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Guide · Car accidents · All states

Reporting a car accident: police reports, deadlines and claims

Updated By the Counselworthy teamGeneral information, not legal advice

Short answer

  • Call the police after a crash and report any injuries, says the NAIC, the state insurance regulators' group.
  • Have the police or incident report when you call your insurer.
  • In New Jersey, a crash that hurts anyone or does over $500 of damage to one person's property must be reported by the quickest means.

Checked October 21, 2026.

Sources: National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Don't Be a Crash Dummy: Tips to Keep You on Course After a Car Accident (February 1, 2014); N.J.S.A. 39:4-129(a), (c); N.J.S.A. 39:4-130. Every fact cites a source

Illustration: a car parked at the curb on a wet city street at dusk, in front of row houses with lit windows

When to report a crash to police

State laws vary. The NAIC's checklist for right after a crash starts with the police.

  1. Call the policeTell them about any injuries.Source: National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Don't Be a Crash Dummy: Tips to Keep You on Course After a Car Accident (February 1, 2014)
  2. If police don't come, file an incident reportThe NAIC says it may help with your claim.Source: National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Don't Be a Crash Dummy: Tips to Keep You on Course After a Car Accident (February 1, 2014)
  3. In New Jersey: by the quickest meansA driver in a crash that hurts or kills anyone, or does over $500 of damage to one person's property, must notify the local police by the quickest means of communication.Source: N.J.S.A. 39:4-129(a), (c); N.J.S.A. 39:4-130
  4. In New Jersey: a written report if police didn't make oneWithout an officer's report, the driver must send the Motor Vehicle Commission a written report within 10 days.Source: N.J.S.A. 39:4-129(a), (c); N.J.S.A. 39:4-130
  5. In New Jersey: stop and show your detailsA driver in a crash that hurts or kills someone must stop at the scene, and give a name and address and show a license and registration.Source: N.J.S.A. 39:4-129(a), (c); N.J.S.A. 39:4-130
Source: National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Don't Be a Crash Dummy: Tips to Keep You on Course After a Car Accident (February 1, 2014); N.J.S.A. 39:4-129(a), (c); N.J.S.A. 39:4-130

Do you need a police report for an insurance claim?

The NAIC's checklist treats the report as part of the claim. Your policy says what your insurer requires, so ask it what it needs.

You can file without one

Progressive, a large car insurer, says you can file an insurance claim without a police report. It says having one can speed up the process and help you prove your account of the accident.

Source: Can I file a car insurance claim without a police report? (updated August 15, 2023)
Police don't always write one

In some Maryland counties and Baltimore City, police may not write reports of accidents without injuries or excessive damage, the state's insurance regulator says.

Source: What You Should Know About Filing an Auto Claim
Have it when you call

When you call your insurer or agent, have the police or incident report, your insurance information and the accident report you made at the scene.

Source: National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Don't Be a Crash Dummy: Tips to Keep You on Course After a Car Accident (February 1, 2014)
No police at the scene

File an incident report. The NAIC says it may help with your claim.

Source: National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Don't Be a Crash Dummy: Tips to Keep You on Course After a Car Accident (February 1, 2014)
Start the claim soon

It's best to start the claims process as soon as possible, while the details are fresh.

Source: National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Don't Be a Crash Dummy: Tips to Keep You on Course After a Car Accident (February 1, 2014)
NJIn New Jersey: the insurer's clock

An insurer must acknowledge a claim within 10 working days.

Source: N.J.A.C. 11:2-17.6(b), (e); N.J.A.C. 11:2-17.7(a), (b), (c)(2), (c)(3), (e), (f)

NJHow long a police report takes

It depends on the police department. In New Jersey, the law gives the officer a deadline, and the State Police say this about their own crash reports, Turnpike and Parkway crashes included.

NJThe officer's deadline

The officer who investigates must send the report to the state Department of Transportation within 5 days.

Source: N.J.S.A. 39:4-131; New Jersey State Police and New Jersey Turnpike Authority, Crash Report Requests; New Jersey Turnpike Authority, Accident Report Request
NJNot until it's approved

A report can't be found on the State Police portal until it's completed and approved. If it isn't ready yet, they say to search again in a couple of days.

Source: New Jersey State Police and New Jersey Turnpike Authority, Crash Report Requests
NJThen a download

When the report is ready, you get an email with instructions to download it. You can reach it for up to 14 days from delivery.

Source: New Jersey State Police and New Jersey Turnpike Authority, Crash Report Requests
NJSerious or fatal crashes

Records requests for these may take up to one month.

Source: New Jersey State Police and New Jersey Turnpike Authority, Crash Report Requests
NJTurnpike and Parkway requests

Filling one can take up to 14 business days, depending on when the report is completed, the Turnpike Authority says.

Source: N.J.S.A. 39:4-131; New Jersey State Police and New Jersey Turnpike Authority, Crash Report Requests; New Jersey Turnpike Authority, Accident Report Request
NJKept for six years

Crash reports are available for six years from the year of the crash.

Source: New Jersey State Police and New Jersey Turnpike Authority, Crash Report Requests

NJGetting a copy in New Jersey

Police crash reports are public in New Jersey: any New Jersey citizen may inspect and copy one. A department must mail or fax one on request, and may add up to $5 for that. The State Police portal charges $13, or $5 for a toll road crash.

Source: N.J.S.A. 39:4-131; New Jersey State Police and New Jersey Turnpike Authority, Crash Report Requests; New Jersey Turnpike Authority, Accident Report Request

NJThe deadlines in New Jersey

  1. Tell the policeN.J.S.A. 39:4-130By the quickest means, after an injury or over $500 of damage
  2. Written report to the Motor Vehicle Commission, if no officer made oneN.J.S.A. 39:4-130Within 10 days
  3. The officer sends the report to the stateN.J.S.A. 39:4-131Within 5 days of investigating
  4. Your insurer acknowledges your claimN.J.A.C. 11:2-17.6(b)Within 10 working days
  5. Sue for an injury, in generalN.J.S.A. 2A:14-2(a)Within 2 years
Source: N.J.S.A. 39:4-129(a), (c); N.J.S.A. 39:4-130; N.J.S.A. 39:4-131; New Jersey State Police and New Jersey Turnpike Authority, Crash Report Requests; New Jersey Turnpike Authority, Accident Report Request; N.J.A.C. 11:2-17.6(b), (e); N.J.A.C. 11:2-17.7(a), (b), (c)(2), (c)(3), (e), (f); N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2(a)

Sources

General information, not legal advice. We don't know the facts of your claim. A lawyer can review them, and most injury lawyers offer a free consultation.

What to do next

Questions people ask

How long do you have to report a car accident?

It depends on your state's law and your policy. The NAIC says to call the police after a crash and to start the claims process as soon as possible. In New Jersey, a crash that hurts anyone or does over $500 of damage to one person's property must be reported to police by the quickest means. Without an officer's report, the driver must also send the Motor Vehicle Commission a written report within 10 days.

How long does a police report take?

It depends on the police department. In New Jersey, the officer must send the report to the state within 5 days of investigating. The State Police say a report can't be found on their portal until it's completed and approved. Records requests for serious or fatal crashes may take up to one month.

Can you claim a car accident without a police report?

Yes, says Progressive, a large car insurer, and a report can speed up the process. Your policy decides what your insurer needs, so ask it. If the police aren't dispatched, the NAIC says to file an incident report, which may help with your claim.

Do I need a police report for an insurance claim?

The NAIC's checklist says to have the police or incident report, your insurance information and your own notes from the scene when you call your insurer or agent.

Are police accident reports public in New Jersey?

Yes. Any New Jersey citizen may inspect and copy a police crash report, and a department must mail or fax one on request.

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