North Dakota Crash Reports: Highway Patrol, NDDOT and Insurance Rules
Who has your crash report, what drivers must report, insurance rules and traffic deaths in North Dakota.
The Highway Patrol tells drivers to report a crash to the city police inside a city, and to the county sheriff or the Highway Patrol outside city limits. Whichever of those agencies came to your crash wrote your report, and where you get a copy depends on which one it was.
Who Has Your North Dakota Crash Report
The North Dakota Highway Patrol does not sell its own crash reports. It sends people to the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT), which sells reports for state-reportable crashes online for $7. A crash is state-reportable when someone is hurt or killed, or when the total damage reaches $4,000. A crash with an animal that hurts nobody is not reportable to the state.
State law (NDCC 39-08-10) requires any officer who investigates a reportable crash to send the report to the state electronically.
To order online, go to NDDOT’s Purchase Crash Report page and open the crash report portal. You need at least two of these three details: the crash date, a last name and the county where the crash happened. The $7 fee covers finding and providing the report, and it downloads right after you pay if it is on file.
A report may not turn up if fewer than 10 days have passed since the crash, so wait and search again. NDDOT’s page shows no mail option. If the search fails or you lack the details, NDDOT says to contact the law enforcement agency that investigated the crash, and problems with the portal go through NDDOT’s online contact form.
Don’t want to deal with the forms, or not sure which agency took your report? We can get a copy of your report for you at no cost.
Police Reports From North Dakota Cities and Counties
Start with the department that responded to your crash. Five agencies post how they handle crash reports, and four of them send you to NDDOT:
| Department | How to request | Fee |
| Fargo Police Department | No longer handles crash report requests; official copies come from NDDOT’s online portal | $7 (NDDOT) |
| Bismarck Police Department | Online through buycrash.com, per the city’s page, or in person at BPD Records, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays | $7 for a full report |
| Minot Police Department | State crash reports from NDDOT since Jan. 1, 2022. MPD still releases its own incident reports about crashes by phone, email, fax, in person or through its online records portal | $7 (NDDOT); MPD records $0.25 per printed page, first hour of search and redaction free, then $25 an hour |
| Cass County Sheriff’s Office | Crash reports from NDDOT; other records through the sheriff’s online open records form | $7 (NDDOT); other records “you will be contacted if fees apply” |
| Williams County Sheriff’s Office | Stopped releasing accident reports on Aug. 1, 2021; request through NDDOT | $7 (NDDOT) |
What North Dakota Drivers Must Report
Under NDCC 39-08-09, the driver in a crash that injures or kills anyone, or causes apparent property damage of $4,000 or more, must notify police immediately. Inside a city, that call goes to the local police department; outside one, to the county sheriff or the Highway Patrol. The driver must also give the investigating officer the name of their insurer and their policy number. A driver without that information on hand must send it to the driver’s license division within five days.
North Dakota drivers do not file their own written crash report. The duty is to give notice; the officer writes the report. Breaking the rule carries a $50 fine, and the state can suspend the driver’s license until the duties are met.
A crash with a wild animal that damages only the driver’s own vehicle does not have to be reported. If the driver can’t report, another occupant who is able must, and an owner who was not driving must give notice and insurance information within five days of learning of the crash (NDCC 39-08-11). The Highway Patrol says that if you hit a road sign, you should call 911 and give your name, address and vehicle registration.
How No-Fault Insurance Works in North Dakota
North Dakota is a no-fault state. Every owner must carry both basic no-fault benefits and liability coverage (NDCC 26.1-41-02), and an owner with no coverage at the time of a crash is absolutely liable for the no-fault benefits owed.
Basic no-fault benefits pay up to $30,000 per person per crash for economic loss, such as medical bills, whoever caused the crash. Within that amount, lost wages and survivors’ income are capped at $150 a week and funeral costs at $3,500 (NDCC 26.1-41-01). You can buy optional excess no-fault coverage up to $80,000 in total.
Liability coverage must be at least $25,000 for injury or death of one person, $50,000 for two or more people and $25,000 for property damage (NDCC 39-16.1-11). Uninsured motorist coverage is required at those $25,000 and $50,000 limits, and underinsured motorist coverage is required at the same limits as your uninsured coverage (NDCC 26.1-40-15.2 and 26.1-40-15.3).
You can sue the other driver for pain and suffering only after a serious injury (NDCC 26.1-41-08). The law defines that as death, dismemberment, serious and permanent disfigurement, disability lasting more than 60 days, or medical expenses over $2,500. When fault is shared, NDCC 32-03.2-02 reduces your damages by your share, and you recover nothing if your fault is as great as everyone else’s combined, so 50% or more. Claims for no-fault benefits have their own clock: if none have been paid, file within two years after the loss and knowing its cause, or four years after the crash, whichever comes first (NDCC 26.1-41-19).
North Dakota Traffic Deaths by the Numbers
| Measure | Figure | Year | Source |
| People killed in traffic crashes (as announced May 2026) | 85 | 2025 | NDDOT, via Vision Zero North Dakota |
| People killed in traffic crashes | 89 in 83 fatal crashes | 2024 | NDDOT 2024 Crash Summary |
| Total crashes | 9,803 | 2024 | NDDOT 2024 Crash Summary |
| Alcohol-related deaths | 19 | 2024 | NDDOT 2024 Crash Summary |
| Unbelted people killed | 30 of 62 killed in vehicles with seat belts | 2024 | NDDOT 2024 Crash Summary |
| Pedestrians killed | 5 | 2024 | NDDOT 2024 Crash Summary |
The 2025 total was the state’s lowest in 29 years, Vision Zero North Dakota reported in May 2026. At the same time, NDDOT’s Highway Safety Division director said deaths were trending higher so far in 2026.
North Dakota Crash Guides by City and County
Local guides and day-to-day crash coverage for North Dakota, sorted by city and county:
County accident news: Cass County · Ward County · Grand Forks County · Morton County · Williams County · Stark County · Stutsman County · Nelson County
Roads and intersections across the state are covered on our North Dakota dangerous intersections page.
Help After a Crash
- Local Accident Reports. After a crash, we can connect you with local help, from doctors and body shops to injury attorneys. So, feel free to contact our team if you need guidance after your wreck.
- North Dakota Crime Victims Compensation. Run by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, it helps people injured by a violent crime, a drunk driver or a hit and run, up to $25,000 in total. Report the crime to police within 96 hours and apply within one year of reporting it; property loss is not covered. (701) 328-6195. Eligibility and application
- MADD North Dakota. Free services for victims of drunk and drugged driving crashes, with crime victims compensation listed among them. 24-hour help line: 877-MADD-HELP (877-623-3435); North Dakota contact number 701-987-6514.
- 988. Call or text 988 any time for crisis support.
- Trauma care. Sanford Medical Center Fargo says it is the only Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center in North Dakota, verified by the American College of Surgeons. The Department of Health and Human Services describes the state trauma system on its site.
North Dakota Crash Questions
How do I get a North Dakota Highway Patrol crash report?
The Highway Patrol sends report requests to the North Dakota Department of Transportation, which sells crash reports online for $7. Enter at least two of the crash date, a last name and the county. The report downloads right after you pay if it is on file, but it may not appear until about 10 days after the crash. NDDOT’s page lists no mail option.
Can I get a crash report from a North Dakota city police department or sheriff?
It depends on the agency. Fargo police, Minot police and the Williams County sheriff no longer release state crash reports, and they and the Cass County sheriff point people to NDDOT’s $7 online portal. Bismarck’s page lists buycrash.com and the BPD Records counter, at $7 for a full report. Minot police can also provide their own incident reports about a crash.
Is North Dakota a no-fault state?
Yes. Your own basic no-fault benefits pay up to $30,000 of economic loss, such as medical bills, whoever caused the crash. You can sue the other driver for pain and suffering only for a serious injury, including death, disability over 60 days or medical bills over $2,500. A driver 50% or more at fault recovers nothing from others.
How long do I have to file a car accident claim in North Dakota?
Six years for injury and vehicle damage claims (NDCC 28-01-16) and two years from the death for wrongful death (NDCC 28-01-18). A claim against the state needs written notice to the Office of Management and Budget within 180 days after the injury is or should have been discovered, and suit within three years. Claims against a city or county need no advance notice but must be filed within three years.
Recent North Dakota Crash Coverage
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The full archive is at North Dakota accident news, and recent accident alerts follow new crashes nationwide as they are reported.
Local Accident Reports compiles this information from public agency sources and published reports for general reference. It is not legal advice and is not an official police record. Fees, forms and deadlines change, so confirm with the agency before you send a request. Last updated October 2026.