How to Get a Crash Report in Washington

The Washington State Patrol (WSP) Collision Records Section says it is the repository for all collision reports in Washington. State law makes the WSP chief responsible for filing, tabulating and analyzing all accident reports.^1,3

This includes crashes handled by local police. State law requires police officers of the state, counties, cities and towns to make a report if they are at a crash scene or have facts about a crash. Officers' reports, called Police Traffic Collision Reports (PTCRs), must be submitted to WSP Collision Records.^1,2,3

WSP Collision Records keeps only the official police report (PTCR) or the civilian report (MVCR). It does not keep related case information. Officers are told not to attach items such as citations, photos or witness statements.^1,2

Under WSP's retention schedule, collision records are kept for 10 years.⁵

Your driving record is separate. The Department of Licensing (DOL) is its custodian, and it shows collision involvement, not fault. WSP cannot remove a collision from your driving record. Mistakes on it go to DOL.^5,6

Online: Use WRECR (Washington State Patrol Requests for Electronic Collision Records). You need a computer with internet access and an email account. Enter the name of the involved party or parties and the collision date, then select Search. Searching is free. You can order and download your report there for $10.50.^1,5

By mail: Fill out the entire Request for Copy of Collision Report form (WSP form 3000-345-008). Include a $10.50 check or money order payable to the Washington State Patrol. Do not send cash. Mail it to WSP, Collision Records Section, PO Box 42628, Olympia WA 98504-2628.^5,7

In person: You can buy a report at WSP's Collision Records office, 106 11th Avenue SW, Suite 1300, Olympia, WA 98501. The office is open by appointment only, and appointments are made by phone or email. WSP's mail-in request form lists a phone number and an email address for Collision Records. Staff are available Monday through Friday, 7:00 am to 3:30 pm, except legally designated holidays. Pay by credit card at the office kiosk. Cash is not accepted. Staff do not give out collision information over the phone.^5,7

You can search WRECR by collision report number, by case number, or by date, name and location. A date, name and location search needs a collision date range. Its other fields, such as an occupant's name, city or county, are optional.¹

WRECR uses the term 'involvement type' for your role in the collision. Examples include driver, passenger, witness, property owner, insurance company, law office, or parent or guardian of a minor.¹

The mail-in form marks these as required: the collision date, the county where it happened, the name of the roadway, and a last and first name. The collision report number is optional. You also check one box for how you were involved. And you check one box for the report type: Police Traffic Collision Report (officer investigated) or Motor Vehicle Collision Report (not officer investigated).⁷

If you check 'Other Authorized Representative' on the mail-in form, you must include an authorization letter.⁷

If you don't remember the collision date, WRECR's help suggests getting your Driver's Abstract/Record from the Department of Licensing (DOL). It lists collisions that you or your registered vehicle were reported to be involved in. DOL charges $15 for each copy. Collisions involving non-commercial vehicles stay on the record for 5 years from the collision date.^1,6,8

WSP charges $10.50 for a copy of a collision report. Searching WRECR is free. Each report you buy there costs $10.50.^1,5

By mail, send a $10.50 check or money order payable to the Washington State Patrol with each request. At the Olympia office, you can pay by credit card at the kiosk. WSP does not accept cash for collision reports.^5,7

WSP says it may take up to 2 to 4 weeks in total before a report is available to request, online or in the office. Officers have 2 to 4 weeks to finish their investigation and get the report approved by a supervisor. WSP says reports are typically available much sooner.^5,7

Certified copies of collision reports are available. They typically take 5 to 7 business days.⁵

If you file your own report online through OMVCR, you get your report and report number right away. A paper report may take up to 7 business days to process.^5,9

WSP's request form says Washington law allows release of collision reports only to certain persons, under RCW 46.52.080 and 46.52.083.⁷

RCW 46.52.080's list of interested persons includes the drivers involved, a driver's legal guardian, the parent of a minor driver, injured persons, and owners of damaged vehicles or property. It also includes authorized representatives, attorneys or insurers of these people.¹⁰

WSP says entitled parties receive a non-redacted copy. If you don't meet the definition of an entitled party, you receive a redacted copy under the Public Records Act (RCW 42.56).⁵

The Seattle Police Department says WSP is the custodian of all collision reports in Washington. For crashes outside Seattle city limits, it says you can contact the local agency where the crash happened, or search WSP's Collision Report Search application.⁴

If you're not sure whether a report was completed, WSP says to contact the officer or department that came to the scene to check.⁵

For documents beyond the collision report itself, WSP says you must submit a public disclosure request to the agency that made the report. WSP's Collision Records page links to where you can submit public records requests to state agencies.^1,5

Only the officer who completed a collision report has the authority to change it.⁵

Who must file: WSP says any driver, pedestrian, cyclist or property owner involved in a Washington collision must complete a Motor Vehicle Collision Report (MVCR) if anyone is injured or any one unit has $1,000 or more of damage. The $1,000 property-damage threshold is set by WSP rule (WAC 446-85-010). State law requires the driver's written report within four days after the crash.^5,11,12

When you don't have to: You are not required to submit an MVCR if a police officer is present and says he or she will submit a collision report. State law does not prohibit filing one anyway, or filing when the damage is under the threshold. If the other driver is submitting a civilian report, WSP highly recommends that you submit your own too.^11,13

When police may not write a report: If a crash does not meet the reporting requirements or happens on private property, the responding agency decides whether to complete a police report. WSP's officer manual says that when a reportable crash happens on private property, or no officer responds, the people involved should be told to complete an MVCR. In its FAQ about a 'no record found' result on WRECR, WSP says an officer who judges the damage to be under $1,000 would direct you to complete a citizen report.^2,5

File online: Submit your MVCR through WSP's OMVCR system. You get your collision report and report number right away, and a copy with the report number is emailed to you. WSP says this is what most insurance companies need to process a claim. Do not also mail a report you filed online.^5,9

File on paper: Use WSP form 3000-345-161, the paper Motor Vehicle Collision Report. Sign and date it and give your address. The form says your signature is a legal requirement. Mail it to Washington State Patrol, Collision Records Section, PO Box 42628, Olympia, WA 98504-2628, or email it to WSP Collision Records at the address on the form. Send only the report, with no photos, estimates or statements. Processing may take up to 7 business days. After that, your report number is available on WRECR.⁹

If you don't know the date or place: If your car was hit in a parking lot and you don't know exactly when or where, you can still file online. Use the date you found the damage, the county where you believe it happened, and 'unknown' for the other driver's information. On the paper form, the collision date is mandatory. If you don't know it, use the date you discovered the damage.^9,13

What happens next: A civilian report is not investigated by local law enforcement, WSP or the WSP Collision Records Section. WSP says it is for your records or for insurance purposes.^9,13

Other rules: If the driver is physically unable to make the required report, another occupant of the vehicle who is able to (not a passenger for hire) must make or arrange it. State law prohibits knowingly giving false information in a required report (RCW 46.52.088). If you fail to make a required report, your driving license or permit may be suspended until the report is filed (RCW 46.52.035).³