How To Get A Washington, D.C. Car Accident Report
For an MPD-investigated crash, ask for the PD-10 and keep its CCN reference number. The request process depends on your relationship to the event.
Sources Checked October 4, 2026 General Information
Identify The PD-10 And Investigating Agency
MPD distinguishes an Accident Report, or PD-10, from an Incident/Offense Report, or PD-251. Start by identifying the document you need and the agency that prepared it. A collision may involve more than one responding organization, so retain the officer’s information and exchange sheet. Do not assume that every record connected with an event has the same custodian or reference number.
The MPD report-request page describes a six-digit CCN identifier and directs people who need the number to the responding police district. Keep that identifier separate from an insurer’s claim number. If an adjuster requests the police report, clarify whether it needs the PD-10, another incident report or additional investigative material before ordering.
Use The Correct Access Category
The detailed PD-10 instructions provide a first-party route for an involved person or the listed representatives of an involved person. They direct third-party requests to MPD’s FOIA office. Describe your actual relationship to the crash and confirm any authority you need when requesting for someone else. Being interested in the event is different from being an involved party.
If the agency says a different route applies, preserve that answer and ask what information the alternative request needs. Do not select an inaccurate category to gain access. Keep personal identification and authorization documents secure, and send them only through a contact method confirmed on the official MPD instructions or directly with the Public Documents Section.
Prepare Form 10B And Identifying Details
For the email or mail route, MPD’s PD-10 instructions require valid government photo identification and a completed PD Form 10B application. They also request as much event information as available, including name, date, location, time and CCN. Use the form linked from that page rather than an older copy supplied by an unrelated website.
Review the packet for readable scans and consistent identifying information. If you do not know a detail, label the gap rather than guessing. Keep a copy of the complete submission and a short cover message identifying the record requested. Record the recipient, date and attachment names so you can verify what was actually sent if staff request clarification.
Confirm Fees And Appointment Arrangements
The detailed PD-10 page says first-party requests have no fee and that in-person PD-10 access is by appointment. MPD’s general records overview instead describes a $3 accident-report fee and walk-in availability. Because those official pages differ, confirm the arrangements for your particular requester category and service before sending payment or traveling to the office.
Use the specific PD-10 instructions as the starting point, then ask the Public Documents Section to clarify any conflict. Write down the answer and the date. Do not apply an incident-report fee waiver, an insurer fee or a general office-hours statement to a different product without checking. A brief confirmation can prevent an otherwise complete request from being delayed by the wrong payment or visit arrangement.
Keep Delivery And Status Records
For mail requests, the detailed page asks for a self-addressed stamped envelope and gives a processing estimate. Treat an estimate as planning information, not a guarantee for an individual file. Save your mailing evidence and any agency acknowledgment. For email, keep the sent message and attachments, and follow up through the verified contact if receipt or status remains uncertain.
A missing report response does not establish that no crash was recorded. Ask whether the issue concerns the CCN, the investigating agency, completion of the record or your access documentation. Preserve the explanation and identify the next step. Repeatedly sending the same packet without resolving the stated problem can make the request history harder to follow.
Review The Copy And Request Other Material Precisely
When the report arrives, confirm the event, parties, vehicles and all pages. Preserve the original unchanged. Make a separate note of an apparent transcription error or disagreement with the narrative, and ask the issuing agency how correction requests are handled. If an amended report is supplied, retain both versions and label when each was received.
Do not assume the basic report includes photographs, recordings or every supplement. Identify each additional item and ask which unit holds it and how to request access. Keep those requests separate from the PD-10 order. A narrow description of the item and event helps the custodian understand what you want and lets you compare the response with the actual request.
When sharing the report with an insurer or adviser, note the version and date sent. Keep a records index showing received items, pending requests and unresolved corrections. That index makes it easier to distinguish an access problem from a disagreement about the report’s contents and keeps the report request from being confused with insurance or legal-notice tasks.
Official Sources
These agency and legislative sources support the state-specific information above. Check the current agency instructions before making a request.
- Request an Accident Report PD-10 or Incident/Offense Report PD-251DC Metropolitan Police Department
- Police Clearances and ReportsDC Metropolitan Police Department
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