Iowa statute
Iowa Code § 715A.6A — Prohibitions relating to false academic degrees, grades, or honors
Current through 2026 Iowa Code (enactments effective on or before 2026-01-01, through the 2025 Regular Session, 91st G.A.)
Part of Chapter 715A: Forgery and Related Fraudulent Criminal Acts, Iowa Code.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of Iowa Code § 715A.6A
Statutory text current through the 2026 Iowa Code (enactments effective on or before 2026-01-01, through the 2025 Regular Session, 91st G.A.). This publication reproduces the statutory text of the official 2026 Iowa Code (Legislative Services Agency); it is not the official publication of the State of Iowa.
1. As used in this section, “academic degree” means a diploma, certificate, license, transcript, or other document which signifies or purports to signify completion of the academic requirements of a secondary, postsecondary, professional, or governmental program of study.
2. A person commits a serious misdemeanor if the person, knowingly and willingly, does any of the following:
a. Falsely makes or alters, procures to be falsely made or altered, or assists in falsely making or altering, an academic degree.
b. Uses, offers, or presents as genuine, a falsely made or altered academic degree.
c. Sells, gives, purchases, or obtains, procures to be sold, given, purchased, or obtained, or assists in selling, giving, buying, or obtaining, a false academic degree.
d. Makes a false written representation relating to the person’s academic grades, honors, or awards, or makes a false written representation that the person has received an academic degree from a specific secondary, postsecondary, professional institution, or governmental program of study, in an application for any of the following:
(1) Employment.
(2) Admission to an educational program.
(3) An award or other recognition.
(4) The issuance of an academic degree to the person.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.