How to Get a Crash Report in Durham, North Carolina
If you were involved in a car accident in Durham, one of the first documents you’ll need is your official crash report. Insurance adjusters ask for it, attorneys rely on it, and it often becomes the foundation for your entire injury claim. Unfortunately, the process for getting a copy isn’t always intuitive — North Carolina crash reports aren’t simply handed out at the scene, and the rules for who can request one, and how.
At Tien Law Firm, our Durham-based personal injury attorneys request crash reports for clients every day. Below, we walk through exactly how the process works in North Carolina, who’s involved, what it costs, and what to do if you run into a snag.
Who Investigates Crashes in Durham?
Which agency responds to your crash determines where the report originates:
- Inside Durham city limits: The Durham Police Department (DPD) typically responds and completes the report.
- Outside city limits or on state highways in Durham County: The North Carolina State Highway Patrol or the Durham County Sheriff’s Office may handle the investigation instead.
Regardless of which agency responds, North Carolina law requires that crash reports be forwarded to the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV), which becomes the central, statewide source for obtaining an official copy—this is often called Form DMV-349, the standard North Carolina Uniform Crash Report.
Important: NC Crash Reports Are Not Public Records
Many people assume they can simply search online and download their crash report the way they might pull up a property record. In North Carolina, that’s not the case. Crash reports contain personal information about everyone involved in the collision, so they’re protected under the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) and North Carolina law. Access is restricted based on who’s asking and why.
This distinction matters:
- If you were personally involved in the crash, you can request a redacted copy (with some personal details of other parties hidden) by mail or in person — but not online.
- If you’re a licensed business or organization — such as an insurance company, a law firm, or a private investigator—with a valid, permissible reason under federal law, you may be able to request an unredacted copy, including online.
This is one of the reasons injury victims often ask their attorney’s office to request the report on their behalf—a licensed law firm can often obtain a complete, unredacted copy faster than an individual navigating the process alone.
How to Request Your Crash Report as an Individual
If you were involved in the crash and want your own copy, North Carolina gives you two options:
Option 1: Order by Mail
- Download and print the Crash Report Request Form (TR-67A) from the NCDMV website. (Note: this form isn’t fillable online—it must be printed and completed by hand.)
- Fill in the required details, including the driver’s license number of a driver involved and the date of the crash.
- Mail the completed form along with a check or money order made payable to NCDMV to:
NCDOT-DMV Traffic Records Section 3106 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27697-3106
Processing typically takes about 10 business days from the date your request is received. Incomplete forms or unsigned payments can delay or void your request, so double-check every field before mailing it.
Option 2: Order in Person
You can also request your crash report in person at one of two statewide DMV locations:
- Raleigh Central Services / License Plate Agency — 4121 New Bern Ave., Raleigh, NC 27616 (use the entrance marked “Vehicle Registration,” not “Driver License”)
- Huntersville License Plate Agency — 12101 Mt. Holly-Huntersville Road, Huntersville, NC 28078
If you’re requesting five reports or fewer, you can typically receive them the same day. Larger requests must be submitted by mail.
There is no walk-in DMV office in Durham itself for this service, which is why many Durham residents either mail in their request or ask their attorney’s office to handle it for them.
Can I Get My Crash Report Directly From Durham Police?
In some cases, the Durham Police Department’s Records Unit may be able to provide an initial copy or confirm that a report was filed, particularly in the days immediately following a crash before it’s been fully processed by the state. The DPD Records Unit is located at police headquarters:
Durham Police Department Headquarters 602 East Main Street, Durham, NC 27701
Because availability and procedures at the local level can change, it’s a good idea to call ahead before visiting in person. For the certified, DMV-recognized version of your report—the version insurance companies and courts typically require—you’ll still generally need to go through the NCDMV process described above.
What Information Do You Need to Request a Report?
Whether you’re ordering by mail or in person, be ready to provide:
- The name and driver’s license number of a driver involved in the crash
- The date of the crash
- The county where the crash occurred
- Your own identifying information and relationship to the crash (i.e., confirmation that you’re legally entitled to receive a copy)
If you’re requesting the report on behalf of someone else—a family member, for example—you’ll typically need a signed, notarized authorization from that person.
What Does a Crash Report Cost?
NCDMV charges a modest fee for a certified copy of a crash report. Because state fees are periodically updated, we recommend confirming the current amount directly on the NCDMV crash reports page before submitting payment, so your request isn’t delayed over an incorrect amount.
What’s Included in a North Carolina Crash Report?
Once you receive your copy, you’ll find key details that can play a major role in your injury claim, including:
- Date, time, and location of the crash
- Names and contact information of drivers and passengers involved
- Vehicle descriptions and insurance information
- Witness names and contact details
- Road, weather, and lighting conditions
- The responding officer’s diagram and narrative of how the crash occurred
- Any citations issued at the scene
This information often becomes one of the very first pieces of evidence an insurance adjuster—or your own attorney—reviews when evaluating your case.
Why the Crash Report Matters for Your Injury Claim
Your crash report isn’t just paperwork. It’s often the most objective, third-party account of what happened, and it can carry real weight when:
- Filing a claim with your own insurance company
- Filing a claim against the at-fault driver’s insurer
- Establishing the timeline and location of the crash
- Identifying witnesses who saw what happened
- Supporting your case if a lawsuit becomes necessary
Because North Carolina follows a strict contributory negligence rule — meaning you can be barred from recovering any compensation if you’re found even slightly at fault—having an accurate, complete crash report matters more here than in most other states. If the report contains an error, a missing detail, or an unfair characterization of fault, it can directly affect what you’re able to recover.
What If There’s an Error in Your Crash Report?
Crash reports are written quickly, often at the scene, and mistakes do happen — a misspelled name, an incorrect vehicle description, or a fault determination that doesn’t match the evidence. If you believe your report contains an error, you generally cannot edit it yourself; the reporting agency has to make the correction. An attorney can help identify errors that matter, gather supplemental evidence (photos, witness statements, dashcam or surveillance footage), and push back on a fault determination that doesn’t reflect what actually happened.
Let Tien Law Firm Handle It for You
Requesting a crash report is often the easiest part of building a strong injury claim—but it’s also easy to lose time on if you don’t know where to send the request or which agency has your report. If you’ve been injured in a Durham crash, our team can request your crash report, review it for accuracy, and use it to start building your claim from day one—all while you focus on recovering.
Tien Law Firm has represented injured North Carolinians for more than a decade, with offices in Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, Greensboro, and Wilmington. Consultations are free, and you pay nothing unless we win your case.
Call Tien Law Firm today at (919) 800-2000 to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get a crash report in North Carolina? If you order by mail, plan on about 10 business days from the time NCDMV receives your request. In-person requests for five or fewer reports can often be completed the same day.
Can I get my crash report online? Individuals generally cannot order a crash report online in North Carolina. Online ordering is limited to licensed businesses and organizations, such as insurance companies and law firms, that meet specific federal permissible-use requirements.
What if my crash happened outside Durham city limits? If the North Carolina State Highway Patrol or the Durham County Sheriff’s Office responded instead of Durham Police, the report still gets forwarded to NCDMV, and the request process is the same.
Do I need my crash report to file an insurance claim? You can typically start a claim without it, but insurers almost always ask for a copy, since it provides an official, third-party account of what happened. Getting it early helps keep your claim moving.
Can my attorney get the crash report for me? Yes. Law firms handling your injury claim can often request crash reports on your behalf, and in some cases can obtain them more efficiently than an individual submitting a request alone.
Procedures, fees, and contact information for government agencies can change. Contact Tien Law Firm at (919) 800-2000 to discuss your specific situation with a licensed North Carolina attorney.
