# The police report after a car accident: what it says and how to get a copy

> What a car accident police report contains, when drivers must file their own report, how to get a copy, what it costs in four states and how to fix errors.

Canonical page: https://accidentclaimfacts.com/claim-process/police-report/  
Last reviewed: October 29, 2026 by the Accident Claim Facts editorial team  
General information, not legal advice. Talk to a licensed attorney in your state.

## Quick answer

A police report, or crash report, records who was involved, the vehicles, insurers, witnesses, injuries and the officer's notes on how the crash happened. You usually order a copy from the agency that responded or from a state portal for a modest fee, such as $6 in Texas and $10 in Florida. Some states also make drivers file their own report, for example within 10 days with the DMV in California. The report does not decide who pays, but it is the first document every insurer reads.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Texas officer must write a report | Injury, death or damage of $1,000 or more | Copy: $6, or $8 certified |
| California driver's SR-1 to the DMV | Within 10 days | Injury, death or damage over $1,000 |
| New York driver's MV-104 to the DMV | Within 10 days | Injury, death or damage over $1,000 |
| Florida driver's own report | Within 10 days | Property damage with no police report required |
| Florida report copy | $10 | Plus $2 per online order |
| New York report copy online | $7 search fee + $15 | Per report |
| Florida confidentiality period | 60 days | People involved and their insurers can get it sooner |

## What a crash report contains

Every state has its own crash report form, but most cover the same ground. NHTSA publishes a voluntary national guideline, the Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria, that states use to decide what their forms should collect. Florida's law is a good example of the minimum: a long-form report must include the date, time and place; the vehicles; the names and addresses of drivers, passengers and witnesses; the officer's name, badge number and agency; and each party's insurance company.

In practice, a report usually also shows:

- road, weather and light conditions, and any traffic signals or signs;
- where each vehicle was hit, and how badly it was damaged;
- injuries, often coded by how serious they looked, and whether anyone left by ambulance;
- a diagram of the crash and a short written account, called the narrative;
- factors the officer thought contributed, and any tickets written.

Most of this is factual. The narrative and the contributing factors are the officer's opinion, based on what drivers and witnesses said and what was visible at the scene. That difference matters if you ask for a correction.

> **Note:** In Florida, what a driver says or writes to complete the crash report generally cannot be used as evidence in any trial, civil or criminal. Other states have their own rules on how a report can be used in court.

## When police come and when you file your own report

Whether an officer comes, and who must file a report, depends on the state and on how serious the crash was.

### Texas

Texas drivers must call the police right away when a crash injures or kills someone or leaves a car that cannot be safely driven. An officer who investigates must write a report when there is an injury, a death or damage of $1,000 or more. If no officer came, keep your own notes and photos, because TxDOT no longer keeps drivers' own crash reports (Form CR-2). Our [Texas guide](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/location/texas/) covers the other duties after a crash.

### California

California makes drivers report to the DMV, not just the police. The SR-1 form is due within 10 days when anyone is hurt or killed or property damage is over $1,000, whoever was at fault. The form itself warns that a report filed with the police, the CHP or an insurance company does not count as the SR-1. If it is filed late, the DMV may suspend the driver's license.

### Florida

A Florida officer must complete a long-form report for a death or injury (including complaints of pain), leaving the scene, impaired driving, a vehicle that had to be towed away, or a commercial vehicle, and submit it within 10 days after finishing the investigation. For other crashes, the officer completes a short form or gives drivers an exchange-of-information form. If property was damaged and no police report was required, each driver must send the state a written report within 10 days.

### New York

New York drivers file a Report of Motor Vehicle Crash, form MV-104, with the DMV within 10 days if anyone was injured or killed or one person's property damage was over $1,000. The police must be told right away if someone is hurt or killed. A police report and the driver's MV-104 are separate duties.

> **Warning:** Driver reports to a DMV have their own short deadlines, separate from the statute of limitations for a lawsuit. Check your state's rules in the first days after a crash. Our [state guides](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/location/) are a good place to start.

## How to get a copy of your police report

The steps are similar almost everywhere, even though each agency runs its own system.

1. **Find the agency and report number.** The officer usually gives you a card or slip with both. City police, sheriffs and the highway patrol each keep their own reports.
2. **Give it time to be filed.** TxDOT explains the Texas timing this way: Officers must submit the report within 10 days of the crash; once TxDOT receives it, processing may take up to 4 business days before it can be bought online. In Florida, reports may take up to 10 days to become available.
3. **Use the right portal or office.** Texas sells officers' reports (form CR-3) through TxDOT's online system, Florida through the Florida Crash Portal, New York through the DMV's online service, and the California Highway Patrol through its crash portal or a CHP 190 request form. Local police departments may use their own systems.
4. **Show you are entitled to it.** Crash reports carry personal details, so access is limited at first. Florida keeps reports confidential for 60 days except for the people involved, their lawyers, their insurers and a few others, who must show ID and sign a sworn statement. Texas sells full copies to people directly concerned, such as drivers, owners and insurers; others get a redacted copy.
5. **Decide whether you need a certified copy.** A certified copy is meant for official uses such as court. In Texas it costs $8 instead of $6.
6. **Read it at once and file it.** Check every name, plate, insurer and policy number, and keep a copy in your claim file.

## What it costs in four states

Fees are set by each state or agency and can change, so check the price before you pay.

| State | Where to order | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | TxDOT Crash Report Online Purchase System | $6; $8 certified |
| Florida | Florida Crash Portal (FLHSMV) | $10 per report, plus $2 per online order |
| New York | DMV online crash report service | $7 search fee plus $15 per report |
| California | CHP crash portal, or a CHP 190 form at the Area office | Set by the office; the CHP asks you to check the amount first |

For a crash handled by a city police department or a sheriff, ask that agency.

## Reading the report and fixing mistakes

Reports are written quickly, often at the roadside, and mistakes happen. Check two things: is every fact right, and does the narrative match what you remember?

Factual errors are the easiest to fix: a misspelled name, a wrong plate or policy number, the wrong insurer, a street name or a missing witness. The officer's opinion about fault is much harder to change, and whether to change anything is up to the agency.

Only the agency that wrote the report can change it. Michigan's state police, for example, tell drivers that changes must be taken up with the reporting agency, and that it is up to that agency whether to make one. Maine's state police say the investigating officer is the only person who can change a report.

To ask for a correction, many people:

- contact the agency's records unit and give the report number;
- explain the error in writing, briefly and without arguing about fault;
- attach proof, such as a photo of the insurance card, the registration or a photo of the scene;
- ask whether the officer can file a supplemental report or attach a statement.

> **Example:** The report lists the other driver's insurer as the company that insured the car last year. A copy of the current insurance card, sent to the records unit with the report number, gives the agency what it needs to check and correct the entry. Until it is fixed, tell the adjuster about the error in writing.

If the agency will not change the report, the claim can still go forward with your own written account, photos and witness details.

## How adjusters and lawyers use the report

An adjuster uses the report first as a contact sheet: names, addresses, vehicles, insurers and policy numbers. Then it becomes early evidence on fault. The diagram, the narrative, any tickets and the witness list all shape the adjuster's first view of who caused the crash and whether you share some of the blame under your state's fault rule.

The report is not the last word. Maine's state police put it plainly: the insurance company determines fault, and the officer's job is to record the factors that contributed to the crash. Adjusters also weigh photos, vehicle damage, statements and medical records. Our guide to [working with the insurance adjuster](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/claim-process/insurance-adjuster/) explains what happens next, and the [claim process overview](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/claim-process/) shows where the report fits among the other steps.

Lawyers use it to find witnesses, identify every insurer that may owe coverage, and spot a government or commercial vehicle, which can bring shorter notice deadlines. The report number also goes into the [demand letter](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/claim-process/demand-letter/) if the claim gets that far.

## FAQ

### How long does it take to get a police report after a car accident?

It varies by agency. Texas officers have 10 days to file, and TxDOT then needs time to process the report. Florida says its reports may take up to 10 days to become available. A local agency may take longer if the investigation is still open.

### How much does a car accident report cost?

It depends on the state and agency. A copy costs $6 in Texas and $10 in Florida, and the New York DMV charges a $7 search fee plus $15 per report online. Local police departments set their own fees.

### Who can get a copy of a crash report?

The people involved, vehicle owners, their lawyers and their insurers can usually get one. Access for anyone else is limited at first because reports contain personal information. Florida keeps reports confidential for 60 days, with exceptions for the people involved.

### Can a police report be changed after a car accident?

Factual errors, such as a wrong name, plate or insurer, can often be corrected by the agency that wrote the report. Changing the officer's opinion about fault is much harder. Contact the agency's records unit with the report number and proof of the error.

### Does the police report decide who was at fault?

No. It is important evidence, but insurers decide fault when they handle a claim, and a court decides it if the case goes to trial. Photos, witnesses and other proof can outweigh the officer's opinion.

### What if the police did not come to the accident?

Check whether your state requires a driver's report, such as California's SR-1 or New York's MV-104, and when it is due. Report the crash to your insurer and keep your own photos, notes and witness details. A claim can still go ahead without a police report.

## Sources

- [NHTSA, Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria](https://www.nhtsa.gov/traffic-records/model-minimum-uniform-crash-criteria) — the voluntary national guideline for crash report data
- [California Highway Patrol, Request a crash report](https://www.chp.ca.gov/traffic/request-a-crash-report/) — who may request a CHP report and how
- [New York State DMV, Driver's manual chapter 12: If you are in a traffic crash](https://dmv.ny.gov/about-dmv/chapter-12-if-you-are-traffic-crash) — reporting to police and the DMV
- [Michigan State Police, Traffic Crash Reporting Unit FAQ](https://www.michigan.gov/msp/divisions/cjic/traffic-crash-reporting-unit/tcru---frequently-asked-questions) — corrections are made by the reporting agency
- [Maine State Police, Crash Reporting Online Search and Ordering Service FAQ](https://apps1.web.maine.gov/online/mcrs/faq.html) — who can change a report; insurers determine fault
- [Texas Legislature, Transportation Code chapter 550](https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/TN/htm/TN.550.htm) — duties after a crash and officers' reports
- [TxDOT, Crash reports and records](https://www.txdot.gov/data-maps/crash-reports-records.html), checked October 29, 2026
- [Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Traffic crash reports](https://www.flhsmv.gov/traffic-crash-reports/), checked October 29, 2026
- [California DMV, Report of Traffic Accident Occurring in California (SR 1, Rev. 6/2025)](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/file/report-of-traffic-accident-occurring-in-california-sr-1-pdf/), checked October 29, 2026
- [New York State Senate, Vehicle and Traffic Law § 605(a)](https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/VAT/605), checked October 29, 2026
- [Florida Legislature, Florida Statutes § 316.066(1)(e)](https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/316.066), checked October 29, 2026
- [New York State DMV, Order and access motor vehicle crash (accident) reports](https://dmv.ny.gov/records/order-and-access-motor-vehicle-crash-accident-reports), checked October 29, 2026
- [TxDOT, CRIS Purchase Help Center: How soon will my report be available for purchase after my crash?](https://cris.dot.state.tx.us/public/Purchase/app/help-center/6/9), checked October 29, 2026