How to get a copy of a police report or car crash report
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Start by figuring out which agency wrote it. A report costs anywhere from free to $25, and the wait runs from days to weeks.
After a crash or a break-in, your insurance company will usually want the police report. Getting it starts with one question: which agency wrote it? A city police department, a county sheriff, and a state highway patrol each keep their own reports, and you have to ask the one that responded.
"The CHP can only obtain copies of collision reports we investigate," the California Highway Patrol says. If you don't know which agency handled your crash, it suggests calling your local police department or the nearest CHP office to find out.
Have the basics ready: the report number if the officer gave you one, the date, the location, and the names of the people involved. Kansas City police, for example, ask for the report number, your name, and the date of the incident.
Reports aren't ready right away, and the wait varies. Florida says crash reports can take up to 10 days to show up. Gwinnett County police in Georgia say reports are typically ready four business days after they're taken. Philadelphia warns it takes about two to three weeks for a report to reach its online portal.
| Where | Cost | How long |
|---|---|---|
| Florida (state crash portal) | $10 per report, plus $2 online fee | Up to 10 days |
| Texas (TxDOT) | $6, or $8 certified | Emailed after purchase |
| California Highway Patrol | $10 for 1 to 25 pages | By mail or in person |
| Gwinnett County, Georgia, police | $5 | About 4 business days |
| Philadelphia police | $25, plus $1.95 online fee | About 2 to 3 weeks |
Florida keeps crash reports confidential for 60 days after they're filed under state law, though the people involved, their lawyers, and their insurers and insurance agents can get them right away. To get one, you have to show a photo ID and sign a sworn statement for each report. Reports bought on the state's crash portal cost $10 each plus a $2 convenience fee per order, with a limit of 10 per transaction. You have 48 hours to download them. By mail, it takes four to six weeks.
Texas sells crash reports through the Texas Department of Transportation's Crash Report Online Purchase System: $6 for a regular copy, or $8 for a certified copy, which you'd need for something official like a court case. The report arrives by email. Anyone who isn't eligible for the full report gets a redacted copy.
California Highway Patrol reports are requested on form CHP 190, in person or by mail to the nearest area office. It's $10 for up to 25 pages, $20 for 26 to 50, and so on. The CHP doesn't take credit or debit cards, and if you mail a request, don't send cash. Without the required ID, the form has to be notarized. One shortcut the CHP itself suggests: have your insurance company get the report and give you a copy, which may save you the fee.
Georgia splits it by agency. If the Georgia State Patrol worked the crash, contact a local State Patrol post or the Department of Public Safety's Open Records Unit. For all other crash reports, go to the Georgia Department of Transportation, which sells them through the BuyCrash website or by mailed request form. Local departments also sell their own. Police in Gwinnett County, in metro Atlanta, charge $5 for a crash report.
New York City lets you request a collision report at the precinct where the crash happened during the first 30 days after the report is filed. Reports can take up to seven business days to appear on the NYPD's online portal, which NY1 reported in 2016 was free. After 30 days, requests go to the state DMV on form MV-198C.
Philadelphia charges $25 for a crash report, plus the city's $1.95 online convenience fee unless you pay by eCheck.
For a theft or burglary, the report you need for an insurance claim may work differently. The NYPD provides verification of a complaint report free of charge, by mail or email only. In Georgia, records requests fall under the state's Open Records Act and may come with a bill.
Some cities also let you file a report for a minor crash online instead of waiting for an officer. Nashville police launched one in 2022. "As the city has grown and the demand for police services has increased, calls must be prioritized according to immediate public safety needs," Police Chief John Drake said then, according to WSMV.
Sources
- California Highway Patrol: Collision reports
- Florida Statutes 316.066: Written reports of crashes
- Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles: Traffic crash reports
- Texas Department of Transportation: Crash reports and records
- Georgia Department of Public Safety: Open records requests
- Georgia Department of Transportation: Crash reporting
- Gwinnett County Police: Accident reports
- NYPD: Collision reports
- NYPD: Record requests
- NY1: NYPD allows those involved in collisions to check reports online
- City of Philadelphia: Get your traffic accident report online
- Kansas City Police: Online crash reports
- WSMV: Metro police launch program to report minor crashes online
Frequently asked
How do I get a copy of my car accident report?
Request it from the agency that responded to the crash: the city police, the county sheriff, or the state highway patrol. Many sell reports online. Have the report number, date, location, and names ready. Costs range from free to about $25.
How long does it take to get a police report after an accident?
It varies. Florida says up to 10 days, NYPD reports can take up to seven business days to appear online, Gwinnett County, Georgia, says about four business days, and Philadelphia says two to three weeks.
Who can get a copy of a crash report in Florida?
For the first 60 days, Florida crash reports are confidential, though the people involved, their lawyers, and their insurers and insurance agents can get them right away. Requesters must show photo ID and sign a sworn statement for each report. A report costs $10, plus a $2 online fee.