To look up a police report online, you go to the website of the law enforcement agency that responded to the incident and use its records portal, or follow that agency’s link to a third-party platform like LexisNexis BuyCrash or CrashDocs. Fees usually run $5 to $20, and crash reports are far more likely to be posted online than incident reports for other events. Not every report ends up on the internet, so before you start clicking through search forms, it helps to know which agency handled the call, what kind of report you’re after, and where that agency chooses to publish.
Find the Agency That Wrote the Report
Reports live with whichever agency responded, and that depends on where the incident happened. City and town police handle calls inside their municipal limits. County sheriff’s offices cover unincorporated areas outside city boundaries. State patrol or highway patrol handles state highways and interstates, even when those roads pass through a city.
If you’re not sure which agency showed up, check any paperwork the officer left behind. A business card, a receipt with a case number, or the badge number on a citation will point you in the right direction. With nothing on hand, start with the city police department for the location where the incident occurred and ask whether they have the record.
You also need to know which type of report you want. A crash report (also called an accident or collision report) documents a vehicle accident and typically includes a diagram, driver information, and the officer’s assessment of fault. An incident or offense report covers everything else: thefts, vandalism, assaults, and other criminal or non-criminal events. Many agencies process these through completely separate systems, and crash reports are far more likely to be available through online portals than incident reports.
Information to Have Before You Search
Gather as much of the following as you can. Even two or three of these details will narrow results significantly.
- Report or case number, usually printed on any paperwork the officer provided at the scene.
- Date and approximate time. Most portals require at least the date.
- Location: street address, intersection, or mile marker.
- Names of involved parties: your name, the other driver’s name, or the name of whoever filed the report.
For vehicle accidents, a license plate number or the last name of a driver involved is often enough when you don’t have a case number. Some portals also accept a vehicle identification number.
Searching the Agency’s Website
Once you’ve identified the correct agency, go to its official website and look for links labeled “Records,” “Online Services,” “Police Reports,” or “Transparency.” Larger departments tend to have a dedicated search portal where you enter your case number, date, and other details directly. Smaller agencies may instead post a request form you fill out and submit electronically, with the report emailed or mailed back to you.
Some portals require you to create a free account first. This is increasingly common and usually just involves an email address and password. After you enter your search details, the system will either display the report or confirm that a matching record exists and prompt you to pay before downloading. Fees generally run between $5 and $20 for a standard copy, though the exact amount depends on the agency. A few departments provide reports at no charge.
If the agency’s website doesn’t have a search tool or says nothing about online reports, that’s normal. Many smaller departments haven’t digitized their records process and still handle everything in person or by mail.
When the Agency Uses BuyCrash or CrashDocs
A large number of law enforcement agencies don’t host reports on their own websites at all. They contract with third-party platforms to distribute crash reports instead. The two most common are LexisNexis BuyCrash and CrashDocs. If you search an agency’s site and get sent to one of these services, that’s the intended process.
BuyCrash lets consumers and insurance carriers search for crash reports by state, then by the specific agency that handled the accident. You’ll typically need a report number, or the name of someone involved along with the date. Fees are set by the individual agency, not the platform, and usually fall in the same $5 to $20 range you’d pay going through the agency directly. CrashDocs works similarly, requiring a reference number, the last name of an involved party, and the crash date.
These platforms focus almost exclusively on crash and accident reports. For incident or offense reports covering crimes like theft, vandalism, or assault, you’ll nearly always need to go through the agency itself.
What You Probably Won’t Find Online
Online portals generally offer crash reports and reports for lower-level, non-emergency incidents such as minor property damage, lost property, and petty theft. These are the reports agencies process in high volume, and making them available online keeps records divisions from being overwhelmed.
Certain categories are almost universally excluded from online access. Domestic violence and sexual assault reports are kept out of public-facing portals to protect victims. Reports involving juvenile suspects or victims are restricted. Any report tied to an active criminal investigation, including homicides, robberies, and arson cases, will remain unavailable until the investigation closes or charges are resolved. Agencies withhold these records because releasing them could compromise an investigation or endanger someone.
How Long Before a Report Goes Online
Don’t expect to find a report the same day the incident happened. Officers need time to write it up, a supervisor usually reviews it, and then it enters the records system before becoming available to the public. For crash reports, this commonly takes three to ten business days. More complex incidents, particularly those requiring detective follow-up, can take considerably longer. If you search too early and get no results, wait a few days and try again before concluding the report doesn’t exist.
What Gets Redacted
Even when a report is publicly available, you won’t see everything the officer wrote. Agencies redact sensitive personal information before releasing reports. Social Security numbers, dates of birth, driver’s license numbers, bank account numbers, and contact details like phone numbers and email addresses are typically blacked out. In cases involving sexual offenses or child abuse, the victim’s identity is removed entirely. Witness information may also be redacted if the witness requested confidentiality or if disclosure could jeopardize their safety.
The version you download from an online portal is the public version. If you need unredacted details for a legal proceeding, an attorney can often obtain a more complete copy through a court order or formal discovery.
Why Access Rules Vary by State
A common misconception is that the federal Freedom of Information Act controls access to local police reports. It doesn’t. FOIA applies only to federal executive branch agencies and has no authority over state or local government records. The U.S. Department of Justice makes this explicit: FOIA “does not provide access to records held by Congress, the federal courts, state or local government agencies, or by private businesses or individuals.”1U.S. Department of Justice. Freedom of Information Act Reference Guide For records from a federal law enforcement agency like the FBI or DEA, you’d file a FOIA request; the statute defines “agency” to mean executive departments, military departments, government corporations, and independent regulatory agencies within the federal government.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 U.S. Code 552 – Public Information; Agency Rules, Opinions, Orders, Records, and Proceedings
For local and state police, access is governed by each state’s public records law, sometimes called a sunshine law or open records act. Every state has one, but the specifics differ. Some states treat most police reports as public records available to anyone who asks. Others restrict access to people directly involved in the incident, their attorneys, or their insurance companies. A few states limit public access for a set period after the incident. This is the main reason the process can feel so inconsistent from one place to another.
Crash reports carry an extra federal layer. The Driver’s Privacy Protection Act prohibits state motor vehicle departments from releasing “personal information” obtained through motor vehicle records, including names, addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, and photographs.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 2721 – Prohibition on Release and Use of Certain Personal Information From State Motor Vehicle Records The DPPA does carve out an important exception: information about vehicular accidents, driving violations, and driver’s status is explicitly excluded from that definition. That’s why you can generally obtain a crash report containing the basic facts even when other personal details are redacted.
If the Report Isn’t Online
If the report doesn’t show up through any online portal, you still have several options.
- Visit the records division in person. Bring a valid photo ID and any reference information you have, such as a case number or incident date. Most agencies can look up the report on the spot and hand you a copy after you pay the fee. Some agencies restrict in-person pickup to the person who filed the report or a party named in it.
- Submit a written request by mail. Send the agency a completed records request form (usually downloadable from its website), a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a check or money order for the fee. Processing typically takes five to fifteen business days, though agencies handling a backlog or complex requests may take up to thirty days.
- Call the records division. A phone call won’t get you the report itself, but it will confirm whether the report exists, whether it’s releasable, and exactly what you need to provide to get a copy. That alone can save you a wasted trip.
Reports tied to open investigations are the most common reason for an outright denial. If the agency tells you the report is exempt from disclosure because the case is still active, ask whether a partial or redacted version is available. Some agencies will release the basic facts while withholding investigative details. If the case later closes without charges, the full report typically becomes available.
Certified Copies vs. Standard Copies
Most online portals and in-person pickups give you a standard, uncertified copy of the report. For insurance claims and general reference, a standard copy is fine. For court proceedings, some jurisdictions require a certified copy bearing an official stamp or an affidavit from the custodian of records confirming the document’s authenticity. Certified copies cost a few dollars more and usually can’t be obtained through online portals. You’ll need to request one directly from the agency’s records division, either in person or by mail. If you’re working with an attorney, they’ll know whether the court requires certification and can handle the request.