How To Get A South Carolina Car Accident Report
South Carolina DMV provides the official collision-report copy after it receives and processes the report. The roadside document may contain less detail.
Sources Checked October 4, 2026 General Information
Distinguish The Roadside Paper From The Detailed Report
Start by collecting the documents given to you after the collision. Record the investigating agency, case number, collision date and any FR-10 number. The SCDMV collision-report page explains that the requested collision report is more detailed than the document received on the day of the event. Do not assume the exchange information already in your glove compartment is the complete investigative narrative.
Ask the insurer or other recipient what document it needs before ordering. If it needs the official report, say that you have requested it and identify what you currently possess. Accurate labels help prevent a short roadside form from being mistaken for a full report or a personal account from being mistaken for an agency conclusion.
Choose A Request Route That Works With Your Credentials
SCDMV offers online, branch-office and mail options. The online-access instructions require personal information to authenticate the requester before crash information is entered. They also identify limits involving older collisions and out-of-state licenses or missing customer numbers. If you cannot use the online route, the page explains that branch or mail requests remain available.
Do not work around an identity problem by entering another person’s details. Contact SCDMV about the appropriate route. If requesting records in a representative role, explain that role and ask what authorization is required. Keep the answer with your request so the submission accurately reflects who is seeking the information.
Complete Both Copies Of FR-50
The current FR-50 request form is two pages because SCDMV wants two copies. Electronically entered information can populate both pages, but signatures do not automatically duplicate. Sign both copies where required. This small distinction can prevent an otherwise complete mail packet from needing correction.
Use the date and county of the collision, driver names and license details, and known FR-10 or case numbers. Review those identifiers against the paperwork before printing. If a detail is unknown, do not create a plausible-looking number. A clear explanation of what is missing is more useful than inaccurate information that sends the search toward the wrong event.
Check The Payment And Delivery Instructions
FR-50 lists a $10 report request fee. The SCDMV page explains mail and branch payment options and provides the current mail address. Follow those instructions, including the direction not to mail cash. Keep a copy of the form and a record of payment and delivery.
Before paying, confirm whether the request is for the correct collision and record type. A fee for a report copy should not be assumed to include photographs, recordings or every supplemental investigative document. If a recipient needs certification or a particular format, ask SCDMV whether the requested product meets that need rather than making the assumption after purchase.
Handle A Report That Has Not Reached The System
SCDMV says an official copy cannot be supplied until it has been received and processed. FR-50 includes a response for a report not currently on file and instructions for a later recheck. Retain that response and any receipt. A missing result does not prove that police never investigated the collision.
Compare the identifiers on the response with your original paperwork. Ask the investigating agency whether the report was completed and submitted if that remains unclear. Keep the request status visible in your insurance file. Do not let a pending record prevent you from asking about policy obligations or legal deadlines that may require attention before the record arrives.
Ask About Additional Evidence Through Its Custodian
A report can refer to material that is stored separately. Make a list of photographs, recordings, witness statements or other items that matter to the issue you are investigating. Identify which agency or private holder created each item. Ask that holder about access and preservation instead of assuming the SCDMV report order reaches it.
Be specific about the time, place and type of record. A broad request for everything about an accident can obscure the particular item you need. If access requires legal process or an authorization, obtain appropriate help. Keep any explanation of an access restriction rather than treating an incomplete response as proof that the record does not exist.
Review The Copy And Document Corrections
Save the delivered report unchanged. On a working copy, check the driver and vehicle details, date, location, diagram and listed attachments. Record each apparent error by page and entry, together with the document that supports your concern. Separate a clerical correction from a disagreement about a witness account or investigative interpretation.
Ask the preparing agency how it handles corrections or supplemental statements. Keep any revised version with the earlier copy and the correspondence explaining the change. Your final folder should distinguish the official report, separately obtained records and your original notes. That structure gives the next reader a more reliable view of the evidence and the remaining gaps.
Official Sources
These agency and legislative sources support the state-specific information above. Check the current agency instructions before making a request.
- Collision ReportsSouth Carolina DMV
- FR-50 Request for Copy of Collision Report, July 2025South Carolina DMV
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