How To Get A Texas Car Accident Report
The Texas CR-3 is an officer’s crash report. A DPS driving history and a request for scene photographs are different records tasks.
Sources Checked October 4, 2026 General Information
Start With The Texas CR-3
If you need the officer’s account of a Texas collision, identify the document as a Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report, commonly called a CR-3. The TxDOT crash-records page links to its online purchase system. It lists a regular copy at $6 and a certified copy at $8, with additional processing charges possible. Confirm the current total and product before submitting payment.
Ask the person requesting the document whether certification is needed. A report for your personal file and one requested for a particular legal proceeding may have different requirements. Buying the more expensive version does not mean you will receive every photograph or investigative item. Keep the requester’s instructions so you can explain why you selected a particular copy.
Avoid Ordering A Driving History By Mistake
The Department of Public Safety offers several driver-record products, including histories containing lists of crashes and violations. Those products are not interchangeable with the officer’s CR-3 narrative and diagram. DPS itself directs crash-report questions to TxDOT. Check the page title and agency name before entering personal identifiers into a record-ordering service.
If an insurer asks simply for your record, ask it to specify the document and purpose. Write the answer in the claim log. That small clarification can prevent paying for a driving-history product when the adjuster wanted a collision report, or sending a broader personal history when only the report of one event was requested.
Gather Search Details And Establish Access
Prepare the date, county or city, crash location, investigating agency, case number and involved-party information from your exchange sheet. Keep spelling variations and any corrected date in a separate note. An agency’s case number may differ from the number used by an insurer or a towing facility, so label each identifier rather than entering whichever number is easiest to find.
TxDOT lists categories of people with a proper interest in the accident and explains that other requesters may receive a redacted copy. Use the category that accurately describes your relationship. If requesting for someone else, clarify what authorization is required. A public statistics dashboard is not a route around personal-information restrictions and is not a substitute for a correctly requested report.
Save The Transaction And The Entire Report
Use the purchase link from the official TxDOT page. Before paying, review the crash identifiers, requested copy and delivery details. Save the receipt and confirmation information. When the report arrives, retain the original electronic file, including all pages, before making a working copy. A forwarded email can be useful, but it should not be your only record of the transaction.
Check that the report actually concerns your collision. Compare date, location, vehicle information and party names, then note any missing page numbers or references to supplements. If the search returns nothing, record the search terms and contact the investigating agency about submission or identifying information. An unsuccessful search is not proof that no officer prepared a report.
Request Other Evidence From The Right Place
TxDOT says it is the custodian of the crash report only; scene photographs, dash-camera video and field notes belong with the investigating agency. Make a separate request identifying the specific item and event. Ask what records exist, who holds them and what release or preservation procedure applies. Do not assume that purchasing the CR-3 also requests those materials.
Keep your own photographs and recordings while those requests are pending. Preserve originals and use copies for annotation. A short evidence index can record the file name, who created it, when it was obtained and what it depicts. If a vehicle has moved between a tow yard and repair shop, record those locations separately so later requests go to the right custodian.
Handle Discrepancies Without Altering The Original
When a report appears inaccurate, identify the precise entry and the evidence supporting your concern. Ask the issuing agency how it handles correction requests. Distinguish an objective transcription issue from a disagreement with an officer’s interpretation. Save the request and response, and label a later revised report with its receipt date instead of overwriting the earlier file.
TxDOT also states that it no longer retains Driver’s Crash Reports, or CR-2 forms. If you already have such a form or a similar local document, preserve your own copy rather than sending it to TxDOT expecting an archival copy. Keep it labeled separately from the CR-3. Your final report folder should show what was requested, what was received, which additional records remain outstanding and who is handling each unresolved item.
Official Sources
These agency and legislative sources support the state-specific information above. Check the current agency instructions before making a request.
- Crash reports and recordsTexas Department of Transportation
- How to Order a Driver RecordTexas Department of Public Safety
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