How to Get a Crash Report in Mississippi

To obtain a crash report investigated by the Mississippi Highway Patrol (MHP)^[7], you can request it online or in person. The Mississippi Department of Public Safety^[1] maintains all MHP crash reports. For crashes investigated by local or municipal police departments, you must contact that specific agency.

Online: Visit the ReportBeam portal^[2] at reportbeam.com and select "Purchase a Report" under the "Public Access" tab. Search for your report using the crash date, location, or involved party information. The online fee is $20.00^[1], payable by credit or debit card. Once purchased, the report is emailed to you and is available for download for 24 hours.^[2]

In person: Visit any Mississippi Highway Patrol district station^[7] and request a copy of your crash report. The in-person fee is $15.00.^[1] You will need to provide identification and proof that you are an eligible party.^[3] For questions or assistance, contact the Mississippi Department of Public Safety^[8] at (601) 987-1224.

Mississippi law strictly limits who can access crash reports. Under Mississippi Code Ann. section 63-3-417^[3], only the following individuals may obtain a copy: a party involved in the crash (driver, passenger, pedestrian), a representative of an involved party's estate, the next of kin of an involved party, a legal representative (attorney) of an involved party, or an insurer or representative of an insurer of an involved party.^[3]

To request a report, you will need to provide the date of the crash, the location, and the names of persons involved. If you have the crash report number, this will expedite the search. You must also provide proof of your eligibility to receive the report, such as a valid photo ID showing you are an involved party or documentation of your authorization.^[1]

For online requests through ReportBeam^[2], you will need a valid credit or debit card to complete the purchase. The online fee of $20.00 includes a handling charge.^[2] For in-person requests at an MHP station^[7], the fee is $15.00^[1] and can be paid by cash, check, or money order.

A Mississippi Uniform Crash Report documents the details of a motor vehicle accident as investigated by law enforcement.^[1] The report includes information about all drivers, passengers, and pedestrians involved, their contact and insurance information, and descriptions of the vehicles. It records the crash location, date, time, road conditions, weather, and lighting.

The investigating officer provides a narrative account of the crash, a diagram showing vehicle positions and movements, and their assessment of contributing factors. The report documents any traffic citations issued, whether alcohol or drug impairment was suspected, and the severity of injuries sustained by each person involved. Witness information is also included when available.

Mississippi is an at-fault state that follows a pure comparative negligence system.^[6] This means you can recover damages even if you were partially at fault for the crash, but your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault.^[6] For example, if you were found 30% at fault and your damages total $100,000, you could recover $70,000. The crash report's fault determination plays a significant role in how comparative negligence is assessed by insurance companies and courts.

After a crash is investigated by the Mississippi Highway Patrol^[7], the report is typically entered into the system and available for purchase within 5 to 10 business days.^[1] However, this timeline can vary depending on the complexity of the crash and the investigating officer's workload.

Crashes involving serious injuries, fatalities, or complex circumstances may take longer to finalize. The investigating officer must complete a thorough investigation before submitting the final report, which can take several weeks in serious cases. Hit-and-run cases may also experience delays as the investigation continues.

Once you purchase a report online through ReportBeam^[2], it is emailed to you immediately and available for download for 24 hours.^[2] Save and print the report as soon as you receive it, as you will need to purchase it again if you miss the download window. For in-person requests at an MHP station, you can typically receive the report the same day if it is available in the system.

Know your eligibility. Mississippi has strict access restrictions for crash reports under section 63-3-417.^[3] Only involved parties, their families, attorneys, and insurers can obtain copies. Violating these restrictions can result in fines of up to $2,500 and up to six months in jail.^[3] Make sure you have proper identification and authorization before requesting a report.

Save your online report immediately. When you purchase a crash report through ReportBeam^[2], the download link is only available for 24 hours. Save the PDF to your computer and print a hard copy as soon as you receive the email. If you miss the window, you will need to purchase the report again at the full $20.00 price.^[2]

In-person is cheaper. If you can visit an MHP district station^[7], the in-person fee of $15.00^[1] is $5.00 less than the online fee of $20.00.^[1] This can be worthwhile if you are near a station and want to save money.

Contact local police for municipal crashes. If your crash was investigated by a city or municipal police department rather than the Mississippi Highway Patrol, the DPS^[8] will not have your report. Contact the specific police department that responded to the scene to obtain their report, as their fees and processes vary.

Your Mississippi crash report is the cornerstone of any insurance claim or legal action following a car accident. As an at-fault state^[6], Mississippi requires the driver who caused the crash to pay for damages, and the crash report's fault determination is the primary evidence used to establish liability. Crashes resulting in injury, death, or property damage of $500 or more must be reported^[4] under Mississippi law.

Insurance adjusters rely heavily on the crash report when evaluating claims. The report documents the investigating officer's assessment of fault, the severity of injuries, and the extent of vehicle damage. Without a crash report, proving your claim becomes significantly more difficult, and the insurance company may dispute your version of events.

If you are considering filing a lawsuit, Mississippi's 3-year statute of limitations^[5] for both personal injury and property damage claims means you have a limited window to take legal action. Your attorney will need the crash report to evaluate the strength of your case, identify witnesses, and determine the best strategy for pursuing compensation. The report also documents any traffic citations issued, which can serve as evidence of negligence in court.