Obtaining A Houston Police Department Accident Report (2026)

What to Do at the Accident Scene for the Most Accurate Report

Accident reports summarize police investigations of motor vehicle accidents. Your actions after a crash can help the investigating officers prepare a complete and accurate crash report. For the best results, make sure to take these key steps if you’re able:

• Report the accident to the police by calling 911 or the non-emergency number, depending on the crash severity
• Check on anyone else involved in the collision and request an ambulance if needed
• Document the crash scene with photos and videos
• Exchange contact and insurance information with the other parties
• Cooperate with the responding officer
• Remain on scene until the officer releases you
• Obtain a case number from the officer before leaving

Under Texas law, you’ll need to report any traffic accident that causes injuries or fatalities or disables a vehicle. How long do you have to report an accident? Generally, the law requires you to immediately report the crash, so it’s typically best to call the police from the crash scene.

What Information You’ll Need to Request the HPD Accident Report

To get your Houston Police Department accident report, you’ll need to provide information on the date of the crash, where it occurred and the names of the parties involved. You’ll have to provide your name and contact information, too. If you have the case number or crash report number, that can help.

How to Request the Report

You can purchase the report online via the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), or you can send a check or money order with your request to the HPD Records Division at 1200 Travis Street, Houston, TX 77002. Additionally, you can go in person to the Edward A. Thomas Building to request the report there.

If you request your crash report directly from the Houston Police Department, you must fill out and submit a Form HB 2633 in English or Spanish. If you request the file from TxDOT’s crash report portal, you will provide the same identifying information and verification.

This document serves two purposes. First, it helps the records department find your crash report. Second, it verifies that you are entitled to get a full and unredacted copy of the report.

The redacted version acquired without a verification omits any personally identifying information, such as names, birthdates and driver’s license numbers. Importantly, TxDOT also redacts insurance information from crash reports, rendering the unredacted version of the report useless for most legal or insurance purposes.

The unredacted version contains all the information collected by the investigating officers at the crash scene, including personally identifying information. However, to obtain this version, you must verify that you fall into one of the following categories defined by Texas law:

• A person involved in the crash
• An insurer or a lawyer for someone involved in the crash
• The owner of property damaged in the crash
• A parent or employer of a person involved in the crash

Most other parties are only entitled to redacted versions of crash reports.

How Long It Takes Before the Report Is Available

Accident reports take between five and eight days to become available. These reports are handled by the Records Division, so you may be able to contact them to check that the report is available.

Cost & Fees for Obtaining the Accident Report

It usually costs $6 for a regular copy of the accident report. If you need a certified copy, it should cost $8. In some instances, there could be credit card processing fees.

What Information Does an HPD Accident Report Contain?

The crash report contains all the information gathered by the investigating officer at the crash scene based on witness interviews, observations and measurements. This information will help your car accident lawyer determine exactly what occurred and prove the other driver’s negligence.

For example, a crash report may include a diagram of the accident scene and the contact information from witnesses who can testify that the other driver ran a red light and T-boned your vehicle.

What to Do If Your Report Contains Errors or Missing Details

If the police report for the car accident contains errors or is missing important data, you can contact the police department that filed the report. Speak with the officer who wrote the document, if possible, and offer clear evidence of the error so that the report can be amended.

If you’re dealing with complex errors, you should contact a car accident lawyer to help you.

Using the HPD Accident Report

You can use the HPD accident report in insurance claims to prove who’s responsible for the crash and what type of losses it caused. The report could be one of the most important pieces of evidence you have.

Pursuing a Claim With Trusted Car Accident Lawyers

A lawyer can use your accident report to support your claim. At ConsumerShield, our team can connect you with leading car accident attorneys in Houston. Contact us to get started.