How to get a copy of the police report

The police report is often the first document anyone reads about your crash. Insurers use it to start their files, and it records details that are hard to rebuild later.

Where to ask

Reports come from the agency that responded: a city police department, a county sheriff or the state highway patrol. Many have an online records request; others ask you to call or visit. Have the date, the location and the report number the officer gave you.

What to check when it arrives

• Names, addresses and insurance details for everyone involved.
• The diagram and the written description of how the crash happened.
• Any citations issued, and to whom.
• Witness names and statements.
• Whether injuries are noted, including yours.

If something is wrong

Factual mistakes, such as a wrong plate number or a misspelled name, can usually be corrected by contacting the agency. Disagreements about how the crash happened are different: the officer may add your statement as a supplement rather than change their own account. Either way, put your request in writing and keep a copy.

Written by the Crash Next Law team. General information, not legal advice.