Crash Reports and Records
Crash Report Online Purchase System
You may obtain a copy of a Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report (CR-3) (regular or certified) by using our Crash Report Online Purchase System link below. Customers using the online system receive their report(s) immediately if the report is available for purchase. There is a minimal surcharge for using this system. See the sections below for more information on obtaining a crash report online, confidentiality, fees and ordering a crash report by mail.
If the system cannot identify your individual crash using the information provided, you will not be able to purchase a crash report through this automated facility.
Confidentiality
Due to their confidential nature, crash reports are not available for online viewing by the general public.
Crash Reports
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is the custodian of crash records for the State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code §550.062 requires any law enforcement officer who in the regular course of duty investigates a motor vehicle crash that results in injury to or the death of a person or damage to the property of any one person to the apparent extent of $1,000 or more, to submit a written report of that crash to TxDOT not later than the 10th day after the date of the crash.
TxDOT collects crash reports from Texas law enforcement agencies for crashes occurring on public roadways and the state highway system. The state retention schedule for crash reports and data is 10 years plus the current year. Data for years beyond this period is unavailable.
Effective Sept. 1, 2017, per the 85th Texas Legislature Senate Bill 312, the Driver's Crash Report (Form CR-2) is no longer retained by TxDOT. As of Jan. 1, 2019, the retention period expired for all CR-2 forms. As a result, TxDOT no longer has any Driver’s Crash Reports in its custodial records and no longer hosts or provides copies of the CR-2 form. Drivers involved in a crash not investigated by a police officer who were provided a CR-2 or similar local agency form should retain this information for their records. Please note that any CR-2 or similar local agency form submitted to TxDOT will be destroyed as required by our records retention policy.
Texas Peace Officer's Crash Report (CR-3) (FOR PEACE OFFICERS ONLY)
This report is completed by a law enforcement officer investigating a traffic crash when apparent damage is $1,000 or more, or when the crash resulted in injury or death.
TxDOT offers these formats for submitting crash data:
- Crash Reporting and Analysis for Safer Highways (CRASH): The CRASH application was created to allow law enforcement officers to submit the Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report (form CR‐3) electronically to the State of Texas. Please visit our CRASH page for more details.
- Submission Services: Submission Services was developed for agencies with an existing application and requires a web services client and adherence to the over 800 business rules and edits. (If interested in this option, please provide your vendor name, contact for your vendor and an agency contact to discuss implementing this option.)
- CRIS Crash for Mobile: This mobile application from TxDOT allows law enforcement officers from Texas to capture, submit, and supplement CR-3 Crash Reports. Officers who complete a paper CR-3 Crash Report may use the app to capture a digital copy of the report and submit it straight to TxDOT for processing. The steps for an agency's enrollment are as follows:
- Agency contacts TxDOT or submits the CRIS Crash Mobile Access Checklist. Agencies must complete and return the checklist to become active CRASH Mobile users.
- Once the CRIS Crash Mobile Access Checklist has completed the TxDOT internal review and the agency is granted access, the agency will be able to start utilizing CRIS Crash for Mobile immediately.
Please use Internet Explorer when downloading TxDOT forms.
During the 84th Legislative Session, Texas Transportation Code §550.065 now allows for the release of a crash report on written request and upon payment of the required fee to any person directly concerned in the accident or having proper interest therein, including:
(A) Any person involved in the accident
(B) The authorized representative of any person involved in the accident
(C) A driver involved in the accident
(D) An employer, parent or legal guardian of a driver involved in the accident
(E) The owner of a vehicle or property damaged in the accident
(F) A person who has established financial responsibility for a vehicle involved in the accident in a manner described in Texas Transportation Code 601.501, including a policyholder of a motor vehicle
(G) An insurance company that issued an insurance policy covering a vehicle involved in the accident
(H) An insurance company that issued a policy covering any person involved in the accident
(I) A person under contract to provide claims or underwriting to a person described in sections (F), (G) or (H)
(J) A radio or television station that holds a license issued by the Federal Communications Commission
(K) A newspaper that is a free newspaper of general circulation or qualified under Section 2051.044, Government Code, to publish legal notices; published at least once a week; and available and of interest to the general public in connection with the dissemination of news
(L) Any person who may sue because of death resulting from the accident.
(M) Any agency of the United States, this state (Texas), or a local government of this state (Texas)
If a person or entity does not meet any of these criteria, TxDOT does provide the option on the CR-91 form to provide a detailed explanation as to how they meet the criteria in a manner that is not listed in the above reasons (A) through (M). Persons or entities who do not meet the criteria will receive a redacted copy of the crash report.
Costs - Crash Reports
- $6 for a regular copy
- $8 for a certified copy - A certified copy is requested when a person needs an official document, such as for a legal proceeding.
Costs - Subpoenas and Affidavits
- $8 for subpoenas for federal court
- $8 for subpoenas for state court
- $8 for affidavits
Ordering a Crash Report by Mail
If you are unable to use the Crash Report Online Purchase System, you may purchase a copy of a Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report (CR-3) by completing the appropriate request form and mailing it with the required payment to the address shown on the form.
How to File a Subpoena or Affidavit for Crash Records:
All requests for crash records made to the Texas Department of Transportation, including subpoena and affidavit requests, are subject to the requirements promulgated in Texas Transportation Code 550.065. As such, the following action items must be taken for the department to consider a subpoena or affidavit request complete:
- A completed CR-91 Form identifying an individual crash must be submitted along with all request paperwork. For subpoenas/affidavits for bulk crash records, please see Bulk Requests for Crash IDs/Crash Data Requests section below.
- An $8.00 check or money order made out to the Texas Department of Transportation must also be submitted with the CR-91 Form and all request paperwork. Any amount above or below $8.00 or payments made in cash will not be processed. One check may be submitted along with the paperwork for multiple requests, however, the check amount must be exact.
- All paperwork must be made out to the Texas Department of Transportation. NOTE: The Texas Department of Public Safety is a separate state agency. The Texas Department of Transportation will not complete any request made out to another state agency.
- All paperwork must be mailed to: Crash Data and Analysis, Texas Department of Transportation, P.O. Box 12879, Austin, Texas 78711. Since a fee is required, email and faxed submissions are not considered valid forms of filing a subpoena or affidavit with TxDOT.
Please allow 20 business days for all requests to be completed and returned to your office. TxDOT does not provide confirmation of receipt and all requests are processed in order received. The Texas Department of Transportation is the custodian of record for the crash report only. Any subpoena requests for dash cam videos, field notes, photographs, or other information taken on scene, should be submitted to the investigating agency. This information is not part of the Department’s custodial files.
Bulk Request for Crash IDs/Crash Data Request:
Individuals and organizations looking to submit bulk requests for Crash IDs or crash data requests may do so by filing an Open Records Request on the TxDOT Open Records Request Page.
Important Information when filing:
- The Texas Department of Transportation’s retention period for records include the previous 10 full calendar years plus the current calendar year.
- The Texas Transportation Code requires that all crash records be purchased and therefore bulk requests for multiple crash reports cannot be provided. Crash ID numbers corresponding to the request parameters will be provided instead, allowing the requestor to purchase at their leisure. NOTE: TxDOT cannot fulfill bulk requests that require searching any confidential fields as provided in Transportation Code 550.065(f), unless the requestor is otherwise entitled to such information under section 550.065(c). For example, TxDOT cannot release the results of a search for all accidents involving a particular person.
- To ensure your request is submitted to the correct TxDOT department, please select the Traffic Safety Division from the drop-down list when completing your Open Records Request.
Other Information