How to Get a Car Accident Police Report in Phoenix

You have a police report number. Now you need the actual report.

That can be less straightforward than it sounds because the agency that responded to your Phoenix collision matters. A crash investigated by the Phoenix Police Department follows a different records process from one handled by an Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS)  trooper on an interstate or freeway.

Before searching for a form or paying a records fee, it’s best to determine which agency has the report you need.

Key Takeaways About Getting a Phoenix Car Accident Police Report

• If Phoenix Police investigated the collision, request the traffic crash report through the department's Public Records portal.
• Arizona DPS maintains reports for collisions investigated by state troopers, including crashes on Phoenix-area interstates and freeways.
• A traffic crash report is not necessarily the complete police file. Photographs, body-camera recordings, 911 audio, interviews, and other records may need to be requested separately.
• An experienced Phoenix car accident lawyer can obtain and review available reports while investigating other evidence that may help establish how the collision occurred.

Which Agency Has Your Phoenix Accident Report?

Start with the agency that investigated the collision.

If Your Collision Was Investigated By...	Where to Start
Phoenix Police Department	Phoenix Police Public Records portal
Arizona DPS/state trooper	Arizona DPS Public Services Portal
Another city's police department	That police department's records office
County sheriff's office	The appropriate sheriff's records office
You are unsure	Check your paperwork from the scene, or work with a car accident lawyer to identify the responding agency

This distinction is particularly important around Phoenix because a crash within the broader metro area does not necessarily create a Phoenix Police report.

How Do You Request a Phoenix Police Accident Report Online?

The current process to request Phoenix Police Department traffic crash reports through its Public Records portal is:

1. Create an account or sign in to the portal.
2. Click Submit Requests.
3. Select the quantity for the Traffic Crash record you want to request.
4. Continue to the request form and provide the requested information.
5. Complete checkout and pay the required upfront charge, if applicable.
6. Watch for an email notifying you that the request has been completed.
7. Return to the portal, select My Police Service Requests, and access the completed request.

Phoenix Police processes requests in the order received and notes that processing time can depend on the size, complexity, and nature of the records requested. If the department cannot locate a record based on the information you provide, you will be notified by email.

What Information Should You Have Before Making the Request?

If you received paperwork or a report number after the collision, keep it available when requesting records. Information identifying the collision can help the records department locate the correct report. Depending on the request form, that may include details such as the report or incident number, collision date and location, and information identifying the people involved.

Provide the information requested by the portal as accurately as possible. If you do not know every detail, that does not necessarily mean you cannot request the record. Phoenix Police Public Records can also be reached at 602-534-1127 for assistance with a request.

How Much Does a Phoenix Police Traffic Crash Report Cost?

As of August 2026, the Phoenix Police Public Records portal lists the charge for a Traffic Crash Report at $0.24 per page. The department also states that some online requests require a $5 upfront portal convenience fee. If the final charge is less than $5, the requester receives a refund; additional charges may apply when the final cost exceeds the initial payment.

These fees may change. The City of Phoenix issued a notice in July 2026 proposing changes to certain Police Public Records fees that are up for consideration on or after September 23, 2026. Check the current Phoenix Police Public Records information when making your request.

Can You Request a Phoenix Police Report in Person?

Yes. The Phoenix Police Public Records and Services Bureau is currently located at:

100 W. Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85003

The office moved to this location in March 2026. Current listed business hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., excluding city holidays.

Phoenix Police recommends scheduling an appointment for in-person assistance. Because some older city webpages still list the department's former Grant Street location, verify the current address before visiting.

What If Arizona DPS Investigated Your Phoenix Car Accident?

If a state trooper investigated the collision, you will generally need to request the report from the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) rather than the Phoenix Police.

Arizona DPS accepts records requests through its Public Services Portal. The department also has an automated process for qualifying requesters seeking unredacted collision reports. DPS states that this automated process generally fulfills eligible requests within 48 hours of submission through the portal, although other records and more complex requests can take longer.

Access to an unredacted collision report is restricted. Eligible requesters include people involved in the accident, owners of involved vehicles, qualifying representatives, certain insurers, and attorneys representing someone involved in the collision.

Is a Citizen's Collision Report the Same as a DPS Investigation?

No, and this distinction can be important. Arizona DPS offers an online Citizen's Report of a Collision for certain relatively minor crashes when a trooper did not investigate at the scene. According to DPS, this option is limited to collisions that meet specific requirements, including:

• The collision occurred within DPS jurisdiction on a state highway.
• No one was injured.
• The estimated total property damage is less than $2,000.
• No more than two vehicles were involved.

The report number generated through this process replaces a collision investigation. The online submission does not cause DPS to conduct a later investigation to determine fault or gather evidence about the crash.

That distinction matters when requesting records later. A citizen-submitted collision report and a report resulting from an on-scene trooper investigation are not interchangeable simply because both involve Arizona DPS.

Why Isn't My Phoenix Car Accident Report Available Yet?

A report may not be ready immediately, especially after a serious collision. For crashes handled by the Phoenix Police Vehicular Crimes Unit, a preliminary police report may be available approximately 30 days after the collision. The separate Arizona Crash Report is not completed until the investigation is finalized, and some reports may take several months to complete.

The important distinction is that the collision and the availability of the completed report are two different events. An ongoing investigation, additional evidence, or the seriousness of the crash can affect when records are ready for release.

Is the Police Report the Same as the Arizona Crash Report?

Not necessarily. For serious collisions investigated by its Vehicular Crimes Unit, Phoenix Police describes two separate reports:

• The police report provides a narrative of what occurred and is associated with the department's DR number.
• The Arizona Crash Report contains basic information about the vehicles, drivers, witnesses, and insurance, and is completed when the investigation is finalized.

Knowing which document you need can prevent confusion when requesting records, particularly if the investigation remains open.

What Other Police Records May Exist After a Phoenix Car Accident?

Getting the traffic crash report does not necessarily mean you have obtained every police record associated with the collision. The Phoenix Police Public Records portal also accepts requests for records, including:

• Photographs
• On-body camera audio and video
• Recorded interviews
• Surveillance videos
• 911 recordings
• Calls for service

Not every collision will generate all of these materials, and some records may be restricted or unavailable for release. Still, knowing that separate records can exist is useful when a crash report does not provide the complete information you expected.

What If Something in the Police Report Is Wrong?

First, determine whether you are dealing with an objective factual error or a disagreement about how the collision happened. A misspelled name or incorrect identifying detail is different from another driver telling the officer a version of events you believe is inaccurate. A statement appearing in a police report does not necessarily make that statement an established fact.

If you identify an error, do not alter the report yourself. Contact the investigating agency to ask whether it has a procedure for addressing the particular issue. If the disagreement concerns fault rather than a clerical mistake, other evidence may be necessary to establish what actually occurred.

Frequently Asked Questions About Phoenix Car Accident Police Reports

Law Bear Can Help You Obtain A Police Report as Part of Our Investigation

Obtaining a police report can provide important information about a Phoenix collision, but it may also identify witnesses, photographs, recordings, conflicting statements, or other information that can help build your legal claim.

At Law Bear Injury Lawyers, our Phoenix car accident attorneys can obtain and evaluate available accident records, investigate additional evidence, address disputes over how a collision occurred, and build a claim based on complete information rather than a single document.

If you were injured in a Phoenix car accident, contact Law Bear Injury Lawyers for a free case review. We are available 24/7, so call us at (309) 365-6510 now. Also, you pay no attorney's fee unless we win.

Injured in a Wreck? The Bear Has Your Back.