General information, not legal advice. Talk to a licensed attorney in your state.

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Glossary

Crash report

The official report an officer writes after investigating a crash, with the drivers, vehicles, witnesses and the officer's notes.

Last reviewed By the Editorial team 2 min read

General information, not legal advice. Talk to a licensed attorney in your state.

Quick answer

A crash report, often called a police or accident report, is the official report an officer writes after investigating a crash. It records the drivers, vehicles, insurers, witnesses, road and weather conditions and the officer's notes, often with a diagram. Insurers use it as a starting point when they decide fault.

In a car accident claim#

Not every crash gets one, and the rules differ by state. In Texas, an officer who investigates must write a report when a crash causes injury or death, or property damage of $1,000 or more to any one person, and file it within 10 days. A regular copy then costs $6 from the state. Some states also require drivers to file their own report: in California, drivers file a form with the DMV within 10 days of a crash with injury, death or damage over $1,000.

Each state designs its own form, guided by a voluntary national standard from NHTSA. The officer's notes on fault are an opinion, not a final ruling, and insurers weigh them alongside photos, video and statements. Our guide to the police report explains how to get and read one, and the first 72 hours after a car accident covers why the report number matters early in the claim process.

Example#

Questions people ask

How do I get a copy of my crash report?

Ask the police agency that wrote it, or use your state's online system. In Texas, for example, reports are sold through TxDOT, and a regular copy costs $6.

Can a crash report be corrected?

Factual mistakes, such as a wrong plate number or insurer, are handled by the agency that wrote the report. Michigan State Police, for example, say corrections are made by the reporting agency.

Sources

  1. NHTSA, Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria — the voluntary national guideline for crash report data
  2. TxDOT, Crash reports and records — buying a Texas crash report
  3. Michigan State Police, Traffic Crash Reporting Unit FAQ — corrections are made by the reporting agency
  4. Texas Legislature, Transportation Code § 550.062(a) — as of October 2026
  5. California DMV, Report of Traffic Accident Occurring in California (SR 1, Rev. 6/2025) — as of October 2026

Last reviewed October 29, 2026 by the Accident Claim Facts editorial team. Found an error? Tell us.

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