HomeCrash reportsPennsylvania
How to get a Pennsylvania crash report
Copies come from Pennsylvania State Police, Crash Reports Unit (PSP-investigated crashes only; PennDOT does not release accident report copies). Request one at pa.gov. The fee is not stated on the official page.
Checked against the official pages on October 2, 2026
The statewide copy
| Who has it | Pennsylvania State Police, Crash Reports Unit (PSP-investigated crashes only; PennDOT does not release accident report copies) |
|---|---|
| Where to request it | pa.gov |
| Covers | State Police reports only (incidents investigated by PSP); municipal and regional police reports come from those departments |
| What you need | Search by CAD/case number, or last name and incident date; online 'Application to Obtain Copy of Police Report' (form SP 7-0015 by mail) and a stated reason for the request |
| Who can get a copy | Any person involved in the crash, their attorney or insurer, and any government agencies involved |
| By mail | Form SP 7-0015 with money order or certified check for $22 payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to PA State Police, Crash Reports Unit, 1800 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110 |
Reports taken by city police or a sheriff
Crashes investigated by municipal police are requested from that department, with the same eligibility under 75 Pa.C.S. 3751(b): for example Jefferson Hills Police charge $15 per copy (not until 15 days after the crash) and Philadelphia's Department of Records takes crash report applications online, with a 2 to 3 week processing estimate.
The form
Officers in Pennsylvania write crash reports on the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Police Crash Report (PCR). Most boxes on it hold numeric codes for things like contributing factors, injuries and road conditions. The state publishes the key to those codes:
City police and sheriff reports in Pennsylvania
| Agency | Covers | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Police Department | Philadelphia | $25 per police accident |
| Pittsburgh Bureau of Police | Pittsburgh | $15 for all police reports - check, money order, or credit card. The page does not mention a separate crash-report fee. |
After you have the report
Pennsylvania gives you two years to file a personal injury lawsuit (42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5524(2)). Every Pennsylvania deadline and fault rule.
Pennsylvania lets drivers choose between no-fault and traditional at-fault coverage.
5,876 people died in crashes in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania. Both take under a minute.
Questions
Are Pennsylvania crash reports public?
Any person involved in the crash, their attorney or insurer, and any government agencies involved
Sources
- Statewide crash reports: www.pa.gov/services/psp/request-a-copy-of-a-vehicle-crash-report
Who can get a crash report? Any person involved in the crash; Their attorney or insurer; Any government agencies involved. What does it cost? The fee for a crash report is $22. When can you get a crash report? Crash reports are available 15 days after the date of the crash. | Allow a minimum of 15 days from the date of the incident before searching for a record. | your request will be either approved or denied by PSP within 7 business days of receipt. | PennDOT: PennDOT does not release copies of accident reports under the RTKL. By law, only police departments are authorized to provide copies …
- Request portal: www.pa.gov/psp/crash-reports/
- Local police and sheriff reports: www.boroughofjeffersonhills.org/184/Crash-Report-Request
- Crash report codes: www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/penndot/documents/travelinpa/safety/docu
- Driver report duty (75 Pa.C.S. 3747(a)): www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/penndot/documents/public/pubsforms/forms
If a police officer does not investigate an accident required to be investigated by section 3746 (relating to immediate notice of accident to police department), the driver of a vehicle which is in any manner involved in the accident shall, within five days of the accident, forward a written report of the accident to the department.
- When to call police (75 Pa.C.S. 3746(a)): www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/HTM/75/00.037..HTM
The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident shall immediately by the quickest means of communication give notice to the nearest office of a duly authorized police department if the accident involves: (1) injury to or death of any person; or (2) damage to any vehicle involved to the extent that it cannot be driven under its own power in its customary manner without further damage or hazard to the vehicle, other traffic elements, or the roadway, and therefore requires towing.
Read October 2, 2026. Laws and fees change; the linked page is the authority.