How To Get A Hawaii Car Accident Report
Begin with the police department that handled the crash. Honolulu, Hawaii County, and Kauai publish different records instructions; a Honolulu online incident form is not a statewide crash-report purchase system.
Sources Checked October 4, 2026 General Information
Match The Request To The Island And Agency
Write down the island, crash location, and responding department before looking for a report. Distinguish Honolulu Police Department from Hawaii Police Department: the latter’s records instructions identify district stations and the Hilo Records and Identification Section. Similar names do not make the agencies interchangeable.
Use the agency shown on your exchange information or other correspondence. If the crash occurred in a jurisdiction not detailed below, contact that investigating department for its current records instructions. In particular, do not apply Honolulu’s procedure to a Maui County investigation merely because both are in Hawaii. This guide provides verified routes, not a promise that every report is available through one portal.
Honolulu: Check MVC Release Status
The Honolulu Police Department report page asks people requesting a motor-vehicle collision report to check with the Records Division about whether it can be released. It describes copy requests by email, mail, or in person, with identification and possible additional documents. Use the current instructions to choose the appropriate channel.
The same page has an online citizen incident-reporting system for Oahu. Its screening questions exclude motor-vehicle collisions. Do not confuse creating an eligible non-emergency incident report with requesting a copy of an existing collision report. If you have a report number already, keep it visible when contacting Records.
Hawaii County: Use The District Or Hilo Records Route
The Hawaii Police Department copy-request page says approved motor-vehicle accident reports are available to parties of interest. It explains requests through district stations and written requests to Records and Identification in Hilo. Confirm the appropriate arrangement with that department before traveling to collect a record.
If someone will pick up a report for you, the department requires authorization. Agree in advance who will supply the necessary documents and how the copy will be delivered to you. Do not assume that sharing a surname or helping with insurance paperwork automatically establishes authority to collect another person’s report.
Kauai: Choose The Correct Request Category
The Kauai Police Records Section provides a public, non-business request route and separate business or insurance request options. It lists identifying information and describes scheduling pickup when the record is ready. Choose the category that accurately reflects who is requesting the material rather than selecting whichever form appears shortest.
Use the official page to confirm arrangements before visiting. Availability, privacy review, and pickup are separate questions. A submitted request does not necessarily mean a releasable copy is waiting at the counter. Save any appointment message and the request reference together.
Prepare One Complete Request Packet
| Item | Why It Helps |
|---|---|
| Agency and location | Routes the request to the organization that created the report. |
| Report identifiers | Connects the request to the crash date and involved people. |
| Requester information | Lets the records unit ask about identification or authorization. |
| Material requested | Distinguishes the report from photographs, video, or other records. |
Read the selected department’s requirements rather than treating this table as a substitute form. Send sensitive identification only through the instructed channel. Keep your own copy of the request and note the submission date. If the department asks for more information, identify the existing request when responding so the correspondence remains connected.
Expect Privacy Review And Check The Delivery
The county sources describe access restrictions or redactions. Blacked-out information does not automatically mean a scanning mistake. If something appears omitted, ask whether it was withheld, unavailable, or simply missing from the delivery. Phrase the question precisely and preserve the response.
When the file arrives, check the crash identifiers, page count, and readable text. Save an unchanged copy before making notes. If a factual field appears incorrect, identify that field and ask the investigating agency about its correction procedure. An insurance company’s disagreement with an account is a different issue from an agency’s clerical correction.
Keep Visitor And Rental Records Alongside The Report
If you were visiting or using a rental vehicle, keep the rental agreement, return paperwork, and the rental company’s incident reference in a separate section. These help you distinguish the police record from a company-created damage record. Do not rename a rental incident form as a police report.
Before sharing documents, identify the requested version and recipient. Record whether you supplied the county report, your own notes, or rental paperwork. That small distinction can prevent confusion when several organizations use different numbers for the same crash.
Official Sources
These agency and legislative sources support the state-specific information above. Check the current agency instructions before making a request.
- Police ReportsHonolulu Police Department
- Get a Copy of a Police ReportHawaii Police Department
- Records SectionCounty of Kauai Police Department
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