The short answer
You can buy most Texas crash reports through TxDOT's Crash Report Online Purchase System: $6 for a regular copy and $8 for a certified copy, plus any processing fee. The Houston Police Department also provides copies of its own reports. The officer has 10 days to submit a required report, and it may take longer before you can get it.
In this article
Which crash report do you need?
In Texas, the official report is the Texas Peace Officer's Crash Report, known as the CR-3. Texas law-enforcement agencies use this state form for reportable crashes they investigate and submit the reports to TxDOT. That goes for Houston police, the Harris County Sheriff's Office, a constable's office and the Department of Public Safety alike.
An officer who investigates a crash in the regular course of duty must electronically file a report with TxDOT within 10 days if someone was injured or killed, or if apparent damage to any one person's property was at least $1,000 (Transportation Code §550.062).
How do you get a crash report in Houston?
- Start at TxDOT. Go to TxDOT's Crash reports and records page and follow its link to the Crash Report Online Purchase System. Have the crash details, your identifying information and the report number if you have it, then follow the system's current instructions. Reports bought online are delivered by email.
- Or ask the investigating agency. For a report written by Houston police, HPD's Records Division offers copies by mail and in person. HPD's request form asks you to wait at least 10 days after the crash. For a report written by another agency, ask that agency.
- Check back if it isn't there. Public availability may take additional processing time after the officer submits the report, so check with TxDOT or the investigating agency rather than assuming it will be ready on day 10.
| Copy | Fee |
|---|---|
| Regular copy | $6 |
| Certified copy | $8 |
TxDOT says additional processing fees may be applied. Fees as listed by TxDOT on November 2, 2026.
Who can get a copy?
Transportation Code §550.065 permits eligible people to request a report and pay the fee. That includes people involved in the crash, such as drivers and passengers, as well as authorized representatives, affected vehicle or property owners, and specified insurers.
How do you read a CR-3?
The form is coded, so it can look harder to read than it is. These are the parts that usually matter most to an injury claim.
- Unit numbers. Each vehicle is a unit. Find yours first, because the rest of the form refers to vehicles by number.
- Contributing factors. The officer records what they believe contributed to the crash for each unit, using codes for things like failing to control speed or failing to drive in a single lane. Check whose unit each factor is listed under.
- Narrative and diagram. The officer's written account and drawing of the crash.
- Citations. Whether a driver was cited, and for what.
- Insurance. The insurance information recorded for each vehicle.
- Witnesses. Names the officer recorded. They may be the only record of who saw the crash.
What do the injury codes mean?
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| K | Fatal injury |
| A | Suspected serious injury |
| B | Suspected minor injury |
| C | Possible injury |
| N | Not injured |
The form also has an unknown code. These are initial reporting codes and do not replace a medical diagnosis.
An adjuster may point to these codes, so check yours. If you are marked N but went to the emergency room that night, keep your medical records and raise the error with the investigating agency.
What can you do if the crash report is wrong?
Report an error promptly to the investigating agency and provide supporting information. Errors can include the wrong unit, a factor listed under the wrong driver, an injury code that doesn't match your medical records, or a missing witness.
Texas law permits the original officer to change a material fact, and it also permits a clearly identified written supplement originated by another person (Transportation Code §550.068). TxDOT's procedures explain how supplemental reports are submitted. Correction isn't limited to the period when the officer personally remembers the scene, but acting early makes it easier to gather what supports your request.
Is the report the last word on fault?
No. A crash report does not decide civil liability. If the case is tried, the judge or jury decides responsibility from admissible evidence, and the court decides which parts of an officer's report or opinions may be considered. A bad report is a problem to work on, not the end of a claim. Your share of the fault can affect what your case is worth.
Questions people also ask
How long does it take to get a Houston crash report?
The officer must submit a required report within 10 days after the crash. Public availability may take additional processing time, and HPD's request form asks you to wait at least 10 days.
How much does a Texas crash report cost?
TxDOT lists $6 for a regular copy and $8 for a certified copy, and says additional processing fees may be applied.
Can I get the report if I was a passenger?
Yes. A passenger is a person involved in the collision, which is one of the groups Transportation Code §550.065 makes eligible. The normal request, fee and identifying-information requirements still apply.
What if the police did not come?
There may be no CR-3, although an officer can investigate and report a crash later without having been at the scene. Contact the appropriate law-enforcement agency and ask how to document it, and keep your photos, witness details and the other driver's information.
Sources
- TxDOT, Crash reports and records
- Texas Transportation Code ch. 550, collisions and collision reports
- TxDOT CR-100 crash report instructions, version 29.0
- Houston Police Department, Public Information Requests
- Houston Police Department, Crash Report Request Form
This article is general information about Texas law, not legal advice for your situation. Laws and agency procedures change, and every case is different. Reading it or contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship until a written agreement is signed.
