Tennessee Crash Reports: THP, Police and Driver Rules
Who has your crash report, what drivers must report, insurance rules and traffic deaths in Tennessee.
And it is not just the interstates, either. Crashes happen on rural two-lane highways and local streets, too, which means the Highway Patrol, city police, or the county sheriff may respond depending on where the wreck occurred. If you have been in a crash in Tennessee, knowing which agency handled the scene is the first step toward finding your report, since that agency is generally the one you will need to contact for a copy.
Who Has Your Tennessee Crash Report
Tennessee law, under Tennessee Code section 55-10-106, sends the first call by place: inside a city, the driver notifies the local police department, and outside city limits, the county sheriff or the nearest Tennessee Highway Patrol office.
The Highway Patrol works out of eight district headquarters, from Memphis and Jackson in the west to Knoxville and Fall Branch in the east. If an officer gave you a card or a case number at the scene, it names the agency.
Highway Patrol reports are sold online through the state’s PurchaseTNCrash portal for $10, by credit card only. Prepaid cards are not accepted, and the state says reports should be online within seven business days of the crash. To find the report, you need the last name, the crash date, the reporting agency, and the driver’s license number, plus a VIN, a plate number, or the case or tracking number.
A paper copy costs $4. Pick it up at a THP district office, where reports are available about seven days after the crash, or mail form SF-1595 with a check or money order to the Department of Safety and Homeland Security, Financial Responsibility Division, P.O. Box 945, Nashville, TN 37202-0945. Allow two to three weeks by mail. Drivers, owners, passengers, and their agents or legal representatives can buy a THP report.
The same portal also carries reports from city police and sheriff’s departments, including Metro Nashville, Knoxville, Murfreesboro, and Franklin. Metro Nashville says buyers must certify they were involved, own property in the crash, or represent someone who was.
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 Major Tennessee Cities
Each city department and sheriff’s office sets its own counter rules, and four of the departments below post their reports to the state portal as well:
| Agency | How to request | Fee |
| Metro Nashville Police | PurchaseTNCrash online, or Central Records Division, 811 Anderson Ln., Suite 100, Madison | Free online; $0.15 per page from Central Records |
| Memphis Police | Central Records, 170 N. Main St., 7th Floor, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., or the department’s online request form, mail or fax | $0.15 per page for Tennessee residents with ID; $15 for non-residents |
| Knoxville Police | PurchaseTNCrash online; in person at 1650 Huron St., weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; or mail to 1617 Saint Mary St. with a stamped envelope | $10 online; $0.15 per page in person |
| Chattanooga Police | Police Services Center, 3410 Amnicola Hwy. (front counter temporarily at 7555 Goodwin Rd., limited hours) | Set at request |
| Murfreesboro Police | PurchaseTNCrash online; Records, 1004 N. Highland Ave.; or mail with a stamped envelope and a copy of your license | $10 online; $0.15 per page |
| Franklin Police | City of Franklin online request, PurchaseTNCrash, CrashDocs, or Records at 900 Columbia Ave. | Free by email from the city; $10 through PurchaseTNCrash or CrashDocs |
| Hamilton County Sheriff | Records Office, or pickup at the West Annex, 6230 Dayton Blvd. | Set at request |
| Montgomery County Sheriff | Accident report request on the Sheriff’s website | Set at request |
If the department that took your crash is not listed here, its records office is the place to start.
The Owner/Driver Report Tennessee Drivers Must File
Two duties apply after a Tennessee crash, and the second one applies even when an officer wrote a report.
Call police right away. Under Tennessee Code section 55-10-106, the driver in any crash that injures or kills someone, or causes apparent property damage of $50 or more, must notify police immediately by the quickest means available.
File with the state within 20 days. Section 55-12-104 requires a written report to the Department of Safety and Homeland Security within 20 days of any crash that injured or killed someone or caused more than $1,500 in damage to any one person’s property. The department also requires it when government property sustained more than $400 in damage. This is the Owner/Driver Report, form SF-0395, filed online through the department’s e-Services or mailed to P.O. Box 945, Nashville, TN 37202, by whoever was at fault.
Miss the deadline and the state can suspend your license and registration. Getting them back means filing the report and paying a $25 restoration fee.
Tennessee Insurance Rules After a Crash
Since January 1, 2023, Tennessee drivers have needed at least $25,000 for injury or death to one person, $50,000 for two or more people, and $25,000 for property damage, or a single limit of $65,000 (T.C.A. 55-12-102). The property damage minimum was $15,000 before that.
Every auto policy sold in Tennessee includes uninsured motorist coverage at the same limits as its injury liability coverage, under T.C.A. 56-7-1201. The named policyholder can turn it down in writing or pick lower limits, down to the state minimum.
Tennessee is a fault state with no personal injury protection requirement, so the at-fault driver’s liability insurance pays for the other side’s losses. Since the Tennessee Supreme Court’s decision in McIntyre v. Balentine (1992), an injured person can recover only if their share of the fault is less than the other side’s, and their damages shrink by their own share. A driver found 50% or more at fault recovers nothing.
Tennessee Traffic Deaths by the Numbers
| Measure | Figure | Year | Source |
| People killed in traffic crashes | 1,059 | 2025 | Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TITAN) |
| People killed in traffic crashes | 1,201 | 2024 | Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TITAN) |
| Pedestrians killed | 143, down from 162 | 2025 | Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TITAN) |
| Motorcyclists killed | 189, the same as in 2024 | 2025 | Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TITAN) |
| Passenger vehicle occupants killed while unrestrained | 258 of 688 | 2025 | Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TITAN) |
| Deaths in crashes with an alcohol-impaired driver | 332 (28%) | 2024 | NHTSA |
The state figures come from the department’s daily fatality report as of June 24, 2026, and 2025 was the lowest of the five years it covers. Rural roads accounted for 510 of the 2025 deaths.
Tennessee Crash Guides by City and County
At Local Accident Reports, we keep track of crashes and accidents happening across the country. We cover everything from car crashes and motorcycle wrecks to commercial and residential fires, working our way county by county and city by city to keep people informed about what is happening in their communities.
Tennessee is no exception. With 95 counties and 345 cities, accidents happen every day across the state, and we are here to report on them. However, our goal goes beyond simply telling drivers and commuters where and when a crash occurred. We also want to help people get to know the places they travel, from major roads and busy routes to dangerous intersections, so they have a better idea of what to expect when they get behind the wheel.
Here, you can find the latest accident reports from communities throughout Tennessee, along with helpful guides to some of the state’s most important cities. Whether you are checking on a recent crash or learning more about the roads you travel, we aim to provide the information you need.
City crash guides: Knoxville, TN · Nashville, TN
County accident news: Shelby County · Knox County · Hamilton County · Davidson County · Sullivan County · Rutherford County · Montgomery County · Wilson County
Intersections and road stretches ranked on 2017 to 2022 crash data are on our Tennessee dangerous intersections page.
Help After a Crash
- Local Accident Reports. We can put you in touch with local help after a crash, from doctors and body shops to injury attorneys. Contact our team.
- Tennessee Criminal Injuries Compensation Run by the State Treasury, it helps pay costs for people hurt by a drunk or drugged driver or by a driver who fled the scene of a serious-injury crash. File within two years of the crime.
- MADD Tennessee Free support for people hurt by drunk or drugged drivers and for families who lost someone. 24-hour help line: 877-MADD-HELP (877-623-3435).
- 911. Call 911 after a crash for support.
Tennessee Crash Questions
How do I get a Tennessee Highway Patrol crash report?
Buy it on the state’s PurchaseTNCrash portal at apps.tn.gov/purchasetncrash for $10 by credit card, or get a $4 paper copy at a THP district office about seven days after the crash or by mail on form SF-1595. Drivers, owners, passengers, and their agents or legal representatives can request one.
Do I have to file an Owner/Driver Report if the police wrote one?
Yes. Tennessee requires the Owner/Driver Report within 20 days of any crash that hurt or killed someone or caused more than $1,500 in damage to one person’s property, on top of the officer’s report and whoever caused the crash. Skipping it can cost you your license and registration.
Is Tennessee a no-fault state?
No. Tennessee is a fault state and does not require personal injury protection. The at-fault driver’s liability insurance pays the other side’s losses, and an injured person can recover a reduced amount only while their share of the fault stays under 50%.
How long do I have to file a car accident claim in Tennessee?
One year for injury claims under Tennessee Code section 28-3-104, stretched to two years when the other driver is criminally charged and prosecuted within a year for the crash. Wrongful death claims also fall under the one-year limit. A lawsuit against a city or county must be filed within 12 months under the Governmental Tort Liability Act under section 29-20-305, and a claim against the state needs written notice to the Division of Claims and Risk Management within the same limitations period under section 9-8-402.
Recent Tennessee Crash Coverage
Pedestrian Hit by Vehicle on N Willow Ave in Cookeville, TN
Two Crashes Close Together on I-40 in Smith County, TN
Driver Extricated From Van After Train Crash on Anes Station Rd in Lewisburg, TN
Three Injured in Two-Vehicle Crash on Kirby Pkwy in Memphis, TN
Fatal Wrong-Way Collision on Hwy 27 in Chattanooga, TN
The full archive is at Tennessee 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.