How to Get a Crash Report in Minnesota

To obtain a crash report in Minnesota, you must submit a request to the Department of Public Safety, Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS)^[7]. Crash reports can be requested either in person at the DVS office or a full-service deputy registrar office, or by mail.^[1] Minnesota does not currently offer an online portal for purchasing individual crash reports.

By mail: Complete the Crash Record Request Form (PS2503)^[1], which is available for download from the DVS website. Include a legible copy of your government-issued photo ID (driver's license or state ID) or a notarized signature, along with a check or money order for $5.00 payable to Driver and Vehicle Services.^[1] Mail your request to: Driver and Vehicle Services, 445 Minnesota Street, St. Paul, MN 55101-5161.^[1]

In person: Visit the DVS office in St. Paul or a full-service deputy registrar office with your completed form, photo ID, and $5.00 payment.^[1] In-person requests may be processed more quickly than mail requests. For questions, you can call DVS at (651) 296-2940.^[7]

To request a crash report from Minnesota DVS^[7], you must complete the Crash Record Request Form (PS2503)^[1]. The form requires the date and location of the crash, the names of the parties involved, and your relationship to the crash or authority to request the report.

A critical requirement is that all requests must include a signature from an authorized requestor.^[1] Requests will not be processed without this signature. For mail-in requests, you must also include a legible copy of one of the following approved documents: a valid driver's license, a government-issued photo ID, or a notarized signature.^[1]

Payment of $5.00^[1] per report is required, payable by check or money order made out to Driver and Vehicle Services. Cash may be accepted for in-person requests. Include as much detail as possible about the crash to help DVS locate your report, including the exact date, municipality or county, road names, and the names of all drivers involved.

A Minnesota crash report documents the facts of a motor vehicle crash as recorded by the investigating law enforcement officer.^[6] It includes information about all parties involved (drivers, passengers, pedestrians), vehicle descriptions, insurance information, and the officer's account of how the crash occurred.

The report contains a diagram of the crash scene, information about road and weather conditions, contributing factors, and any traffic violations cited. Injury severity is classified for each person involved, and the report notes whether emergency medical services were dispatched and whether any party was impaired by alcohol or drugs.

Minnesota is a no-fault insurance state^[4], meaning your own insurance company pays for your medical expenses and certain economic losses through Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits, regardless of who caused the crash.^[4] However, you can step outside the no-fault system and sue the at-fault driver if your medical expenses exceed $4,000 or if you suffered permanent injury, disability, or disfigurement.^[4] The crash report's findings are essential in determining whether your injuries meet these thresholds and in establishing the other driver's fault under Minnesota's comparative fault system.^[5]

Minnesota DVS^[7] advises that crash reports are generally available approximately 3 weeks after the incident.^[1] This allows time for the investigating law enforcement agency to complete the report and submit it to DVS, and for DVS to process and enter the report into their system.

Law enforcement officers who investigate a reportable crash are required by Minnesota statute to submit an electronic or written report to the Commissioner of Public Safety within 10 days after the date of the accident.^[2] After DVS receives the report, it takes additional time to process and make it available for public requests.

If you submit a mail request, allow additional time for postal delivery and DVS processing. Total turnaround time from mailing your request to receiving the report can be 4 to 6 weeks or more.^[1] For faster service, consider visiting the DVS office in St. Paul or a deputy registrar office in person. If you need the report urgently, you may also contact the law enforcement agency that investigated the crash directly, as they may be able to provide a copy from their own records.

Wait the full 3 weeks. Submitting your request too early may result in delays, as the report may not yet be in the DVS system.^[1] Wait at least 3 weeks after the crash before sending your request to increase the likelihood that the report is available.

Contact the investigating agency first. For faster access, call the local police department, county sheriff's office, or State Patrol district that responded to the crash. They may have a copy of the report available sooner than DVS and may be able to provide it directly, sometimes at a lower cost or for free.

Ensure your form is complete and signed. DVS will not process requests without a signature from an authorized requestor and a legible copy of your photo ID.^[1] Incomplete forms are the most common cause of delays. Double-check every field before mailing your request.

Take advantage of the long statute of limitations. Minnesota has one of the longest statutes of limitations in the country at 6 years for both personal injury and property damage claims.^[3] While this gives you ample time to file a lawsuit, do not delay obtaining your crash report. Evidence fades and witnesses become harder to locate over time, so getting your report early strengthens your case.

Your Minnesota crash report serves as the official record of your accident and is a critical document for insurance claims, medical bills, and potential legal action.^[6] Insurance companies rely on the crash report's findings when processing PIP claims^[4] and evaluating fault, making it one of the most important pieces of documentation following a crash.

Under Minnesota's no-fault system^[4], your own PIP coverage pays for your medical expenses, wage loss, and other economic losses up to your policy limits, regardless of fault. However, if your injuries are serious enough to exceed the no-fault thresholds (medical expenses over $4,000, or permanent injury, disability, or disfigurement)^[4], you can pursue a claim against the at-fault driver. The crash report's documentation of injuries and fault is essential evidence in these cases. Accidents resulting in injury, death, or property damage exceeding $1,000 must be reported^[2] under Minnesota law.

Even for less severe crashes, the report protects your interests by documenting the other driver's insurance information, witness contact details, and the investigating officer's observations. If the other driver later disputes their liability or claims the crash happened differently, the crash report provides an objective, contemporaneous account of the events. Obtain your report as soon as possible to preserve this valuable evidence within the 6-year statute of limitations.^[3]