Identity Documents Act 2010

6 Possession of false identity documents etc without reasonable excuse U.K.

(1) It is an offence for a person (“P”), without reasonable excuse, to have in P's possession or under P's control—

(a) an identity document that is false,

(b) an identity document that was improperly obtained,

(c) an identity document that relates to someone else,

(d) any apparatus which, to P's knowledge, is or has been specially designed or adapted for the making of false identity documents, or

(e) any article or material which, to P's knowledge, is or has been specially designed or adapted to be used in the making of such documents.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or a fine (or both), or

(b) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding the maximum period or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum (or both).

(3) In subsection (2)(b) “the maximum period” means—

(a) in England and Wales or Scotland, 12 months, and

(b) in Northern Ireland, 6 months.

(4) In subsection (3)(a) the reference to 12 months in England and Wales is to be read, in relation to an offence committed before the commencement of [F1 paragraph 24(2) of Schedule 22 to the Sentencing Act 2020], as a reference to 6 months.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 6(4) substituted (1.12.2020) by Sentencing Act 2020 (c. 17), s. 416(1), Sch. 24 para. 443(1) (with Sch. 24 para. 447, Sch. 27); S.I. 2020/1236, reg. 2