How to Get Your Georgia Crash Report: Every Option Explained

After a crash in Georgia, the investigating officer files a Georgia Uniform Motor Vehicle Accident Report — the official record of what happened, who was involved, and who the officer believed was at fault. Insurance companies rely on it to process your claim, so getting your copy is one of the first things you should do. According to the Georgia Department of Transportation, GDOT is the designated state agency for managing and storing Georgia’s crash reports, and the public can purchase copies through its vendor, BuyCrash.

Your four options at a glance

Option 1: Get it free through Georgia Auto Law

This site exists for one reason: if your accident type is eligible, the attorneys at Georgia Auto Law cover the cost of your official crash report and reach out by phone to get it to you — no charge, no obligation. You only need your name, the accident date, and a phone number. Start your free report request here.

Option 2: BuyCrash — Georgia’s official online portal

BuyCrash, operated by LexisNexis Risk Solutions, is the state-designated online source for Georgia crash reports. Search by state and the investigating agency, then locate your report using your last name, the crash date, and ideally the report number or a license plate involved. The report fee is set per agency, and LexisNexis adds processing fees on top — which is why an online copy costs more than the $5 counter copy. For portal problems, GDOT lists BuyCrash customer support at 1-866-215-2771.

One caution: the report only appears on BuyCrash after the investigating agency submits it to the state system, so give it a few business days before assuming something is wrong. For fees, search tips, and troubleshooting, see our full BuyCrash Georgia guide.

Option 3: The agency that investigated your crash

The police department or sheriff’s office that responded to your accident keeps its own copies, and buying one at the records counter is usually the cheapest route. According to Gwinnett County Police, for example, accident reports cost $5 in person and are typically available for pickup four business days after the report was taken. Most metro Atlanta agencies follow a similar pattern — call the records unit before you drive over. We keep county-specific walkthroughs for Gwinnett, Cobb, DeKalb, and Fulton counties.

If the Georgia State Patrol investigated your crash, the report still flows into the same state system; the Department of Public Safety directs questions about filed accident reports to GDOT.

Option 4: Mail or fax a request to GDOT

GDOT accepts individual crash report requests by mail or fax using its Individual Crash Report Request form. Per the form, reports cost $5 each, with an additional $2 for a certified copy, payable by money order or cashier’s check only — no cash or personal checks. Send it to Georgia Dept. of Transportation, 935 United Ave. SE, Bldg 24, Atlanta, GA 30308 (phone 404-635-2850, fax 404-635-2960), and GDOT returns the report by email or mail. This is the route to use when you need a certified copy for court or an official proceeding.

Who is allowed to get a Georgia crash report?

Georgia accident reports are not open to just anyone. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72(a)(5), the requester must provide a written statement of need. GDOT’s request form lists the qualifying categories:

• You were a driver of a vehicle involved in the accident
• You own or lease the vehicle and/or property damaged in the accident
• You were injured in the accident or witnessed it
• You are the insurer of a vehicle, party, or property involved
• You are an attorney representing a party or witness
• You are a prosecutor or publicly employed law enforcement officer
• You are a qualifying news media representative

If you were in the crash — as a driver, passenger, or injured person — you qualify.

What you’ll need to make the request

• Your name as it appears on the report
• The accident date
• The county or agency that responded (city police, county PD, sheriff, or Georgia State Patrol)
• Optional but helpful:the report number from the officer’s business card or exchange-of-information slip, or a license plate number of an involved vehicle

What if the police never came?

Georgia law requires a police report for any significant crash: O.C.G.A. § 40-6-273 obligates drivers to immediately notify local police, the sheriff, or the state patrol when an accident involves injury, death, or property damage of $500 or more. If no officer responded and no report was filed, you can document the crash yourself on the Department of Driver Services’ Form SR-13 (Personal Report of Accident) — and you should still file a report at the nearest police station as soon as possible, because an unreported crash is much harder to prove to an insurer later.

Once you have it, read it carefully

Your crash report is dense with numbered codes — manner of collision, contributing factors, injury severity, and more. Our Georgia crash report decoder walks through what every box means, and why the “contributing factors” codes matter so much for your insurance claim.