HomeCrash reportsKentucky

How to get a Kentucky crash report

Copies come from Kentucky State Police (KSP), the statewide vehicle accident reporting system under KRS 189.635; reports are sold through the KSP web service and BuyCrash. Request one at buycrash.com. Cost: $10 for reports obtained through the KSP web site; $5 for paper copies (502 KAR 15:010).

Checked against the official pages on October 2, 2026

The statewide copy

Who has it	Kentucky State Police (KSP), the statewide vehicle accident reporting system under KRS 189.635; reports are sold through the KSP web service and BuyCrash
Where to request it	buycrash.com
Covers	All vehicle accident reports from Kentucky law enforcement agencies, which must file them with KSP within 10 days of the investigation (KRS 189.635(4)(a))
Cost	$10 for reports obtained through the KSP web site; $5 for paper copies (502 KAR 15:010)
Who can get a copy	Accident reports are confidential and released only to: the parties to the accident, parents or guardians of a minor party, insurers or their written designee, attorneys of the parties, a party to litigation (with a clerk-stamped complaint), the Department of Workplace Standards for safety investigations, and law enforcement; news-gathering organizations get reports through a separate certification (KSP Form 029). Reports are not released for commercial purposes.
By mail	Written request to the Official Custodian of Records, Kentucky State Police, 919 Versailles Rd, Frankfort, KY 40601 by mail, email, fax or hand delivery.

Reports taken by city police or a sheriff

Police and sheriff reports are filed with KSP within 10 days (KRS 189.635(4)(a)); a local agency may keep a copy but such copies "shall not be considered open records" and stay confidential except as the statute allows, so the same eligible parties apply. Many departments also sell through BuyCrash (for example Alexandria and Bowling Green).

The form: KSP 74

Officers in Kentucky write crash reports on the Kentucky Uniform Police Traffic Collision Report (KSP 74). Most boxes on it hold numeric codes for things like contributing factors, injuries and road conditions.

Your own report to the state

Yes, in some cases: property damage over $500 and no law enforcement officer investigated (if the crash resulted in injury or an inoperable vehicle, you must notify police instead and the officer files the report). Deadline: 10 days. Form Kentucky Civilian Traffic Collision Report (KSP), filed with Kentucky State Police (online Civilian Collision Reporting at kspportal.ky.gov). (KRS 189.635(5)(a))

City police and sheriff reports in Kentucky

Agency	Covers	Cost
Louisville Metro Police Department	Louisville	$10 fee for each accident report

When you must call the police

Immediately, if anyone is injured (fatal or nonfatal) or the vehicle is rendered inoperable (KRS 189.635(3)(a))

After you have the report

Kentucky gives you two years to file a personal injury lawsuit (Ky. Rev. Stat. § 304.39-230(6)). Every Kentucky deadline and fault rule.

Kentucky lets drivers choose between no-fault and traditional at-fault coverage.

3,851 people died in crashes in Kentucky 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 Kentucky. Both take under a minute.

Check my deadline Estimate my claim

Questions

How much does a Kentucky crash report cost?

$10 for reports obtained through the KSP web site; $5 for paper copies (502 KAR 15:010), from Kentucky State Police (KSP), the statewide vehicle accident reporting system under KRS 189.635; reports are sold through the KSP web service and BuyCrash. Reports taken by a city police department or sheriff may be priced differently by that agency.

Are Kentucky crash reports public?

Accident reports are confidential and released only to: the parties to the accident, parents or guardians of a minor party, insurers or their written designee, attorneys of the parties, a party to litigation (with a clerk-stamped complaint), the Department of Workplace Standards for safety investigations, and law enforcement; news-gathering organizations get reports through a separate certification (KSP Form 029). Reports are not released for commercial purposes.

Do I have to file my own crash report in Kentucky?

Sources

Statewide crash reports: kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov/open-records-requests/
KRS 189.635(6)(c): "Accident reports shall be made available to: 1. The parties to the accident; 2. The parents or guardians of a minor who is party to the accident; 3. Insurers or their written designee for insurance business purposes of any party who is the subject of the report; 4. The attorneys of the parties to the accident; 5. Any party to litigation who files with the department a request for the report and includes a copy of the first page of a District or Circuit Court clerk-stamped complaint naming all parties". 502 KAR 15:010 Section 5: "Paper copies: five (5) dollars; and (2) Repor…
Request portal: www.buycrash.com
Local police and sheriff reports: apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=54793
Driver report duty (KRS 189.635(5)(a)): apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=54793
"Any person operating a vehicle on the highways of this state who is involved in an accident resulting in any property damage exceeding five hundred dollars ($500) in which an investigation is not conducted by a law enforcement officer shall file a written report of the accident with the department within ten (10) days of occurrence of the accident upon forms provided by the department."
When to call police (KRS 189.635(3)(a)): apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=54793
"Any person operating a vehicle on the highways of this state who is involved in an accident resulting in fatal or nonfatal personal injury to any person or damage to the vehicle rendering the vehicle inoperable shall be required to immediately notify a law enforcement officer having jurisdiction."

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