To get a police accident report in Missouri, contact the agency that responded to your crash and request it online, in person, or by mail. Reports are usually available within several business days for a small fee, though some agencies provide them free.
In this article, you will discover how to identify the right agency, how to request your report in Missouri’s largest cities, why these reports are so important, and what to do if the report contains errors.
What Is a Police Accident Report in Missouri?
A police accident report is the official document a law enforcement officer fills out after responding to your crash. Every agency in Missouri, city police, county sheriff, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol, uses the same standardized form called the Missouri Uniform Crash Report.
This document captures everything relevant to your accident in one place:
- Driver and vehicle information: Names, addresses, license numbers, insurance details, and vehicle descriptions for every driver involved.
- A crash diagram: The officer’s drawing of the scene showing where each vehicle was positioned at the time of impact.
- Witness information: Names and contact details for any bystanders who saw what happened.
- The officer’s narrative: Their written account of the crash and what they believe caused it.
- Citations issued: Any traffic tickets written at the scene, which often signal who the officer believed was at fault.
- Road and weather conditions: Notes on lighting, weather, and road surface at the time of the crash.
How Do You Get a Police Accident Report in Missouri?
You can request your Missouri crash report online, in person, or by mail, but first you need to know exactly who to ask.
Step 1 Identify the Investigating Agency
The agency that responded to your 911 call is the only one that holds your report. City police handle crashes inside city limits, county sheriffs cover unincorporated areas outside of a city, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol handles crashes on state highways and interstates.
If you’re not sure who responded, check the business card or slip the officer gave you at the scene, or call the non-emergency line for the local police or sheriff’s department where the crash happened.
Step 2 Gather the Right Details
Before you make your request, have this information ready:
- Date, time, and exact location of the crash
- Full names of the drivers involved
- Your police report or incident number, if you received one
- A valid photo ID
- A way to pay the fee
Step 3 Choose Your Request Method
Online is typically the fastest option, the MSHP has its own portal, and many larger departments use a third-party site called BuyCrash.com. For in-person requests, visit the Records Division of the responding agency during business hours, for mail requests, send a written letter with your crash details and a check or money order for the fee.
Step 4 Pay the Fee
Most agencies charge between $5 and $10, though some, including the MSHP, provide reports online at no cost. After you pay, confirm how your report will be delivered, as a download, an email attachment, or a mailed physical copy.
Step 5 Follow Up If the Report Isn’t Ready Yet
It typically takes 5 to 10 business days for the officer to finalize and file the report. If yours isn’t available yet, don’t just wait, call the Records Division directly with your incident number and ask for a status update.
Where Do You Get a Report for Your Missouri City or County?
The request process varies by agency. Here’s a breakdown of the most common departments across Missouri:
| Agency | How to Request | Typical Fee |
| Missouri State Highway Patrol | Online portal or mail | Free online |
| St. Louis Metropolitan PD | In person or online | ~$5 |
| Kansas City PD | Online (BuyCrash) or in person | ~$10 |
| Springfield PD | Online or in person | ~$6 |
| Columbia PD | Online or in person | Free–$5 |
Missouri State Highway Patrol Crash Report
You can access your MSHP report for free through the agency’s online crash report portal. You’ll need the crash date, the driver’s last name, and the county where the crash occurred.
St. Louis Accident Report
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department handles report requests in person at Police Headquarters in downtown St. Louis. Bring your photo ID and payment when you go.
Kansas City Accident Report
Kansas City uses BuyCrash.com for online requests. You can also visit the KCPD Records Section at Police Headquarters if you prefer to go in person.
Springfield Accident Report
The Springfield Police Department offers online requests through their department portal and in-person requests at the Records Unit. A small fee applies for each copy.
Columbia Accident Report
Columbia Police Department reports are available online or in person at the Central Records Unit, with fees ranging from free to a few dollars depending on the format.
Who Can Request a Missouri Crash Report?
Missouri crash reports are public records under the state’s Sunshine Law, which means most people have the legal right to access them. In practice, agencies typically limit copies to those with a direct connection to the crash.
The following people can generally request a copy:
- Drivers and passengers involved in the accident
- Registered owners of the vehicles in the crash
- Insurance companies with an active claim tied to the accident
- Car accident attorneys representing an involved party
- Parents or legal guardians of a minor involved in the crash
If you’re working with an attorney, they can request the report on your behalf with proper authorization, and they’ll often get it faster than you would navigating the process alone.
What If the Police Report Is Wrong?
Officers make mistakes, and those mistakes can show up in ways that genuinely hurt your case. A wrong license plate, a misspelled name, or an inaccurate description of the crash can all end up in the final report.
- Factual errors: Contact the officer who filed the report and provide documentation showing the correct information. These corrections are straightforward and get added as an amendment to the original report.
- Opinion errors: If you disagree with the officer’s conclusion about who caused the crash, you can’t remove their narrative, but you can file a supplemental statement backed by photos, dashcam footage, or witness accounts that gets added to the official record.
Don’t leave an error uncorrected and hope the insurance company misses it. Adjusters look for every inconsistency they can find in a police report, and they will use any contradiction to challenge your claim and push your payout down.
A pattern we see often in Missouri crash reports is a driver’s insurance information listed incorrectly because the officer copied it from a phone screen at the scene, not a physical card. We flag and get that corrected in writing before it ever becomes a problem for a client’s claim.
What If There Is No Police Report?
Not every accident generates a police report, maybe it happened on private property, or you and the other driver exchanged information without calling 911. That doesn’t leave you without options.
If the crash caused an injury or more than $500 in property damage, you are required to file a Motor Vehicle Accident Report, also called Form 1140, with the Missouri Department of Revenue within 30 days. You should also document everything yourself right away: photos of both vehicles and the scene, written contact information for any witnesses, and a detailed account of what happened recorded while the memory is still fresh.
Will Insurance Accept a Claim Without a Police Report?
Yes, an insurer will take your claim, but without a police report, you’re at an immediate disadvantage. The claim becomes your word against the other driver’s, and adjusters are trained to exploit exactly that kind of ambiguity.
A police report is not legally required to file a claim in Missouri, but it is the single most valuable piece of evidence you have at the start of your case. Showing up without one gives the insurance company all the room they need to question your account, drag out the process, and minimize what they pay you.
In our experience handling Missouri claims with no police report on file, adjusters lean hard on that gap to argue the crash is unverified, even when there’s a Form 1140 self-report and photos from the scene. We build the same evidentiary record a police report would have given us and make the adjuster address it.
Injured? Beck & Beck Will Pull Your Missouri Crash Report for Free
You’ve already been through enough. You shouldn’t have to spend your recovery navigating agency websites, waiting on hold with a records department, or figuring out which agency even has your paperwork.
We take care of all of that. We are the only law firm in Missouri that handles exclusively auto accident cases, which means we know exactly which agency to contact, which portal to use, and what to look for once we have the report. We’ll pull your crash report, review it for errors, and flag anything an insurance adjuster might try to use against you, all at no cost, as part of a free case review.
If you don’t have health insurance, we can connect you with medical professionals in our network who will treat you and defer payment until your case resolves. Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers represents injured Missourians through our offices in St. Louis, Florissant, O’Fallon, Independence, Jefferson City, and Springfield.
Every case is handled personally by a founding partner, not a paralegal. All you have to do is work on getting better, we’ll handle everything else.
Missouri Police Report FAQ
Can I Get My Missouri Crash Report Without a Case Number?
Yes, most agencies can locate your report using the crash date, location, and driver names, though having a case number speeds up the process significantly.
Can I Request Crash Scene Photos or 911 Audio from the Police?
Yes, but these are separate from the crash report and require a formal Sunshine Law request submitted directly to the responding law enforcement agency.
How Long Do Missouri Police Departments Keep Crash Reports?
Retention policies for crash reports vary by agency, contact the responding local department or the Missouri State Highway Patrol to learn how long they keep records.
Are Hit and Run Crash Reports Available in Missouri?
Yes, you can request a hit and run report the same way as any other crash report, though the other driver’s information will be listed as unknown unless they are later identified.
Can Someone Else Pick Up My Missouri Police Report?
Yes, with a signed authorization letter from you and a valid photo ID, a family member, your insurance representative, or your attorney can pick up the report on your behalf.
Will Beck & Beck Get My Crash Report at No Cost?
Yes, as part of your free case review, we’ll retrieve your Missouri crash report for you at no charge so you don’t have to deal with the process yourself.
