Virginia Crash Reports: DMV, State Police and Insurance Rules
Who has your crash report, what drivers must report, insurance rules and traffic deaths in Virginia.
With all that traffic moving along major interstates and local roads, crashes can happen anywhere. Virginia State Police troopers patrol more than 74,000 miles of state roads and interstates, while county and city police handle crashes within their jurisdictions. So, if you have been in a crash, knowing which agency responded is an important first step. We can help you get the pertinent crash report.
Who Has Your Virginia Crash Report
The Virginia State Police FOIA page says crash report requests must go to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, which keeps the official record of every reportable crash in the state, meaning one with an injury, a death, or $3,000 or more in damage. Under Va. Code 46.2-373, the officer who investigates a reportable crash sends the report to the DMV, so the DMV holds county and city police reports along with State Police reports.
DMV crash report requests cost $8 per report, and DMV returns the fee if it finds no report. Use Information Request Form CRD 93 and check the Police Crash Report box, or send a written request with your role in the crash, the date and time, the street and city or county where it happened, the driver’s name if you weren’t driving, and your driver’s license number if you were involved. A certified copy costs $5 more.
Mail requests go to Customer Records Work Center, Room 514, Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, P.O. Box 27412, Richmond, VA 23269, with a check or money order. You can also fax a request to (804) 367-0390 with payment form DMS 004, or take it to any DMV customer service center, by appointment or as a walk-in, and pay by cash, check, money order, or card. DMV sends copies by first-class mail.
Under Va. Code 46.2-380, DMV releases full reports to the drivers, passengers and injured people involved, vehicle and property owners, their attorneys and insurers, the personal representative of anyone hurt or killed, and the parent or guardian of a minor who was injured or killed. 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 Virginia Counties and Cities
Some county and city departments also release their own copies through an online vendor or a records counter. Start with the department that responded to your crash, and remember DMV has any reportable crash report as well:
| Department | How to request | Fee |
| Fairfax County Police | Reportable crashes since May 1, 2017: DMV only. Other crashes, such as private property crashes with an injury or death and hit-and-runs under $3,000: Central Records, 12099 Government Center Pkwy., Suite 1400, Fairfax, in person or by mail | DMV copies $8. Other crashes: free for drivers, passengers, owners and injured people; $5 for others |
| Chesterfield County Police | DMV, or the department by mail, in person, or online through CrashDocs or LexisNexis BuyCrash; reports are usually ready about five business days after the crash | $8 |
| Henrico County Police | In person at 7721 E. Parham Rd. or by mail to the Records Management Section, PO Box 90775, Henrico, VA 23273; photo ID required | $5 |
What Virginia Drivers Must Report
Under Virginia Code section 46.2-371, the driver in a crash that injures or kills anyone, or someone acting for the driver, must notify a law enforcement officer immediately. Willfully failing to do so is a Class 4 misdemeanor.
Virginia Code section 46.2-894 adds the duty to stop. When a crash kills or injures someone or damages an attended vehicle or property, the driver must stop as close to the scene as possible without blocking traffic, give their name, address, driver’s license number, and registration number to the police and to the other people involved, and give reasonable help to anyone hurt. Leaving is a Class 5 felony when someone is hurt or killed or the damage tops $1,000, and a Class 1 misdemeanor otherwise.
If you hit a parked car or other unattended property, section 46.2-896 requires a reasonable effort to find the owner. If you can’t, leave a note where it will be seen and file a written report with the State Police or local police within 24 hours.
Virginia has no required driver report to the DMV. A driver may file the DMV’s accident report form FR200 under section 46.2-372, and when the other vehicle may be uninsured, the DMV asks its owner for insurance information and suspends an owner who does not answer or has no coverage. The police report is the one the law requires: under section 46.2-373, the officer sends it to the DMV within 24 hours of finishing the investigation of any crash with an injury, a death, or apparent property damage of $3,000 or more.
Virginia Car Insurance Requirements
For policies that take effect on or after January 1, 2025, Virginia Code section 46.2-472 requires at least $50,000 for injury or death of one person, $100,000 for two or more people, and $25,000 for property damage. These are liability limits, which pay for injuries and damage the insured driver causes to other people. The statute sets no personal injury protection requirement.
Every vehicle registered in Virginia must carry a policy that meets those limits. The uninsured motor vehicle fee, which let owners pay the state in place of buying insurance, ended July 1, 2024. An owner caught without coverage faces a $600 noncompliance fee, three years of SR-22 proof of insurance filings, and a reinstatement fee.
Uninsured motorist coverage is part of every Virginia liability policy under Va. Code 38.2-2206, at no less than the state minimums. By default, its limits match the policy’s liability limits, though the policyholder can turn down the extra coverage above the minimum. Underinsured motorist limits equal the uninsured motorist limits.
Virginia Traffic Deaths by the Numbers
| Measure | Figure | Year | Source |
| People killed in traffic crashes | 825 | 2025 | Virginia DMV, Traffic Crash Facts |
| People killed in traffic crashes | 918 | 2024 | Virginia DMV, Traffic Crash Facts |
| Total crashes | 115,858 | 2025 | Virginia DMV, Traffic Crash Facts |
| Pedestrians killed | 138, up 9.5% | 2025 | Virginia DMV, Traffic Crash Facts |
| Motorcyclists killed | 101 | 2025 | Virginia DMV, Traffic Crash Facts |
| Alcohol-related deaths (DMV’s measure) | 248 | 2025 | Virginia DMV, Traffic Crash Facts |
DMV’s Highway Safety Office publishes these counts each year. Pedestrian deaths went up in 2025 even as the statewide death toll fell by 93.
Virginia Crash Guides by City and County
At Local Accident Reports, we cover crashes across the country, going county by county and then city by city to report on car crashes, motorcycle wrecks, commercial and residential fires, and all kinds of other accidents happening across the nation.
Virginia is no exception. With 95 counties and 38 independent cities, we report crashes every day and work to keep drivers and commuters informed. But we do more than tell you when and where an accident happened. We also help you get to know the places you drive through, from major roads and busy highways to dangerous intersections, so you have a better idea of what to expect when you get behind the wheel.
Here, you can find the latest accident reports from communities across Virginia, along with helpful guides to some of the state’s most important cities.
County accident news: Norfolk County · Richmond County · Virginia Beach County · Chesterfield County · Fairfax County · Hampton County · Chesapeake County · Henrico County
Compare nearby states: Southeast crash reports and car accident laws by state · No-fault states and insurance minimums in all 50 states
Questions about getting, reading or correcting a police report? See our accident report FAQ.
Road stretches with high crash counts in recent VDOT data are on our Virginia 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. Contact our team.
- Virginia Victims Fund Helps pay medical, funeral and other out-of-pocket costs for crime victims, including people hurt in drunk driving crashes and felony hit-and-runs, once there is a conviction. Ordinary traffic crashes do not qualify. For crimes on or after July 1, 2025, file within three years. 800-552-4007.
- MADD Virginia Free support for victims and survivors of drunk and drugged driving crashes. 24-hour help line: 877-MADD-HELP (877-623-3435).
- 911. Call 911 any time for support after an accident.
- Trauma centers. Virginia’s six Level I trauma centers are Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, HCA Chippenham Hospital, Inova Fairfax Hospital, Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, UVA Health System, and VCU Health System, per the Virginia Department of Health’s trauma center list.
Virginia Crash Questions
How do I get a Virginia State Police crash report?
Order it from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, which holds State Police crash reports. Send Form CRD 93 or a written request by mail or fax, or bring it to any DMV customer service center. Each report costs $8, is refunded if the DMV finds none, and the DMV releases it to the people involved, their attorneys and insurers, and the personal representative of anyone hurt or killed.
Can I get a local police crash report from Virginia DMV?
Yes, for reportable crashes. Under Va. Code 46.2-373, county and city police send DMV their reports on crashes with an injury, a death, or at least $3,000 in damage, so the same $8 request covers them. Some departments also release their own copies. Chesterfield County Police charge $8.
Is Virginia a no-fault state?
Virginia law requires liability insurance, which pays for injuries and property damage the insured driver causes to others. For policies starting on or after January 1, 2025, the minimums are $50,000 for one person, $100,000 for two or more, and $25,000 for property damage. Uninsured motorist coverage is also required, and the law sets no personal injury protection requirement.
How long do I have to file a car accident claim in Virginia?
Two years for injury claims and five years for property damage under Virginia Code section 8.01-243, and two years from the date of death for wrongful death claims under section 8.01-244. A claim against a county, city, or town needs written notice within six months under section 15.2-209, and a claim against the Commonwealth needs notice within one year under section 8.01-195.6.
Recent Virginia Crash Coverage
Motorcyclist Killed in Crash on Centerville Rd in Williamsburg, VA
Two Women Hospitalized After Vehicle Strikes Patio on Pleasure House Rd in Virginia Beach, VA
Woman Killed in Single-Vehicle Rollover on Strawberry Rd in Chatham, VA
Motorcyclist Killed in Crash on James Madison Hwy in Palmyra, VA
Driver Injured in Multi-Vehicle Collision at Fairfax Co Pkwy in Burke, VA
The full archive is at Virginia 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.