Minnesota · Reporting a crash · Updated Oct 2026

Reporting a car accident in Minnesota: 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 and give your name, date of birth, mailing or email address and plate number to the other driver; help anyone hurt. No separate driver report.

Law
Minn. Stat. § 169.09, subds. 2-6, 8

When to call the police in Minnesota

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 and give your name, date of birth, mailing or email address and plate number to the other driver; help anyone hurt. Give your insurer's name and agent within 72 hours if asked. If anyone else is hurt or killed, notify police by the quickest means: city police inside a city, State Patrol on a trunk highway, or the county sheriff. If you hit an unattended car, find the owner, tell a peace officer, or leave a note with your name and address and the owner's.
Law
Minn. Stat. § 169.09, subds. 2-6, 8 (subd. 7 repealed 2021)
Official text
Read the official text

Your own report to the state in Minnesota

Your own report
No separate driver report. The old written driver report to the state was repealed effective July 1, 2021; officers who investigate send their report to the Department of Public Safety within 10 days.

How to get a copy of the crash report in Minnesota

Our data shows no confirmed online way to order crash reports in Minnesota, so you can ask the agency by mail with our free request letter.

Step by step after a crash in Minnesota

  1. Stop, help anyone who is hurt and call 911 if needed. Leaving the scene of a crash is a crime.
  2. Call the police when Minnesota law requires it. Stop and give your name, date of birth, mailing or email address and plate number to the other driver; help anyone hurt.
  3. File your own report if the rule applies to you. No separate driver report.
  4. Exchange names, licenses, plates and insurance details, and take photos.
  5. Get a copy of the crash report. Fill out Crash Record Request Form PS2503 and submit it in person at Driver and Vehicle Services or a full-service deputy registrar office, or by mail.
  6. Tell your insurer and keep the report or case number.

Free help in Minnesota

Questions about reporting a crash in Minnesota

When do you have to call the police after a car accident in Minnesota?

Stop and give your name, date of birth, mailing or email address and plate number to the other driver; help anyone hurt. Give your insurer's name and agent within 72 hours if asked. If anyone else is hurt or killed, notify police by the quickest means: city police inside a city, State Patrol on a trunk highway, or the county sheriff. If you hit an unattended car, find the owner, tell a peace officer, or leave a note with your name and address and the owner's.

Do I have to file my own accident report in Minnesota?

No separate driver report. The old written driver report to the state was repealed effective July 1, 2021; officers who investigate send their report to the Department of Public Safety within 10 days.

How do I get a copy of a crash report in Minnesota?

Fill out Crash Record Request Form PS2503 and submit it in person at Driver and Vehicle Services or a full-service deputy registrar office, or by mail. Only people involved in the crash (or their lawyer or insurer with a signed release) can get it. Cost: $5. Reports are available about three weeks after the crash. https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs/contact/driver-and-vehicle-records-requests/request-crash-report

More for Minnesota drivers

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Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.