street, or accused of something more serious like producing a false ID, the situation can feel overwhelming. These charges may seem minor at first glance, but they carry real legal consequences that can follow a young person for years.
At Fitzgerald, Klesner, & Pavelich, PLC, we have been representing people facing serious criminal charges in Iowa City and throughout Johnson County for more than 50 years. Our law firm understands how the local courts work, how charges like these are prosecuted, and what options may be available to protect your child’s future. We take a practical, client-focused approach because we know that behind every charge is a real person with real stakes.
What Iowa Law Says About Fake IDs
Iowa law addresses fake ID offenses through several separate statutes, and the specific charge your student faces matters a great deal. Not all fake ID situations are treated the same way. The law draws important distinctions between possessing or making a false identification and simply using someone else’s real ID to try to buy alcohol.
Falsification of a Driver's License or ID Card
This is the more serious of the common fake ID offenses. Iowa law treats the making, obtaining, or possession of a fictitious or fraudulently altered driver’s license or non-operator’s identification card as a serious misdemeanor. A serious misdemeanor is a criminal charge that carries tougher potential penalties than the lower-level simple misdemeanor category.
This charge can apply even if your teenager never actually used the ID. Just getting caught in possession of a fraudulently made card can be enough. It also covers situations where someone submits false information on an application for a state ID or driver’s license, such as using a false name or concealing relevant facts.
Unlawful Use of a Driver's License or ID
This charge applies in a different set of circumstances. Iowa law makes it a crime to display or possess a revoked, suspended, fictitious, or fraudulently altered driver’s license or non-operator identification card. It also covers situations where someone lends their own ID to another person or uses an ID that belongs to someone else while claiming it as their own.
This offense is generally classified as a simple misdemeanor, which is a less severe category than a serious misdemeanor. A simple misdemeanor (a lower-level criminal charge) still results in a criminal record if a person is convicted or pleads guilty.
Using a Fake ID to Obtain Alcohol While Underage
Iowa law also includes a specific charge for underage individuals who use a fake ID or legitimate identification belonging to someone else to try to purchase alcohol or gain entry to a bar. This offense is also a simple misdemeanor and applies when a person under 21 uses or displays a fictitious or altered ID, or an ID belonging to someone else, in an attempt to get alcohol or enter a licensed establishment.
The Penalties for a Conviction or Guilty Plea
For the falsification offense, which is a serious misdemeanor, the potential penalties may include:
- Up to one year in jail
- Fines that start at $430 and can reach $2,560, plus court costs
- Driver’s license suspension of up to one year for Iowa residents
For unlawful use of a license or the underage alcohol offense, which are simple misdemeanors, the consequences may include:
- Fines, which can range from approximately $100 to $354 depending on the specific charge
- Driver’s license suspension for up to one year for Iowa residents
- A criminal record, even without jail time
Keep in mind, a driver’s license suspension may happen even if the charge is ultimately dismissed. Iowa law allows for administrative license action based on evidence that the ID was used, separate from the criminal case outcome. If you live outside of Iowa and your child’s license was issued by your home state, that state may also impose its own suspension.
Beyond the legal penalties, a conviction on any of these charges can appear on a criminal record. That means it can show up in background checks run by employers, graduate schools, professional licensing boards, and landlords. The University of Iowa and other area colleges may also initiate their own disciplinary proceedings, which could affect academic standing, scholarships, or campus housing.
Potential Defenses to a Fake ID Charge
Every case is different, and the facts of your college student’s situation will shape what defenses may apply. That said, there are several arguments that a criminal defense attorney might explore depending on the circumstances.
- Lack of knowledge or intent. For charges involving possession of a fraudulent ID, the prosecution may need to show that the person knew the ID was fake or fraudulently altered. If your student genuinely did not know the card was fictitious, that may be a relevant factor.
- Improper stop or search. Law enforcement in Iowa City, including officers from the Iowa City Police Department and the University of Iowa Police Department, conduct enforcement activities in and around the downtown bar district. If an officer obtained the ID through an improper search, or if the stop itself lacked a lawful basis, evidence gathered during that encounter may be challenged. A successful suppression motion, which is a legal request to exclude evidence obtained unlawfully, can sometimes lead to a reduction or dismissal of charges.
- Mistaken identity or lack of use. In some situations, a person may be accused of using a fake ID when the evidence of actual use is thin. If the charge requires proof that the ID was used or displayed to obtain alcohol, and that proof is weak, that gap in the evidence may matter.
- Negotiated resolution. In many cases, the most realistic path forward is not a trial but a negotiated outcome. Depending on the facts, a student’s prior record, and the specific charge, it may be possible to negotiate a plea to a lesser offense, pursue a deferred judgment (a legal arrangement where a conviction is withheld if the person completes certain conditions), or seek a dismissal through a diversion program. A deferred judgment, if successfully completed, may allow the charge to be expunged, meaning removed from the public record, at a later date.
None of these outcomes can be guaranteed. What an attorney can do is carefully review the facts, identify the strongest arguments, and pursue the best available outcome for your student.
Why Timing Matters
One of the most common mistakes families make is assuming there is time to wait and see how things develop. In reality, early involvement by our experienced criminal defense lawyer often opens doors that close quickly. Evidence can be reviewed before it is lost. Witnesses can be identified. And in some cases, early communication with the prosecutor’s office may influence how a charge is handled before it becomes more entrenched.
If your son or daughter received a citation or was arrested in the Iowa City area, including in Coralville or North Liberty, the case will likely be processed through Johnson County. The sooner a lawyer is involved, the more options may remain available.
How Fitzgerald, Klesner, & Pavelich Approaches These Cases
We have represented clients in this community through more than five decades of legal change. Our attorneys know the courts, the prosecutors, and the local legal landscape. That local knowledge is not a small thing. It shapes how we evaluate a case, how we communicate with the other side, and how we advise our clients on realistic outcomes.
We do not treat fake ID cases as minor paperwork. We understand that for a 19-year-old student at the University of Iowa or Kirkwood Community College, a criminal record is not an abstraction. It is something that could affect their future. Our lawyers take that seriously, and we work to protect our clients’ futures in practical, concrete ways.
Our firm also communicates clearly with parents who are navigating this from a distance. You do not need to understand the details of Iowa criminal procedure to work with us. We explain to your child what is happening, what the options are, and what we recommend in plain language.
Facing a Charge in Iowa City? Talk to an Attorney.
If your student has been charged with a fake ID offense, unlawful use of a license, or a related criminal matter in Iowa City or Johnson County, the attorneys at Fitzgerald, Klesner, & Pavelich, PLC are ready to help. We offer thoughtful, experienced representation for people facing charges that could affect their futures.
Reach out to our law office to schedule a consultation and learn more about how we may be able to help with your student’s case.
