After a crash · 50 states + DC
Do I Have to Report a Car Accident?
Quick answer: yes, if anyone is injured or killed: call 911 straight away; nearly every state requires you to tell the police at once. Many states also make you report property damage over a dollar threshold, from $250 (Alabama) to $3,000 (Hawaii, Oklahoma, Vermont) in the states we could check, and some want your own written report to the DMV too, such as California's SR-1 and New York's MV-104, both within 10 days. Find your state below.
Last checked on official sources · General information, not legal advice.
Outside the US: UK · Ireland · Ontario, Canada. Already reported and need the paperwork? How to get a police accident report.
51 jurisdictions
When you must report a car accident, by state
| State | Tell the police when | Written report to the state | Threshold | Deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Immediately if anyone is injured or killed | Yes: written report within 30 days if injury, death or damage over $250 | Over $250 | 30 days | alison.legislature.state.al.us Code of Ala. §§ 32-10-5, 32-10-6, 32-10-7, 32-7-5 |
| Alaska | Immediately if injury, death or damage of $2,000 or more | Yes: within 10 days (injury, death or $2,000+), unless an officer investigated | $2,000 | 10 days | akleg.gov AS 28.35.080, 28.35.090, 28.35.110 |
| Arizona partly confirmed |
Immediately if anyone is injured or killed | Not confirmed (no state driver report found in the statute) | None (injury or death) | Immediately | azleg.gov A.R.S. §§ 28-666, 28-667, 28-671 |
| Arkansas not confirmed |
Not confirmed | Not confirmed | — | — | Official page could not be opened |
| California | Within 24 hours if anyone is injured or killed (to CHP or city police) | Yes: SR-1 to DMV within 10 days if injury, death or damage over $1,000 | Over $1,000 | 24 h (police), 10 days (SR-1) | leginfo.legislature.ca.gov Cal. Veh. Code §§ 16000, 16004, 20008 |
| Colorado partly confirmed |
Call police after a crash (driver handbook); within 24 hours during Accident Alert | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | dmv.colorado.gov |
| Connecticut partly confirmed |
Injury, death or property damage (driver's manual) | Not confirmed | None stated | Not confirmed | portal.ct.gov |
| Delaware partly confirmed |
Immediately if injury, death, $2,000+ damage on a public highway, or an impaired driver | Not confirmed | $2,000 (police) | Immediately | delcode.delaware.gov 21 Del. C. §§ 4203, 4205 |
| District of Columbia | Immediately: 911 for injury; police for damaged unattended property | No driver report | None | Immediately | code.dccouncil.gov D.C. Code § 50-2201.05c; §§ 50-1301.10 to 50-1301.15 (repea… |
| Florida | Immediately if injury, death or damage of $2,000 or more (from 1 Oct 2026) | Yes: within 10 days if property was damaged and no police report is required | $2,000 (police) | 10 days | flsenate.gov Fla. Stat. s. 316.065(1) (as amended by ch. 2026-39, SB 488… |
| Georgia not confirmed |
Not confirmed | Not confirmed | — | — | Official page could not be opened |
| Hawaii partly confirmed |
Immediately if injury, death or $3,000+ damage (driver's manual) | Not confirmed | $3,000 (police) | Immediately | hidot.hawaii.gov HRS 291C-16 and HRS 287-4 (section numbers from search resu… |
| Idaho not confirmed |
Not confirmed | Not confirmed | — | — | Official page could not be opened |
| Illinois partly confirmed |
If no officer came: within 10 days for death, injury or over $1,500 damage ($500 if a driver is uninsured) | No (the SR1B motorist report ended) | Over $1,500 ($500 uninsured) | 10 days | idot.illinois.gov Public Act 102-0560 (ended motorist report); 625 ILCS 5/11-… |
| Indiana partly confirmed |
As soon as possible if anyone is injured or killed (BMV manual) | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | As soon as possible | in.gov IC 9-26-1-1.1 (section number from search results; iga.in.g… |
| Iowa | Immediately if anyone is injured or killed | Yes: within 72 hours if injury, death or $1,500+ damage, unless police investigated | $1,500 | 72 hours | legis.iowa.gov Iowa Code 321.266 (Iowa Code 2026; last amended 2023 Acts c… |
| Kansas | Immediately if no officer is present and there is injury, death or $1,000+ damage | No (only if the state asks for one) | $1,000 | Immediately | ksrevisor.gov K.S.A. 8-1604(b); 8-1607; 8-1611; 8-1606 repealed 2011 |
| Kentucky partly confirmed |
Not confirmed | Yes: Civilian Collision Report to KSP within 10 days if over $500 damage and no officer investigated | Over $500 | 10 days | kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov KRS 189.635 (cited by KSP); KRS 189.580(1)(b) (move vehicle… |
| Louisiana not confirmed |
Not confirmed | Not confirmed | — | — | Official page could not be opened |
| Maine | Immediately if injury, death or $2,000+ damage | No separate driver report | $2,000 | Immediately | legislature.maine.gov 29-A M.R.S. §2251 |
| Maryland | Immediately, only if no officer is there and no one can take your details | Yes: to MVA within 15 days for injury or death, unless police reported it | None (injury or death) | 15 days | mgaleg.maryland.gov Md. Code, Transportation §20-104, §20-107 |
| Massachusetts not confirmed |
Not confirmed | Not confirmed | — | — | Official page could not be opened |
| Michigan not confirmed |
Not confirmed | Not confirmed | — | — | Official page could not be opened |
| Minnesota | By the quickest means if anyone is injured or killed | No (driver report repealed in 2021) | None (injury or death) | Immediately | revisor.mn.gov Minn. Stat. §169.09 subd. 6, 8, 14 |
| Mississippi partly confirmed |
Immediately if injury, death or $500+ damage | Not confirmed | $500 (police) | Immediately | billstatus.ls.state.ms.us Miss. Code Ann. §63-3-411 |
| Missouri not confirmed |
Not confirmed | Not confirmed | — | — | Official page could not be opened |
| Montana | Immediately if injury, death or $1,000+ damage | Yes: within 10 days if injury, death or over $1,000 damage, unless an officer reported it | $1,000 | 10 days | mca.legmt.gov MCA 61-7-108, 61-7-109, 61-7-118 |
| Nebraska not confirmed |
Not confirmed | Not confirmed | — | — | Official page could not be opened |
| Nevada partly confirmed |
Not confirmed (handbook: notify law enforcement) | Yes: SR-1 within 10 days if injury or $750+ damage and police did not investigate | $750 | 10 days | dmv.nv.gov NRS 484E.070, 484E.080 (NRS chapter 484E) |
| New Hampshire partly confirmed |
Not confirmed | Yes: DSMV 400 within 15 days if injury, death or over $1,000 damage (2012 form) | Over $1,000 | 15 days | wearenh.gov RSA 264:25 |
| New Jersey | Immediately if injury, death or over $500 damage | Yes: within 10 days, only if no police report was filed | Over $500 | 10 days | nj.gov N.J.S.A. 39:4-129, 39:4-130, 39:4-131 |
| New Mexico not confirmed |
Not confirmed | Not confirmed | — | — | Official page could not be opened |
| New York | Injury: to the officer at the scene or nearest police station; unattended property: nearest station | Yes: MV-104 within 10 days if injury, death or over $1,000 damage | Over $1,000 | 10 days | nysenate.gov NY Vehicle and Traffic Law 605 (rev. 2025-07-18) and 600 |
| North Carolina partly confirmed |
Immediately if injury, death or $1,000+ damage (driver handbook) | No driver report listed (handbook) | $1,000 | Immediately | ncdot.gov N.C. Gen. Stat. 20-166.1 (statute text not read) |
| North Dakota not confirmed |
Not confirmed | Not confirmed | — | — | Official page could not be opened |
| Ohio partly confirmed |
Not confirmed | No mandatory report (optional BMV 3303 for crashes with an uninsured driver) | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | dam.assets.ohio.gov ORC Chapter 4509 (financial responsibility; BMV 3303 cites … |
| Oklahoma partly confirmed |
Call 911 or police after death, injury or property damage (driver manual) | Only if not settled within 6 months: injury, death or over $3,000 damage (from 1 Nov 2026) | Over $3,000 | If unsettled after 6 months | oklegislature.gov 47 O.S. 10-108 (as amended by HB 4143, eff. Nov 1, 2026); 4… |
| Oregon | Immediately if the crash meets the DMV reporting rules (non-emergency line) | Yes: within 72 hours if injury, death or over $2,500 damage, even if police report it | Over $2,500 | 72 hours | oregon.gov ORS 811.700 and 811.705 (driver duties, linked by Oregon DM… |
| Pennsylvania | Immediately if injury, death or a vehicle has to be towed | Yes: to PennDOT within 5 days, only if police did not investigate | None (injury, death or tow) | 5 days | palegis.us 75 Pa.C.S. 3746, 3747, 6502 |
| Rhode Island not confirmed |
Not confirmed | Not confirmed | — | — | Official page could not be opened |
| South Carolina | Immediately if anyone is injured or killed | Yes: to SCDMV within 15 days if injury, death or $1,000+ damage and no officer investigated | $1,000 | 15 days | scstatehouse.gov S.C. Code 56-5-1260, 56-5-1270, 56-5-1280 |
| South Dakota | Immediately if injury, death, or $1,000+ to one person's property ($2,000 per crash) | No standing driver report | $1,000 ($2,000 per crash) | Immediately | sdlegislature.gov SDCL 32-34-7, 32-34-10, 32-34-11 |
| Tennessee not confirmed |
Not confirmed | Not confirmed | — | — | Official page could not be opened |
| Texas not confirmed |
Not confirmed | Not confirmed | — | — | Official page could not be opened |
| Utah not confirmed |
Not confirmed | Not confirmed | — | — | Official page could not be opened |
| Vermont partly confirmed |
No general duty found; give your details to any officer at the scene | Yes: to DMV within 72 hours if injury or $3,000+ damage | $3,000 | 72 hours | legislature.vermont.gov 23 V.S.A. § 1129 (written report); 23 V.S.A. § 1128 (stop, … |
| Virginia | Immediately if injury or death; unattended property: in writing within 24 hours | No (a driver report is optional) | None for drivers | Immediately | law.lis.virginia.gov Va. Code §§ 46.2-371, 46.2-372, 46.2-373, 46.2-894, 46.2-896 |
| Washington partly confirmed |
Not confirmed | Yes: Collision Report to WSP within 4 days if injury or $1,000+ damage and no officer reported it | $1,000 | 4 days | dol.wa.gov RCW 46.52.030 (text not read) |
| West Virginia partly confirmed |
By the quickest means if injury, death or $1,000+ damage (handbook) | Not confirmed | $1,000 (police) | Immediately | webapps.transportation.wv.gov W. Va. Code § 17C-4-6 (cited in the DMV handbook; statute t… |
| Wisconsin partly confirmed |
Injury, death, $1,000+ damage to one person's property, or $200+ to government property | DT4002 if police do not file a report or WisDOT asks | $1,000 | Not confirmed | wisconsindot.gov Wis. Stat. § 346.70 (cited by WisDOT; statute text not read) |
| Wyoming | Immediately if injury, death or a vehicle cannot be driven | No driver report | None (injury, death or disabled vehicle) | Immediately | wyoleg.gov W.S. 31-5-1101 to 31-5-1111 (notice: 31-5-1105; officer rep… |
"Threshold" is the main dollar amount of property damage that triggers a report ("(police)" means it applies to the police notice; otherwise to the written report). "Deadline" is for the written report where one exists, otherwise the police notice. Click a state for the full wording, who must report, penalties and every source.
Step by step
What to do after a car accident
- Stop safely and switch on your hazard lights. Stop as close to the scene as you safely can. Driving away without stopping is a hit-and-run (California DMV) and an offence under the UK Road Traffic Act. If the cars can be driven and no one is hurt, move them out of traffic. Source: gov.uk Highway Code rules 283 and 286; California DMV driver handbook; Ontario Driver's Handbook ("Steer it, Clear it").
- Call 911 (999 or 112 in the UK and Ireland) if anyone is hurt. Give the exact location and the number of injured people. Do not move injured people unless they are in immediate danger, and do not remove a motorcyclist's helmet unless it is essential. Source: gov.uk Highway Code rule 283 and Annex 7.
- Exchange details. Your name and address, the owner's name and address, the registration or plate number, your driver's licence and insurance details. Get the same from the other driver, plus the names and phone numbers of witnesses. Source: California DMV driver handbook; Highway Code rule 286; Road Traffic Act 1961 s.106.
- Leave a note if you hit an unattended car or property. If you cannot find the owner, leave a note with your name, phone number and address firmly attached, and report it to the police. Source: California DMV driver handbook.
- Report it to the police when the law requires it. Check your state's trigger in the table below: injury or death everywhere, and in many states property damage over a dollar amount. In the UK, within 24 hours if you did not exchange details. Source: State statutes, see table.
- Take photos and notes. Photograph the vehicles, the road, signs and the damage if it is safe, and note the time, place, weather and the officer's name and report number. Source: Ontario Driver's Handbook.
- File any written report your state requires. Some states want your own report to the DMV even if police came (for example California SR-1 and New York MV-104, both within 10 days). Missing it can lead to a licence suspension. Source: California Vehicle Code § 16000, NY VTL § 605.
- Tell your insurance company. Contact your insurer as soon as possible; most policies require prompt notice of any accident. Ask whether they will order the police report for you. Source: Ontario Driver's Handbook; your policy wording.
Questions
Reporting a car accident — FAQ
Do I have to report a car accident to the police?
Always call 911 if anyone is hurt. Nearly every state we could check requires drivers to tell the police quickly when someone is injured or killed (Vermont's statute instead requires you to stop, help and give your details to any officer). Many also require it when property damage passes a dollar amount, for example $2,000 in Florida (from 1 October 2026), Maine and Alaska, or $1,000 in Montana, South Dakota and North Carolina. Some states (Pennsylvania, Wyoming) use "a vehicle had to be towed or cannot be driven" instead of a dollar figure.
Do I have to report a car accident to the DMV?
In some states, yes, even if police came. California requires an SR-1 within 10 days if anyone was hurt or damage is over $1,000, New York an MV-104 within 10 days for injury or over $1,000 damage, and Oregon a report within 72 hours for injury or over $2,500 damage. Other states, such as Minnesota, Virginia and Wyoming, have no routine driver report and rely on the police report.
Do I have to report a minor accident if there is no damage?
Usually not to the police or DMV, if no one is hurt and the damage is below your state's threshold. You still have to stop and exchange your name, address, licence, registration and insurance details with the other driver, and leave a note if you hit an unattended car. Damage is often more expensive than it looks, so check your state's threshold below.
Do I have to report a car accident to my insurance company?
Insurance companies are not governed by these state reporting laws, but almost every auto policy requires you to give the insurer prompt notice of an accident, even a small one and even if you do not plan to claim. Late notice can put cover at risk. Read your own policy's "duties after an accident" section. This is general information, not legal advice.
How long do you have to report a car accident?
It depends on the state: immediately for the police notice in most states; for a written driver report, 72 hours in Iowa and Oregon, 4 days in Washington, 5 days in Pennsylvania, 10 days in California, New York, Florida and New Jersey, 15 days in Maryland and South Carolina, and 30 days in Alabama. The table below lists every state.
Sources
Sources and limits
Each state row was read on that state's legislature website or on a state DMV, DOT, DPS or state police page (listed per state) between November 2 and 3, 2026. Statutes and government publications are public facts; we cite and link each one. "Partly confirmed" means some fields were read only in an official driver handbook or could not be read at all. 14 states are "not confirmed" because their official statute and DMV pages could not be opened from our checker; for those we show nothing rather than guess.
Recent changes we found: Florida raised its police-notice threshold from $500 to $2,000 on 1 October 2026 (SB 488); Oklahoma raised its written-report threshold from $300 to $3,000 from 1 November 2026 (HB 4143); Minnesota repealed its driver report in 2021. Checklist sources: gov.uk Highway Code, California DMV driver handbook, Ontario MTO Driver's Handbook.
This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change and courts interpret them; the official text and your lawyer or insurer have the final word. Cities and counties can add their own rules.
Related: how to get a police accident report · UK · Ireland · Ontario · emergency numbers · accidents today · all free tools