26 Dec Tampering with Public Records Is a Felony
Thinking about making a fake ID or forging a birth certificate? Don’t do it. Although it might seem harmless, tampering with public records is a serious crime. When you fake, alter, destroy, or withhold public records, you could be playing with your future. Tampering with public records is a class 6 felony, and felony convictions can have consequences that can last a lifetime.
What Does It Mean to Tamper with Public Records?
Public records include everything from birth and death certificates to state IDs, wills, and witness statements. According to Arizona’s penal code, there are five different ways to tamper with public records.
1: Making a false document or altering an existing document and claiming that it is an official public record or an official copy of a public record.
Example: A person alters the date on a death certificate.
2: Presenting a false or altered public record with the intent that it be viewed as genuine.
Example: A person presents a fake birth certificate for a non-existent child when applying for social benefits.
3: Someone records, registers, or files a document that contains false information with a government agency.
Example: A teenager fills out a license application with false information, hoping to get a license with a false birthday.
4: Destroying, removing, or otherwise impeding access to any public record.
Example: A person who is under suspicion of fraud shreds tax information that points toward their wrongdoing.
5: Refusing to deliver a public record for examination or other legal purposes.
Example: A drunk driver refuses to hand over their license when stopped for a traffic violation.
The Consequences of Tapering with Public Records
Tampering with a public record is a class 6 felony. Even though this is the lowest felony class, it is still a very serious offense. Felony convictions can have lifelong consequences that affect everything from your personal relationships to your job opportunities, and even your right to vote.
Felony convictions also mean serving a prison term and paying hefty fines, fees, and restitution. For example, the fines for tampering with public records can run up to $150,000.
The terms of incarceration for class 6 felonies are:
- 3 months to 2 years for first-time offenders
- 9 months to 2 years and 9 months for the second offense
- 2 years and 3 months to 5 years and 9 months for three or more offenses
A felony conviction also means losing:
- The right to vote in elections or serve on a jury
- The right to possess a firearm for a certain amount of time
- Any professional licenses that were abused or misused to commit the crime
- Eligibility for government loans, public housing, or other social services
You Need a Certified Defense Attorney If You’re Facing Felony Charges
If you are facing a felony charge, you need strong representation. A certified defense lawyer will argue your case in court and negotiate with the prosecution to get the charges reduced and secure the best possible outcome. The Coolidge Law Firm has over 25 years of experience fighting felony charges and helping our clients keep their lives on track.
If you have been charged with a felony, don’t take the risk with a less experienced lawyer. Call us to schedule a consultation today.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash. Used with permission under the Creative Commons license for commercial use 12/23/25.