Personal Injury | July 10, 2025 by JOSHUA D. ANDERSON

How to Get a Car Accident Police Report in Washington State

Whether the police filed an official collision report after your car accident or you did it yourself, it’s important to keep a copy of it for your records. You never know when the insurance company might want it, and if you decide to pursue a claim with your insurance company or the at-fault driver, the report helps back up your version of the events.

Getting a copy of a car accident police report in Washington State is relatively simple, though it does take some time. Here’s everything you need to know about why you want a copy and how to get it.

Why You Might Need a Copy of the Collision Report

Even if the damage to your car is minor and you weren’t injured, you should still get a copy of the police report. It’s a neutral, third-party account of what happened, and while you may not need that account now, you might benefit from having it handy somewhere down the line.

Insurance Claims

Depending on the extent and severity of your personal injuries or property damage, you may want to make an insurance claim to help cover your losses, and the company will want a copy of the police report to verify your account of the accident.

Beyond the fact that it’s official proof the accident happened, given that (in most cases) a police officer created it, the collision report acts as a neutral, unbiased account of the car crash. That objective view can help the insurance company better understand who’s at fault for the accident.

Legal Proceedings

In some instances, you may need the assistance of a car accident lawyer, and they’ll want a copy of the police report.

If you’re not at fault for the car crash, the report supports and strengthens your position and claim. But if you were at fault or partially at fault for the accident, the official police reports protect you from the other driver or insurance company exaggerating their version of events.

Just in Case

Recovering from a car crash takes time, and while you’re focusing on your health and well-being, dealing with the insurance company or pursuing legal action against the at-fault driver may be the last thing on your mind. Likewise, if you are at fault for the accident, the other driver may take some time to pursue their claims.

Having a copy of the police report on hand allows you to refresh your recollection weeks or months later, especially if you’re suffering from memory loss after a car accident.

What’s Included in the Accident Report?

A police report includes a number of crucial details. Along with the date, time, and location of the accident, it contains:

• Details about who was involved in the car crash, like names, contact information, and insurance information
• Vehicle information, including the make, model, year, and registration of the vehicles, and their license plate numbers
• Description of the vehicle damage and other property damage, with an estimated value of the damage
• Information about the road conditions and weather at the time of the car crash
• Contributing factors, like someone was speeding, ran a red light, or was impaired
• Information about any personal injuries and whether or not anyone went to the hospital
• Any citation information

The police report also contains a diagram and narrative of the car crash that explains what happened. It usually includes the direction each vehicle was traveling in at the time of the accident, where the cars collided, and the final resting position of each car.

Requesting a Car Accident Police Report in Washington State 

No matter where your car crash happened or which police department responded and took your accident report, the only way to get a copy of the collision report in Washington State is by requesting it from the Washington State Patrol (WSP). Every police department in the state is required to forward their reports to WSP, making it the only place to obtain a copy.

Washington State Patrol maintains a copy of every collision report for 10 years. If you want or need a certified copy of the report, WSP will issue one, but it will take five to seven business days to get it.

There are three ways to request a copy of the police report from WSP: online, by mail, or in person. They will not take requests over the phone.

How to Get a Copy of the Accident Report Online

You can make a request online for a copy of the report using the Washington State Patrol Request for Electronic Collision Records (WRECR) system. To request a copy of the report using this method, you must have a valid email address.

You’ll enter your name and the date of the collision. If the police report is in the system, you’ll see it on screen. However, it can take two to four weeks before new reports are accessible, so you may need to try a few times. To get a copy of the report, fill out the information and pay the $10.50 fee. 

How to Get a Copy of the Accident Report By Mail

It’s also possible to get a copy of the police report by mail. Fill out the Request for Copy of Collision Report and mail the completed form with a check or money order for $10.50 made out to Washington State Patrol to:

Washington State Patrol

Collision Records Section

P.O. Box 42628

Olympia, WA 98504-2628

How to Get a Copy of the Accident Report In Person

If you don’t want to make a request online or by mail, it’s possible to get a copy of the report in person. You can go to WSP in Olympia, WA, and use the lobby kiosk to search for and order your record. While the staff won’t order the report for you, they are there to help you locate and order the report.

Even if you request the report in person, you’ll still need to pay the $10.50 fee, and the kiosk only accepts credit cards.

Why Isn’t There an Accident Report for My Car Accident?

As a rule, the investigating law enforcement officer has two to four weeks to complete their investigation and have the report approved by their supervisor. Once that happens, it’s entered in the system, and then you can find it. If law enforcement comes to the accident and takes your report, they’ll give you the information you need to find the report later.

Not every car accident in Washington State receives an official accident report filled out by a law enforcement officer. If the officer decided that the damage to your vehicle was less than $1,000 (based on their observations and opinion) and no one was injured, they do not have to file an official police report. What’s more, if the police were unable to get to the scene of your accident, no matter how much damage there is, there won’t be an official police report.

However, according to Washington State law, car accidents with more than $1,000 worth of damage to a single car (or other vehicle or property) or when someone is injured must be reported to WSP. If the police don’t do that for you, you have to do it yourself using WSP’s Online Motor Vehicle Collision Reporting (OMVCR) system.

Filing a report in OMVCR does not guarantee the police will investigate your car accident. All it means is you’ve reported the accident as required by law. However, if the investigating officer declines to file a report or the police can’t come to the scene of the accident, you should file a report to ensure your version of the accident is on the record.

Anderson Law | Injury Attorneys Is on Your Side

No matter how large or small your car accident was, filing and keeping a copy of the accident report is a smart idea. You never know when you’ll need it, and having an official record of what happened can protect you now and in the future.

If you’ve been in a car accident and are considering your next steps, contact the team at Anderson Law Injury Attorneys today. We have over 50 years of experience helping car accident victims navigate their personal injury claims and negotiating with insurance companies to ensure you receive a full and fair settlement. There’s no obligation and no fee unless you win.

The information contained on this website is intended for informational purposes only, and is not legal advice. Nothing in this website establishes an attorney-client relationship between us. Different facts can dramatically affect a legal opinion. You should consult an attorney for legal advice that pertains to your personal situation.