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How to get a Connecticut crash report

Copies come from Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP), Connecticut State Police Reports and Records Unit; BuyCrash (LexisNexis) for simple State Police crashes. Request one at accidents.despp.ct.gov. Accident Information Summary (preliminary, not the official report): free. Official State Police report: $16.00 non-refundable search fee under CGS 29-10b whether or not a report is produced; BuyCrash and online payments may add convenience fees. Most simple crashes are on BuyCrash within thirty business days of the accident; Accident Information Summaries are available online for thirty days from the date of the accident; all other reports go through the Reports and Records Unit.

Checked against the official pages on October 2, 2026

The statewide copy

Who has itConnecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP), Connecticut State Police Reports and Records Unit; BuyCrash (LexisNexis) for simple State Police crashes
Where to request itaccidents.despp.ct.gov
CoversConnecticut State Police crashes only. Town and city police departments keep their own reports.
CostAccident Information Summary (preliminary, not the official report): free. Official State Police report: $16.00 non-refundable search fee under CGS 29-10b whether or not a report is produced; BuyCrash and online payments may add convenience fees.
Usually readyMost simple crashes are on BuyCrash within thirty business days of the accident; Accident Information Summaries are available online for thirty days from the date of the accident; all other reports go through the Reports and Records Unit.
Who can get a copyAccident Information Summaries are available to the parties involved in an accident. Other release is limited by Connecticut General Statutes (page says CGS may restrict what information is provided).

Reports taken by city police or a sheriff

Reports from town and city police departments are requested from the department's records unit; fees are set locally (New Haven lists $0.50 per page and Hartford 50 cents per copied page). Many agencies also sell crash reports through BuyCrash.

The form

Officers in Connecticut write crash reports on the Uniform investigation of accident report (prescribed by the Commissioner of Transportation). Most boxes on it hold numeric codes for things like contributing factors, injuries and road conditions.

When you must call the police

You must stop, help and give your name, address, license and registration numbers to the injured person, property owner, or any witness or officer. If you cannot give that information to any of them (for example the other driver left or the property owner is not there), you must immediately report to police. No dollar threshold applies. (CGS 14-224(a), (b), (b)(3) as read on cga.ct.gov)

After you have the report

Connecticut gives you two years to file a personal injury lawsuit (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584). Every Connecticut deadline and fault rule.

Connecticut is an at-fault state: the driver who caused the crash, through their liability insurance, pays for the injuries and damage.

1,586 people died in crashes in Connecticut from 2020 to 2024 (NHTSA FARS). See the record for your county.

Check your deadline and a rough claim range

A filing date and a rough value range for Connecticut. Both take under a minute.

Check my deadline Estimate my claim

Questions

How much does a Connecticut crash report cost?

Accident Information Summary (preliminary, not the official report): free. Official State Police report: $16.00 non-refundable search fee under CGS 29-10b whether or not a report is produced; BuyCrash and online payments may add convenience fees., from Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP), Connecticut State Police Reports and Records Unit; BuyCrash (LexisNexis) for simple State Police crashes. Reports taken by a city police department or sheriff may be priced differently by that agency.

How long does it take to get a crash report in Connecticut?

Most simple crashes are on BuyCrash within thirty business days of the accident; Accident Information Summaries are available online for thirty days from the date of the accident; all other reports go through the Reports and Records Unit. The officer has to finish and submit the report before it can be sold.

Are Connecticut crash reports public?

Accident Information Summaries are available to the parties involved in an accident. Other release is limited by Connecticut General Statutes (page says CGS may restrict what information is provided).

Sources

  1. Statewide crash reports: portal.ct.gov/despp/division-of-emergency-service-and-public-protection/reports-
    DESPP: "Most Accident Information Summaries are available to the parties involved in an accident on the DESPP Internet website. Accident Information Summaries will be available for thirty (30) days from the date of the accident." "For a free copy of an Accident Information Summary, please click this link: https://accidents.despp.ct.gov". "Many simple motor vehicle accidents may be available online at http://www.BuyCrash.com within thirty business days following the date of the accident." "Please note pursuant to C.G.S. 29-10b requires a non-refundable search fee of $16.00 whether a report is p…
  2. Request portal: accidents.despp.ct.gov
  3. Local police and sheriff reports: www.hartfordct.gov/Government/Departments/Police/Police-Services/Police-Record
  4. Driver report duty (CGS 14-108 (repealed); CGS 14-108a(a)(2)): www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_246.htm
    "Sec. 14-108. Report of accidents. Section 14-108 is repealed." CGS 14-108a(a)(2): "In each motor vehicle accident in which any person is killed or injured or in which damage to the property of any one individual, including the operator, in excess of one thousand dollars is sustained, the police officer, agency or individual who, in the regular course of duty, investigates such accident ... shall, not later than five days after completing such investigation, complete and forward one copy of such report to the Commissioner of Transportation."
  5. When to call police (CGS 14-224(a), (b), (b)(3) as read on cga.ct.gov): www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_248.htm
    "Each operator of a motor vehicle who is knowingly involved in an accident that causes injury or damage to property shall at once stop and render such assistance as may be needed and shall give such operator's name, address and operator's license number and registration number to the owner of the injured or damaged property, or to any officer or witness to the injury or damage to property, and if such operator ... is unable to give such operator's name, address and operator's license number and registration number to the owner of the property injured or damaged, or to any witness or officer, f…

Read October 2, 2026. Laws and fees change; the linked page is the authority.