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How to get a crash report from the Bakersfield Police Department
The Bakersfield Police Department sells crash reports through BuyCrash (LexisNexis) at buycrash.lexisnexisrisk.com. Cost: $7 flat fee per accident report. An additional fee is charged by LexisNexis for the online payment of reports (amount not stated). Processing time for traffic reports is usually five to seven business days, excluding weekends and holidays; some may take up to ten business days. Injury and fatal collision investigations may take several days to weeks.
From the Bakersfield Police Department's own pages, checked October 2, 2026
Requesting the report
| Covers | collisions inside Bakersfield city limits worked by BPD (California Highway Patrol handles freeways and state routes) |
|---|---|
| Request online | buycrash.lexisnexisrisk.com |
| Cost | $7 flat fee per accident report. An additional fee is charged by LexisNexis for the online payment of reports (amount not stated). |
| Usually ready | Processing time for traffic reports is usually five to seven business days, excluding weekends and holidays; some may take up to ten business days. Injury and fatal collision investigations may take several days to weeks. |
| What you need | By mail: written request with the case number, the date the incident was reported, the names of the parties involved and a contact phone number; payment must be included for a traffic collision. A check or money order payable to the City of Bakersfield must be received before the request is processed. |
| In person | Bakersfield Police Department, 1601 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301. Reports may be purchased in person Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| By mail | Send a written request to the Bakersfield Police Department (1601 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301 is the Records Unit address on the page) with case number, incident date, names of parties, phone number and payment. |
| Phone | 661-326-3883 (traffic report request line); Records Unit 661-326-3800 |
Need a different police report (theft, incident)? Crime/incident reports are free; request through the JustFOIA public portal, by mail, or in person; crime report and records line 661-326-3800..
Fatal crashes in Bakersfield
296 people died in 280 crashes in Bakersfield from 2020 through 2024 (NHTSA FARS), more of them on SR-99 than on any other road. In 2024, 47 were killed, 11% fewer than in 2020.
After you have the report
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Get the crash report
Statewide copies come from California Highway Patrol (CHP), through its Online Crash Report System (Crash Portal) or any CHP Area office, cost CHP 190 by mail or in person: $10.00 for 1-25 pages, $20.00 for 26-50 pages, $30.00 for 51-75 pages, $40.00 for 76-100 pages, with no extra charge for handling or mailing. The online portal fee is not stated on the CHP web pages. and are usually ready typically within eight (8) business days from the date of the crash.
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Know your deadline
California gives you two years to file a personal injury lawsuit (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1). If a city, county or state vehicle was involved: A written claim for death, injury to person or injury to personal property must be presented to the public entity within six months after the cause of action accrues (one year for other claims).
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Who pays
California is an at-fault state: the driver who caused the crash, through their liability insurance, pays for the injuries and damage.
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If you were partly at fault
If you were partly at fault, your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, and you can still recover even if you were mostly (even 99%) at fault.
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The other driver’s minimum coverage
The legal minimum liability coverage in California is $30,000 per injured person, $60,000 per crash and $15,000 for property (30/60/15).
Check your deadline and a rough claim range
A filing date and a rough value range for California. Both take under a minute.
Questions
How much is a crash report from the Bakersfield Police Department?
$7 flat fee per accident report. An additional fee is charged by LexisNexis for the online payment of reports (amount not stated).
How long does it take to get a Bakersfield crash report?
Processing time for traffic reports is usually five to seven business days, excluding weekends and holidays; some may take up to ten business days. Injury and fatal collision investigations may take several days to weeks.
Can I get my Bakersfield crash report online?
Yes, at buycrash.lexisnexisrisk.com. You need: By mail: written request with the case number, the date the incident was reported, the names of the parties involved and a contact phone number; payment must be included for a traffic collision. A check or money order payable to the City of Bakersfield must be received before the request is processed.
Sources
- Bakersfield Police Department crash reports: www.bakersfieldcity.us/464/Records
BPD Records page: "The processing time for traffic reports is usually five to seven business days, excluding weekends and holidays. Some reports may take up to ten business days." "Accident reports are a flat fee of $7. Crime and incident reports are free of charge. An additional fee will be charged by Lexis Nexis for the online payment of reports." "To request a copy of a traffic accident report online" (links to buycrash.lexisnexisrisk.com). "Reports may be purchased in person at the Police Department between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday." "Traffic report request line…
- Request portal: buycrash.lexisnexisrisk.com/ui/home (traffic accident reports); other records vi
- Other police reports: bakersfieldca.justfoia.com/publicportal/home/track
Read October 2, 2026. Laws and fees change; the linked page is the authority.