Georgia · Reporting a crash · Updated Oct 2026
Reporting a car accident in Georgia: police, state report and crash report copies
When to call the police or file your own report, and how to get the crash report.
Short answer
Stop right away in a safe place. No separate driver crash report to the Department of Driver Services or Department of Revenue was found in official sources.
- Damage that requires a report
- $500
- Crash report copies
- Can be ordered online (see below)
We could not confirm all of Georgia's rules yet. Some facts on this page rest on limited sources. Check the official sources below, or ask a lawyer or legal aid office, before you rely on them.
When to call the police in Georgia
Always stop and help anyone who is hurt. Leaving the scene of a crash is a crime in every state.
- When to call the police
- Stop right away in a safe place. Notify the nearest law enforcement agency immediately if anyone is hurt or killed, or if property damage is more than $500. Give reasonable help to anyone injured.
- Damage amount
- $500
- Law
- Georgia DDS, Georgia Driver's Manual 2023-2024, 'If You Are Involved In A Crash' (notify police if anyone is injured or killed or property damage exceeds $500.00)
- Official text
- Read the official text
Your own report to the state in Georgia
- Your own report
- No separate driver crash report to the Department of Driver Services or Department of Revenue was found in official sources. Your insurer reports your coverage electronically to the Department of Revenue.
How to get a copy of the crash report in Georgia
- Ask the police agency that worked the crash for a copy; the OCI advises asking the officer at the scene when the report will be filed and how to get it.
- For Georgia State Patrol crashes, request records from the Georgia Department of Public Safety Open Records Unit, including online through its EPORTS system; requests fall under the Georgia Open Records Act and may carry a fee.
- Official page: https://dps.georgia.gov/divisions/open-records-unit
Georgia has an online way to get at least some crash reports. Reports written by a city police department or sheriff may have to be requested from that agency; our free request letter can help.
More facts for Georgia
- Georgia's crash reporting threshold is low: notify police if property damage is more than $500 (DDS Georgia Driver's Manual).
Step by step after a crash in Georgia
- Stop, help anyone who is hurt and call 911 if needed. Leaving the scene of a crash is a crime.
- Call the police when Georgia law requires it. Stop right away in a safe place.
- File your own report if the rule applies to you. No separate driver crash report to the Department of Driver Services or Department of Revenue was found in official sources.
- Exchange names, licenses, plates and insurance details, and take photos.
- Get a copy of the crash report. Ask the police agency that worked the crash for a copy; the OCI advises asking the officer at the scene when the report will be filed and how to get it.
- Tell your insurer and keep the report or case number.
Free help in Georgia
Questions about reporting a crash in Georgia
When do you have to call the police after a car accident in Georgia?
Stop right away in a safe place. Notify the nearest law enforcement agency immediately if anyone is hurt or killed, or if property damage is more than $500. Give reasonable help to anyone injured.
How much damage has to be reported in Georgia?
Notify the nearest law enforcement agency immediately if anyone is hurt or killed, or if property damage is more than $500.
Do I have to file my own accident report in Georgia?
No separate driver crash report to the Department of Driver Services or Department of Revenue was found in official sources. Your insurer reports your coverage electronically to the Department of Revenue.
How do I get a copy of a crash report in Georgia?
Ask the police agency that worked the crash for a copy; the OCI advises asking the officer at the scene when the report will be filed and how to get it. For Georgia State Patrol crashes, request records from the Georgia Department of Public Safety Open Records Unit, including online through its EPORTS system; requests fall under the Georgia Open Records Act and may carry a fee. Official page: https://dps.georgia.gov/divisions/open-records-unit
More for Georgia drivers
- All car accident rules in Georgia
- Uninsured driver
- Deadline to sue
- Accident reporting requirements in every state
- What to do after a car accident
- Fault and payout explainer
- Deadline calculator
- Insurance claim letter
- Police report request letter
Nearby states
- Georgia DDS, Georgia Driver's Manual 2023-2024, 'If You Are Involved In A Crash' (notify police if anyone is injured or killed or property damage exceeds $500.00)
- Georgia DDS: Manuals (Georgia Driver's Manual)
- Georgia OCI: Auto insurance
- Georgia OCI: Guide to Auto Insurance
- Georgia OCI: Auto claim tips
- Georgia OCI: File a consumer complaint
- Georgia Department of Revenue: Lapse or loss of insurance coverage
- Georgia Department of Revenue: Vehicle insurance requirements
- Georgia DPS: Open Records Unit
- Office of the Governor: Gov. Kemp signs tort reform (April 21, 2025)
- Office of the Governor: SB 68 (2025), signed text
- Office of the Governor: HB 961 (2022), signed text (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33(b))
Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.