How To Get A North Carolina Car Accident Report
Choose the correct North Carolina DMV request route and preserve the report and related records.
Sources Checked October 4, 2026 General Information
Use The North Carolina Route That Matches Your Role
North Carolina DMV’s current crash-report service distinguishes individual requesters from qualifying businesses and organizations. An individual should not assume an online purchase option shown to an insurer or law office is available to them. Start with the official Order a Crash Report page and follow the section describing your actual role.
The page directs individuals involved in a crash to request a redacted copy by mail or in person. It states that individuals cannot order online. Qualifying businesses based in or licensed to operate in North Carolina have a separate online route, subject to permissible-use and identity requirements; out-of-state businesses are directed to mail their requests.
Complete The Current TR-67A Accurately
The TR-67A request form asks for the driver’s name, crash date, county and driver-license information, along with requester details. Obtain the form from DMV and read both pages. It includes choices for an applicable permitted use or a redacted copy, plus identity and signature requirements. Describe your access basis accurately.
Gather the officer’s exchange sheet and report number before preparing the request. If the county or date differs between documents, check with the investigating agency instead of guessing. Keep a copy of the completed form and supporting information. An incomplete identification of the collision can delay a search even when the report itself is already available.
Check Payment And Delivery Instructions Before Sending
The currently linked TR-67A lists a $6.50 certified-report fee and says not to send cash by mail. Follow its payment and destination instructions, and confirm the current fee before submission. Do not use an address found on an unrelated DMV form. Save the payment record and a copy of the request packet.
DMV advises allowing ten business days after receipt for mailed requests to be processed. Treat that as processing guidance, not a guarantee that every investigation is complete or a promise of a particular delivery date. Record when the packet was delivered so a later status inquiry has a useful reference point.
Plan An In-person Request Using The Listed Locations
The official page lists designated Raleigh and Huntersville locations for in-person requests. Confirm current hours and service details before traveling; a nearby driver-license office may not provide this records service. Bring the completed form, required identification and accepted payment. Ask about any additional documentation needed for a representative.
If you need several reports from one crash, identify each one clearly. Keep the transaction receipt and verify the pages before leaving or closing the download. For a mailed or electronic delivery, check that the file is readable and complete. Preserve an original copy and make a separate version for annotations.
Understand Redactions And Request Additional Evidence Separately
TR-67A explains that unredacted access requires a permissible use covering personal information about the people involved. A redaction does not necessarily mean an entry was missing from the original investigation. If a particular hidden item matters to your claim, ask the custodian or your authorized representative about an appropriate access route.
A certified crash report also may not include scene photographs, body-camera footage, dispatch recordings or later supplements. Ask the investigating agency which records it holds and how to request them. Provide a precise date, location and time range for recordings. Keep private-business video requests separate because police may never have collected that footage.
Review Facts And Preserve Corrected Versions
Check names that are visible, vehicle details, crash location, diagrams and insurance information against your own documents. For a factual error, contact the agency that created the report and identify the exact field. Supply supporting evidence and ask about amendments or supplements. DMV’s copy service is not necessarily the office authorized to change an officer’s narrative.
Keep both original and amended versions with receipt dates. Tell insurers or lawyers what changed. A disagreement about responsibility may require photographs or witness evidence rather than a clerical correction. Preserve your own dated recollection separately and avoid writing over the original report.
Keep Reporting And Claim Notice Independent Of The Copy Request
G.S. 20-166.1 requires immediate notice to the appropriate law-enforcement agency for a reportable crash. The statute’s officer and agency reporting periods should not be mistaken for time a driver may wait to notify police. A later TR-67A purchase does not perform the original notice duty.
Notify relevant insurers while the copy is pending and supply the agency and identifier. Keep photographs, witness contacts, estimates, receipts and reporting confirmations together. Use a separate calendar for policy and legal requirements so waiting for a records response does not postpone another necessary action.
Official Sources
These agency and legislative sources support the state-specific information above. Check the current agency instructions before making a request.
- Order a Crash ReportNorth Carolina DMV
- TR-67A crash report requestNorth Carolina DMV
- G.S.20-166.1North Carolina General Assembly
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