How to Request a Cary, NC Crash Report

If you’ve been in a car accident in Cary, North Carolina, getting a copy of your Cary, NC, crash report (also called an accident report or police report) is often one of the first steps toward filing an insurance claim, pursuing legal action, or simply keeping records for your own peace of mind. This guide walks you through exactly how to request a Cary Police Department accident report, what it costs, how long it takes, and where to go if you hit a dead end.

What Is a Crash Report, and Why Do You Need One?

When police respond to a motor vehicle accident in Cary, the responding officer completes an official North Carolina crash report (Form DMV-349). This document typically includes:

  • Date, time, and location of the crash
  • Names and contact information of drivers involved
  • Vehicle make, model, and damage descriptions
  • Insurance details for all parties
  • Witness and passenger names
  • Weather and road conditions
  • The officer’s narrative and diagram of how the crash occurred
  • Any citations issued

Insurance adjusters, attorneys, and courts frequently rely on this report as the baseline record of what happened, which is why requesting your Wake County accident report promptly matters.

Step 1: Determine Whether Your Accident Is “Reportable”

Before requesting a report, it helps to know that North Carolina classifies crashes as either:

  • Reportable accidents—total property damage of $1,000 or more, or any injury/fatality
  • Non-reportable accidents — damage under $1,000

This distinction determines which agency handles your request.

Step 2: Choose Where to Request Your Report

Option A: North Carolina DMV (for Reportable Accidents)

For most Cary car accident reports involving $1,000+ in damage, the Cary Police Department directs requesters to the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV). You can:

  • Visit the NCDMV Crash Reports webpage to order a certified crash report online
  • Call the NCDMV Traffic Records Branch at 919-861-3098
  • Mail a completed Crash Report Request Form (TR-67A) with a check made payable to NCDMV to:
Traffic Records Branch
Crash Reports Unit
3106 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27697-3106

Certified copies currently cost around $5.50 per report, and processing by mail can take about 10 business days. Certified reports can also be picked up in person at NCDMV license plate agencies in Raleigh or Huntersville with a valid photo ID (up to five copies per visit).

Option B: Cary Police Department (for Non-Reportable Accidents and Incident Reports)

For non-reportable accident reports (under $1,000 in damage) or general police incident reports, you can request records directly from the Cary Police Department Records Unit using several convenient methods:

  1. Online—Some Cary police incident reports from 2014 to present are searchable through the town’s Police 2 Citizen (P2C) portal.
  2. Email—Send your request to recordsinfo@carync.gov, including the report number, a callback phone number, and return email.
  3. Fax — Fax your request with the report number to (919) 460-4904.
  4. Text — Text the case number to 919-469-4021; ask that the report be emailed if you’d like a digital copy.
  5. Phone—Call 919-469-4021 if you don’t have the report number, and a records team member can help locate it.
  6. In Person—Visit the Records Unit inside Cary Police Department headquarters at 120 Wilkinson Avenue, Cary, NC 27513, Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (excluding holidays).

There is no charge for local Cary police reports, though DMV-certified crash reports carry the standard state fee noted above.

Step 3: Gather the Information You’ll Need

To speed up your Cary, NC, accident report request, have the following ready:

  • Case or report number (if known)
  • Date of the crash
  • Name of the driver(s) involved
  • Driver’s license number
  • Location of the accident

If you don’t have a report number, Cary’s Records Unit can typically look it up using the date and names involved.

Step 4: Understand Privacy Restrictions

Crash reports in North Carolina are subject to the Federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) and N.C. General Statute 20-43.1. This means certain personal information—Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, addresses, and phone numbers—is restricted and only released to individuals or organizations who qualify under specific statutory exceptions (such as the parties involved, their insurers, or attorneys). If you’re requesting a report on behalf of someone else, be prepared to show you qualify under one of these exceptions.

Step 5: Know the Typical Timeline

  • The Cary Police Records Team generally receives incident and accident reports 24–48 hours after an officer files them.
  • State law requires the investigating officer to complete the report within 24 hours of the crash, and the local agency must forward it to NCDMV within 10 days.
  • Real-world processing can take longer, especially for reports involving injuries, fatalities, or supplemental investigations.

If you request a report too soon after the accident, you may need to wait a few days and try again.

What If You Can’t Find Your Report?

If NCDMV or Cary PD can’t locate your crash report right away:

  • Ask the investigating agency for the case/event number, exact date, location, and the officer’s name, then resubmit your request using those identifiers.
  • If the crash involved a fatality and wasn’t reflected in the original report, a supplemental report may still be pending.
  • If the North Carolina Highway Patrol responded instead of Cary PD, you’ll still go through the NCDMV process for a certified copy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it cost money to get a Cary police accident report? Local Cary Police Department reports are free. NCDMV-certified crash reports cost a small statutory fee (currently around $5.50).

Can I get my Cary crash report online? Some incident reports are searchable via the Police 2 Citizen portal, and certified crash reports can be ordered through the NCDMV website.

How long does it take to get a crash report in Cary, NC? Expect at least 24–48 hours after the report is filed, and up to 10 business days for certified DMV copies by mail.

Who can request a copy of a crash report in North Carolina? Generally, involved drivers, passengers, insurers, and attorneys can request copies. Because of federal privacy law, not everyone can access every detail in the report.

Contact Our Car Accident Lawyer Serving Cary, NC

Requesting a Cary, NC, crash report doesn’t have to be complicated once you know which agency to contact and what information to have on hand. For reportable accidents, NCDMV is your go-to source for a certified copy. For smaller, non-reportable accidents or general incident reports, the Cary Police Department Records Unit offers multiple easy request channels—email, text, fax, phone, or in person. Whichever route you take, having your case number and crash date ready will get you your report as quickly as possible.