You get an Arizona crash report from the agency that investigated: the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZ DPS) for collisions troopers worked on interstates and state highways, or local police, a sheriff or a marshal for crashes on town, city or county roads.
AZ DPS charges $9.00 for an electronic copy and takes requests online, in person or by mail.
Does AZ DPS or a Local Agency Have Your Arizona Crash Report?
AZ DPS keeps records for collisions that state troopers investigated on an interstate or state highway. Incidents handled by county sheriffs, city or local police departments, or town marshal’s offices are not retained by DPS, and that includes crashes on town, city or county roads. Requests for those reports go to the agency that investigated.
Minor collisions filed through the DPS Citizen’s Report of a Collision tool are kept by DPS as well.
One quick way to tell is to think about who came to the scene. If a DPS trooper responded on a freeway, DPS has the report. If a city officer came to a crash on a neighborhood street, the city has it.
Who Can Get a Full, Unredacted Arizona Crash Report?
The agency lists who is entitled to an unredacted collision report. Among them:
- A person involved in the accident, the owner of a vehicle involved, or a representative of either
- An insurer of a person or vehicle involved in the accident
- An attorney or licensed private investigator representing a person involved, in connection with a civil, administrative or arbitration proceeding
There is also a firm limit. According to AZ DPS, Arizona Revised Statute 28-667 prohibits examining or receiving copies of accident reports for commercial solicitation.
Crime victims have an added protection. Under the DPS records rules, a victim of a criminal offense that counts as a Part 1 crime under the statewide uniform crime reporting program has the right to one copy of the offense or collision report at no charge.
Requesting Through the AZ DPS Public Services Portal
The Public Services Portal is the online route. The portal asks you to create an account and select “Request a Report or Records.” A few rules trip people up:
- Enter the complete incident number: a capital “I” followed by 8 digits.
- Leave out hyphens.
- Make sure you meet one of the statutory requirements listed above for an unredacted report.
DPS says its automated process generally fulfills portal requests within 48 hours.
Reports that have supplements or attachments, or that are categorized as fatalities, are not eligible for that automated process. The Public Records Unit processes requests in the order received, DPS adds. Some records take longer than others, such as archived reports or reports for active investigations.
Timing still matters. The DPS records page notes that its records unit receives completed reports from troopers within 14 days of the incident. A request made in the first days after a crash may come back with nothing yet.
Requesting an AZ DPS Report in Person or by Mail
Paper requests work too, though DPS says requests cannot be taken over the phone.
- In person: Arizona DPS Public Services Center, 2222 W. Encanto Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85009. Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, closed on state holidays.
- By mail: Arizona Department of Public Safety, Attn: Public Records, PO Box 6638, Mail Drop 3240, Phoenix, AZ 85005-6638.
For in-person requests, DPS takes card payments. By mail, send a cashier’s check, money order or business check made out to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, since DPS cannot accept personal checks.
The fee depends on how you want the report delivered:
| Delivery format | DPS fee | Size limit |
|---|---|---|
| Email or Public Services Portal | $9.00 | 5 MB |
| Paper copies | $9.00 for the first nine pages, then $0.10 per page | None listed |
| DVD | $15.00 | 4.7 GB |
| Flash drive | $20.00 | 16 GB |
Getting a Report From Arizona City Police
Every city department runs its own request process. Chandler offers a useful example of how a local agency handles it.
The Chandler Police Department says accident reports can be retrieved online through BuyCrash.com or crashdocs.org, which are both third-party service providers. Copies through the department require a Request for Police Record form, which is available at the police station at 250 East Chicago Street or can be mailed to you. Chandler’s current request page lists $5.00 for the first 50 pages, so check it for the latest fees and timing before you send a request.
Once your report arrives, read every page. You can read our site’s guide to fixing errors in a police report to understand what to do if something is wrong.
Frequently Asked Questions About Getting an Arizona Crash Report
How much does an Arizona crash report cost from AZ DPS?
Electronic delivery costs $9.00. Paper copies cost $9.00 for the first nine pages plus $0.10 for each additional page.
How do I get an Arizona crash report if city police responded?
Contact that police department, since DPS does not keep reports from local agencies.
How fast does the AZ DPS portal deliver reports?
DPS says its automated process generally fulfills portal requests within 48 hours. Reports with supplements, attachments or fatalities are handled separately.
Can I request an AZ DPS crash report by phone?
No. Requests cannot be taken over the phone, according to DPS.
Let Us Request Your Arizona Report
Figuring out which agency has your report is one more task after a crash, and you do not have to do it alone. Local Accident Reports provides free assistance to request your police report for free.
To learn more, you can contact our team at 888-657-1460. We are here to assist you 24/7
Last reviewed: October 2026
This post was reviewed by Hernán Beresnak, Lead Editor, Local Accident Reports.
Content is provided for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Local Accident Reports is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation. Use of this website does not create an attorney-client relationship. See our full disclaimer at https://localaccidentreports.com/disclaimer/ .
