General information, not legal advice. This guide explains California law in general terms. It isn't advice about your situation, and laws and deadlines can change. Check the official sources linked on this page.
How to get a copy of a car accident police report in California
If an officer wrote up your crash, you can usually get a copy, but only from the agency that wrote it and only if you have a "proper interest" under the Vehicle Code. Here's who qualifies and how the request works.
Short answer: Ask the agency that took the report. For the CHP, use its online Crash Portal or send form CHP 190 to the Area office. For a city police department, use its records request page (see the resource directory). Drivers, named injured people, owners, and their attorneys qualify under VC §20012.
Who is allowed to get the report
California crash reports aren't public records you can look up. Vehicle Code §20012 makes them confidential, but says they must be released to anyone with a proper interest, including:
- the drivers involved, or their guardian or conservator
- the parent of a minor driver
- a driver's authorized representative
- any named person injured in the crash
- the owners of vehicles or property damaged
- people who may face civil liability because of the crash
- an attorney who declares under penalty of perjury that they represent any of these people
The list starts with "including, but not limited to," so others with a proper interest can qualify too. The released report includes names and addresses, vehicle descriptions, diagrams, and driver and witness statements. The agency can charge a fee, but §20012 says it can't be more than the actual cost of providing the copy.
Find out which agency has it
The report sits with the agency that responded:
- CHP: freeways, state highways, and unincorporated county areas
- City police: most crashes on city streets
- County sheriff: some unincorporated areas and contract cities
The officer's business card or the report number you got at the scene shows the agency. If no officer came out, there may not be a report. See Do you need a police report? to learn when the law requires one.
Getting a CHP report
According to the CHP's Request a Crash Report page:
- Online: request it through the CHP Crash Portal linked from that page.
- By form: fill out the CHP 190, Application for Release of Information. Submit it in person or by mail to the CHP Area office that handled the crash. Find the office with the CHP's Find an Office tool.
- Proof of identity: with the form, include a photocopy of your driver's license or ID card, or have the form notarized.
- Your interest: check the one box that describes your connection to the crash (for example, driver, injured party, or owner).
Reports can take time to be finished and approved. If yours isn't ready, the Area office can tell you the status.
Getting a city police or sheriff's report
Each city department runs its own records unit, and the rules differ (online or mail, wait times, fees, and which reports are eligible). The resource directory links to the request pages for the LAPD, Long Beach, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco and Oakland police departments, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff.
What to do with the report
- Check it for errors. If a name, plate, insurer or fact is wrong, contact the agency that wrote it and ask how to request a correction or add a supplemental statement.
- Give it to your insurer if they don't already have it. It can help with a MedPay or uninsured motorist claim.
- It doesn't replace the SR-1. The DMV report is still yours to file within 10 days (SR-1 guide).
Common questions
Who can get a copy of a California traffic collision report?
Vehicle Code §20012 makes crash reports confidential, but requires the CHP or the police agency to release them to anyone with a proper interest. The statute lists the drivers (and their guardians or conservators), the parent of a minor driver, a driver's authorized representative, any named injured person, owners of damaged vehicles or property, people who may face civil liability from the crash, and attorneys who declare under penalty of perjury that they represent any of those people.
How do I get a CHP accident report?
The CHP says you can request a crash report through its online Crash Portal, or with form CHP 190 (Application for Release of Information). The form goes to the CHP Area office that investigated the crash, in person or by mail. With the form, you include a photocopy of your driver's license or ID card or have the form notarized, and check one box showing your relationship to the crash.
How much does a crash report cost?
Fees vary by agency. Vehicle Code §20012 says the agency may charge a fee that can't be more than the actual cost of providing the copy. Check the CHP Area office or police department's request page for its current fee.
Which agency has my report?
The agency that responded. Crashes on freeways and in unincorporated county areas are usually handled by the CHP, and crashes on city streets by the city police department. If you're not sure, the officer's card or the report number you got at the scene will show which agency.
Can my insurance company get the police report for me?
Section 20012 doesn't name insurers, but it does allow release to a driver's authorized representative and to people who may face civil liability from the crash. Ask your adjuster whether they have already requested the report before you pay for a copy yourself.
Sources
The sources this guide cites. We check the guide against these sources before publishing and each time we review it.
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