State and federal laws generally prohibit the possession, use, manufacture, or distribution of a false or fake driver’s license, identification card, military ID, passport, state or federal employee identification card, or other identification documents (fake ID). The legal definition of a fake ID is generally an ID that has been (1) altered, (2) falsified, (3) forged, (4) duplicated, (5) reproduced, or (6) counterfeited.

In many states, possession of a fake ID may be charged as a misdemeanor or as a felony, with fines, community service, probation, suspension of driver’s license, and possible jail time. Some colleges and universities impose additional penalties on students who are convicted of possessing a fake ID—including dismissal from the college or university. And fraud in connection with identification documents may also be a federal crime. See 18 U.S. Code §1028.

Fake ID laws are usually located in a state’s statutes—in the penal or criminal code, the alcoholic beverage code, or the transportation or motor vehicle code.

In Utah, as in other states, it is illegal to possess, use, manufacture, or distribute a fake ID. Utah law defines a fake ID as any identification document that has been altered, falsified, forged, duplicated, reproduced, or counterfeited. The possession of a fake ID can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the circumstances, and can result in penalties such as fines, community service, probation, suspension of a driver's license, and even jail time. Additionally, Utah's colleges and universities may impose their own sanctions on students found with fake IDs, which can include expulsion. On the federal level, fraudulent activities related to identification documents are criminalized under 18 U.S. Code §1028. The specific statutes pertaining to fake IDs in Utah can be found in the state's penal code, the alcoholic beverage code, and the transportation or motor vehicle code.