Florida crash report: a Florida Highway Patrol trooper at a crash scene

Crash Report Guide · By Tomas Robirosa, Esq.

How to Get a Copy of Your Florida Crash Report

Where to find the report, what it costs, who can see it during the confidential period, and what to check once you have it.

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On this page

What is a Florida crash report?
Does every crash get a report?
How to get your Florida crash report: 4 steps
Getting a Florida Highway Patrol crash report
The 60-day confidential period
What to check in your crash report
Why the crash report matters for your claim
Frequently Asked Questions

After a car accident, the insurance companies will ask for one document again and again: the Florida crash report. It is the police record of what happened, who was involved and which insurance each driver carries. This guide explains how to get a copy, what it costs and what to look for. This article is general information, not legal advice.

What is a Florida crash report?

A Florida crash report is the official report a law enforcement officer writes after investigating a traffic crash. Depending on where the crash happened, the officer may be from the Florida Highway Patrol, the county sheriff or a city police department, such as Miami-Dade, Hialeah or Miami Beach.

The report usually lists the date, time and location of the crash, the drivers, passengers and witnesses, the vehicles, the officer's notes and diagram, and the insurance companies for the people involved. Under section 316.066, Florida Statutes, each party must give the officer proof of insurance, and the officer documents it in the report.

Long form or short form?

The law calls for the detailed "long form" report when a crash involves a death, an injury or a complaint of pain, a hit-and-run, a DUI, a vehicle that has to be towed, or a commercial vehicle. Other crashes on public roads may get a short-form report or a driver exchange-of-information form instead.

Does every crash get a report?

No. Since October 1, 2026, Florida drivers generally have to call the police right away for a crash with an injury, a death or apparent property damage of at least $2,000 (the old threshold was $500). Smaller crashes may never get a police report, and the drivers simply exchange information. We explain the new rule in our guide to reporting a car accident in Florida.

If you are not sure whether an officer wrote a report, ask the agency that came to the scene. The officer may also have given you a card or a slip with a report number on it. Keep it with your photos and medical paperwork.

How to get your Florida crash report: 4 steps

Gather the basics. Write down the crash date, the county and city, the names of the drivers and the report number if the officer gave you one. It also helps to know which agency investigated (Florida Highway Patrol, sheriff or city police).
Try the Florida Crash Portal online. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) sells crash reports through its Florida Crash Portal. FLHSMV lists the fee as $10 per report (section 321.23, Florida Statutes) plus a $2 convenience fee per online transaction. The download link is sent by email and expires quickly (FLHSMV gives a 48-hour window), so save the report right away.
Or request it by mail or in person. You can mail a request to FLHSMV Crash Records in Tallahassee, or, for a Florida Highway Patrol crash, ask at the FHP troop station nearest the crash. FLHSMV says mailed requests can take several weeks.
If it isn't there, call the local agency. A new report can take several days to appear in the state system, and FLHSMV says some agency reports load slowly. If you can't find yours, contact the police department or sheriff's office that investigated the crash.

Getting a Florida Highway Patrol crash report

If the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) handled your crash, which is common on interstates and state highways such as I-95 and Florida's Turnpike, you get the Florida Highway Patrol crash report the same way as any other Florida crash report. FHP is part of FLHSMV, so you can buy it through the Florida Crash Portal, request it by mail from FLHSMV Crash Records, or ask at the FHP troop station nearest the crash. Have the crash date, the county and, if you have it, the report number the trooper gave you.

The same rules apply: the same fee and the same 60-day confidential period explained below.

The 60-day confidential period

Florida treats a crash report as confidential for a period after it is filed. Under section 316.066(2), Florida Statutes, reports with personal information are generally confidential for 60 days after the report is filed. Every case is different, so speak with an attorney to confirm the deadline that applies to you.

During that period, the report can still be released right away to the people who generally have a right to it, including:

The partiesThe drivers and other people involved in the crash.
Their lawyersThe attorneys who represent the people involved.
Insurance companiesThe insurers and licensed insurance agents of the people involved.
AgenciesLaw enforcement, victim services programs and other government agencies.

To get the report during the confidential period, you generally have to show a valid driver license or other approved ID and sign a sworn statement, for each report, saying you will not use it for commercial solicitation of accident victims. FLHSMV calls this form the "Sworn Statement to Obtain Crash Report." Every case is different, so speak with an attorney to confirm the deadline that applies to you.

What to check in your crash report

Once you have the Florida crash report, read it carefully. Mistakes happen, especially at busy scenes on I-95, the Palmetto or US-1. Check:

Names and vehiclesSpelling, addresses, plates and which car is which.
InsuranceThe insurance company listed for each driver. This is often how your claim gets started.
InjuriesWhether your injury or complaint of pain was noted.
The narrative and diagramWhether the officer's description matches what happened.
Witnesses and citationsWho saw the crash and whether anyone got a ticket.

If something is wrong, contact the investigating agency and ask how to correct or add to the report. A lawyer can help you do this the right way.

Why the crash report matters for your claim

Insurance adjusters use the crash report to identify the drivers, find the other insurance company and form a first opinion on fault. It is not the final word, though. Under section 316.066(4), Florida Statutes, a crash report made by a person involved in the crash, and that person's statements to the officer for the report, generally cannot be used as evidence at trial. Fault is decided on all the evidence: photos, video, witnesses, vehicle damage and the rules of the road.

That is why the report is a starting point, not a verdict. If the report blames you unfairly, or leaves out your injury, it is worth getting legal advice before you give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurance company. See also what to do after a car accident in Florida and how Florida no-fault (PIP) insurance works.

At Robirosa Accident & Injury Law we can request the report for you, review it and handle the insurance companies, in English or Spanish. The consultation is free, and there is no fee unless we recover. Learn more about our car accident practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Florida crash report cost?

FLHSMV lists the fee as $10 per report, plus a $2 convenience fee per online transaction through the Florida Crash Portal. A local police agency may have its own process for reports it wrote.

Can I get my crash report online?

Yes, in most cases. FLHSMV sells crash reports online through the Florida Crash Portal, and the download link is emailed to you. If your report does not show up after several days, contact the agency that investigated the crash.

Why can't I see the crash report yet?

Florida crash reports with personal information are generally confidential for 60 days after the report is filed, except for the people involved, their lawyers, their insurers and certain agencies. A new report can also take several days to reach the state system. Every case is different, so speak with an attorney to confirm the deadline that applies to you.

Does the crash report decide who was at fault?

No. Insurers rely on it, but the statements a person involved gives for the report generally cannot be used as evidence at trial, and fault is decided on all the evidence. If you were rear-ended or the report seems wrong, speak with a lawyer.

What if the police did not write a report?

For smaller crashes the officer may only give the drivers an exchange-of-information form, or no officer may come at all. You can still make an insurance claim. Collect photos, the other driver's information and any witness names, and keep your medical records.

How do I get a Florida Highway Patrol crash report?

FHP is part of FLHSMV, so a Florida Highway Patrol crash report is requested the same way as other Florida crash reports: online through the Florida Crash Portal, by mail to FLHSMV Crash Records, or at the FHP troop station nearest the crash. The 60-day confidential period applies to these reports too.

Photo: Tampa Gator / Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Disclaimer

This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. Every situation is different, and the law can change. Do not make decisions based on this article alone. Speak with a licensed Florida attorney about your specific situation. Reading this article does not create an attorney-client relationship.

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