Florida Highway Patrol Reports: What You Need To Know

Paul Brannon | October 10, 2022 | Car Accident

Florida Highway Patrol Reports: What You Need To Know

After a car accident, you may need to file a report with the Florida Highway Patrol. But you may be wondering how you go about requesting a copy of said report. Your accident report has important information that can assist you in a claim against your insurance company, the other party’s insurance company, or a personal injury claim against the other driver. How to go about requesting and acquiring your accident report is further explained below.

What Is a Florida Highway Patrol Report?

A Florida Highway Patrol officer’s report is a police officer’s written statement of the accident. It includes, but is not limited to, the following information:

  • The parties involved in the accident;
  • The involved parties’ insurance information;
  • The conditions at the time of the accident;
  • Time, date, and location of the accident;
  • Damage to the vehicle(s); and
  • Injuries of the Parties.

This information could prove invaluable to your personal injury claim down the line.

How Do I Request My Florida Highway Patrol Report?

Requesting your accident report from Florida Highway Patrol is not a complicated task. If you are in need of your accident report, you can choose to request your report in the following manners:

  • Mail, 
  • Online, or 
  • In-person.

Each manner will be further discussed in detail to provide you with the best and easiest information you need to request your report:

By Mail

If you choose to request your Florida Highway Patrol report by mail, you will need to mail a report request, along with the $10 fee per report to:

Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

Crash Records

2900 Apalachee Parkway, MS 28

Tallahassee, FL 32399

If you fail to mail the report with the $10 fee, your request will not be accepted. Payment must be in the form of a personal check or a money order and made to “FLHSMV.”

Online

If you choose to request your report online from the Florida Highway Patrol, you will need your report number, and you will need to visit the Florida Crash Portal.

As before, with the mail-in request, you will have to pay the standard $10 fee per report that you are requesting. Additionally, there will be a $2 convenience fee per transaction. Major credit cards, such as American Express, Discover Card, Mastercard, and Visa, are accepted.

Once you have submitted your payment and request, a zip file with PDF files will be sent to the email you provided within the request. The cutoff for downloading the report is 48 hours from the time you make your request.

Florida law requires that law enforcement agencies submit their accident reports within ten (10) days of the report being taken. Due to this, wait at least ten (10) days before you try to attain your report.

If you have trouble attaining your report online, contact the investigating law enforcement agency directly to order a copy of your report.

In-Person

If you choose to request your report in person from the Florida Highway Patrol, you will need to visit the Florida Highway Patrol station near where the accident occurred. You are able to access the locations of the stations online.

Florida Highway Patrol stations are generally open from Monday through Friday, 7:00 am until 5:30 pm. You will need to bring your driver’s license or another form of identification with you when you go in person to request your report.

Exemption of Reports for 60 Days From Public Disclosure

Reports are exempt from the public for sixty (60) days after the report date. The only persons who have access to the reports within this time period are those who were involved in the accident for that specific report and the other parties identified in Florida Statutes.

Please be forewarned that it is a third-degree felony to divulge the confidential personal information within these reports within this sixty (60)-day exemption period.

Any request made within this sixty (60)-day period, either in person or by mail, needs to have a Sworn Statement to Obtain a Crash Report.

Florida Highway Patrol reports may take some time and some money to receive from the Florida Highway Patrol department. However, the information provided within the report could greatly benefit you if you are involved in a claim relating to a car accident.

Contact Our Car Accident Law Firm in Northwest Florida

If you need legal assistance, contact the Destin car accident lawyers at Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers at your nearest location to schedule a free consultation today.

We have two convenient locations in Northwest Florida:

Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers – Destin Office
4507 Furling Ln Suite 214
Destin, FL 32541
(850) 790-0243

Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers – Fort Walton Beach Office
975 Mar Walt Dr
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547
(850) 863-5297