How to Get a Crash Report in Georgia

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is the state agency that manages and stores Georgia's crash reports. State law (O.C.G.A. § 40-9-31, as quoted by GDOT) requires every state and local law-enforcement agency to send GDOT the original of each accident report it prepares.^1,2

If the Georgia State Patrol investigated your crash, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) says you can contact a local State Patrol post or the DPS Open Records Unit. DPS also provides copies of its crash reports online through EPORTS.^3,5,6

For a crash the State Patrol did not investigate, DPS directs you to GDOT's Crash Reporting Unit.³

Online through EPORTS. Use this for crashes handled by the Georgia State Patrol, the Capitol Police or the Motor Carrier Compliance Division. EPORTS is the online system of the Department of Public Safety (DPS) for requesting, paying for and downloading crash reports. It does not have reports from city or county police, sheriffs' offices or other state agencies. You can submit a request at any time, except during routine maintenance. When your request is complete, you get an email. In EPORTS, click “Search by Request #,” enter the Request # from that email, and click “Review and Pay” to pay for and download the report. DPS hides protected personal details on the report, such as phone numbers, day and month of birth, and medical information. To read the codes on your report, download the Georgia Motor Vehicle Crash Report Overlay from the EPORTS FAQ.^5,6

Crashes handled by city or county police or a sheriff's office. These reports are not in EPORTS. DPS directs requests for crash reports the State Patrol did not investigate to GDOT's Crash Reporting Unit. Some local police departments, including Columbus and Gwinnett County, also offer their own reports online through BuyCrash (www.buycrash.com) for a fee, or as copies you pick up in person.^3,5,7,8

By mail or email to DPS. Use this for State Patrol crashes. DPS accepts requests by mail or email, but they take longer to process than EPORTS requests. The DPS Open Records Request Form helps DPS find your report, but you do not have to use it. The form lists the DPS address, 959 United Avenue SE, Atlanta, Georgia 30316, and the DPS email address. DPS asks you not to send the same request more than one way, such as by both mail and email. Each one gets its own response and its own charge.^3,4,5,9

At a State Patrol post. If you only need the crash report, you can send your request, preferably in writing, directly to the Georgia State Patrol post that serves the county where the crash happened.^3,10

Crash photos and other DPS records. EPORTS handles only crash reports, incident reports, and citations or warnings. For photos or other DPS records about a crash, send an Open Records Act request to the DPS Open Records Unit.^3,6

For an EPORTS request, you must give the date range of the crash and the type of request. You should also add other details, such as the report number or the names of the people involved.⁵

For other requests to DPS, give the full names of the people involved, the date of the crash, the city and county where it happened, the records you want, and the crash report number if you know it. The DPS form also asks which law-enforcement agency responded and for the officer's name or badge number.^3,9

A statement of need. Georgia law requires one from anyone getting a crash report.⁵

DPS crash reports, including State Patrol reports, cost $5.00 each. Through EPORTS, $5.00 gets you an uncertified electronic copy of one report.^4,5

EPORTS takes credit and debit cards, including VISA and MasterCard. It cannot take Discover cards or electronic checks.⁵

DPS prefers online payment when it is available. Otherwise, send a check or money order to the Georgia Department of Public Safety, Attention: Open Records Unit, 959 United Avenue SE, Atlanta, Georgia 30316, and reference your ORU number.⁴

Payment is due once DPS makes the record available, whether or not you look at it or accept it.⁴

If you also want other DPS records, photos cost $5.00 per set to download, including any review and redaction. Video and dashcam recordings cost $10.00 to download.⁴

DPS crash reports, including State Patrol reports, are usually ready three to five business days after the crash. Crashes involving more than one vehicle, serious injury or death often take longer.⁵

If an EPORTS search for a recent crash finds no results, the report is probably not ready yet. Search again later.⁵

Once you submit an EPORTS request for a report that is available, DPS generally processes it within three business days. DPS works on these requests only during office hours, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A request sent on a Saturday should not be expected before the following Tuesday.^5,6

Requests to DPS by mail or email take longer to process than EPORTS requests.⁵

DPS keeps crash reports for three years plus the current year. Older reports are no longer available.⁵

Georgia law requires anyone getting a crash report to give a sufficient statement of need. In EPORTS, that means stating your lawful connection to the crash or the people in it.⁵

The DPS request form's checklist for crash reports includes: your property was damaged in the crash; you were in the crash; your minor child was injured in the crash; you were injured in the crash; you are an attorney for one of the parties; you witnessed the crash; and you are an insurance representative.⁹

The form also lets you claim a personal, professional or business connection with someone involved in the crash. It asks you to explain that connection.⁹

Columbus Police Department: You can view, download and print Columbus Police accident reports on BuyCrash (www.buycrash.com) for what the department calls a nominal fee. You can also pick up a copy of a Motor Vehicle Accident Report in person at Desk Services, in the lobby of the Public Safety Building.⁷

Gwinnett County Police Department: If you were involved in a Gwinnett County collision, you or your authorized legal or insurance representative can get the report online through BuyCrash (www.buycrash.com) for a charge. Hard copies cost $5 and are typically ready for pickup four business days after the report was taken. You can pick them up at any of seven police locations, Monday through Friday, except on county holidays. The department's accident reports page lists a phone number for checking a report's status.⁸

If you are the driver in a crash that causes injury, death, or apparent property damage of $500.00 or more, Georgia law requires you to notify the local police department immediately, by the quickest means. This is O.C.G.A. § 40-6-273, as quoted by GDOT.²

Georgia's Drivers' Manual tells you to notify the nearest law-enforcement agency immediately if anyone is injured or killed, or if property damage is more than $500.00.¹¹

If you damage an unattended vehicle, the Drivers' Manual says you must either find the owner or leave your name, your address and the name of the owner of the vehicle you were driving in plain view, where the owner will find it.¹¹