Obtain the District Crash Documents Needed for Your Claim

District of Columbia crash records: Address the scene before requesting documents

DC DMV's vehicle insurance guidance directs people involved in an injury crash to call 911. Its linked non-injury crash checklist also calls for immediate assistance when medical or police help is needed or a damaged vehicle cannot be driven. Stop safely, use hazard lights, and protect people before trying to collect photographs or complete a form. For a non-injury collision, use the checklist and notify the insurance company. DMV expressly says that crashes should not be reported to DMV.

The checklist provides space for the date, time, location, drivers, vehicle descriptions, plates, insurance companies, policy information, and witnesses. Take photographs only when doing so is safe, including damage and identifying location details. It also advises protecting identity and not allowing another person to photograph the driver license. Preserve the information needed for the claim without turning the roadside exchange into unnecessary sharing of sensitive documents.

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District of Columbia crash records: Distinguish reporting from obtaining a copy

MPD's online police reporting instructions exclude traffic crashes from the ordinary online reporting tool. Do not select a theft or property-damage category merely to force a collision into that system. Follow the applicable police response instructions for the event, and record the responding agency. A request for an existing report is a later records transaction; it does not itself notify an officer about an unreported crash.

The MPD accident-report request page distinguishes a PD-10 accident report from a PD-251 incident or offense report. An officer's report receives an identifying Central Complaint Number, commonly called the CCN. Write that number down if provided. If it is missing, the request page directs people to contact the police district that responded. Use the crash date, time, and exact location to help identify the correct event instead of assuming the vehicle's plate alone will locate every record.

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District of Columbia crash records: Establish who may request the PD-10

The direct PD-10 request process is for a first party, including an involved person or the person's authorized attorney, attorney staff, or investigator. MPD directs third-party requests to its FOIA office. Identify your relationship to the crash accurately and use the appropriate channel; being interested in the event does not make someone an involved party. The request page states that first-party PD-10 requests have no fee, while it separately lists a charge for insurance-company claim requests.

Complete the PD Form 10B application with the applicant's contact information, the involved driver, the applicant's relationship to the vehicle, and available crash details. The form requires government photo identification and specifies additional authority documents for representatives. Depending on the representative category, those can include a signed retainer agreement or a notarized authorization. Read the applicable part rather than assuming every requester needs the same document or that the representative's own identification is sufficient.

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District of Columbia crash records: Choose email, mail, or an appointment

MPD accepts first-party requests by email or mail using the instructions on its current request page. Include the person's full name, crash date, location, time, and CCN if known. Email and mail requests require a copy of valid government photo identification and the completed PD-10B; scanned images or digital photographs are accepted. Make each attachment readable and label it clearly so the records staff can distinguish the request from its supporting identification.

For mail, include a self-addressed stamped envelope and use the current Public Documents Section address at 441 4th Street NW, Room 550 South, Washington, DC 20001. MPD asks mail applicants to allow six weeks for processing. In-person PD-10 requests require an appointment, with scheduling instructions on the same page. Follow that current address and procedure even if an older printed application shows a different office. Keep the request date and a copy of what was sent for any later follow-up.

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District of Columbia crash records: Request additional material through the proper channel

The MPD FOIA instructions explain how to request records and track the request through the District public-access system. Describe the desired record, date, time, location, and CCN, and provide a way for the office to contact you. Requests about oneself require identity evidence, and an attorney should document the representation. A FOIA request can involve fees and disclosure restrictions; it does not guarantee an unredacted investigative file or immediate delivery.

For a person appearing in police body-camera footage, MPD also publishes a body-worn camera viewing process. It directs the subject to wait at least 48 hours before submitting the viewing request and explains the privacy conditions that can limit access. Viewing occurs at an MPD location and does not provide a copy of the video. A request for footage, a report copy, and an insurance record are separate requests, even when all concern the same collision.

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District of Columbia crash records: Search the reported insurance information

If a crash involves a DC-tagged vehicle and you need its insurer information, use the DMV insurance-record service. The agency offers an online search, a mail request, or an in-person transaction. A mailed request needs the DC tag number, your contact information, and a check or money order payable to DC Treasurer, sent to DMV at PO Box 90120, Washington, DC 20090. This is a different destination from MPD's report office.

The insurance-record fee schedule lists a $7 charge. Check the DMV location directory if requesting the record in person. DMV explains that the result contains insurance information reported to the agency and excludes the vehicle owner's personal information. Use it to identify a possible claim contact, then ask the insurer to confirm the relevant coverage and claim requirements. The search result should not be treated as a police finding about responsibility for the collision.

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District of Columbia crash records: Keep an organized insurance claim file

Retain the crash notes, photographs, report request, received report, insurer correspondence, repair estimates, and receipts in a single claim file. Compare names, plate numbers, dates, and vehicle descriptions when the documents arrive. If a record appears to contain an error, identify the specific field and supporting evidence when contacting the issuing office. Preserve the received version rather than editing the official copy to make it match your own account.

The DISB complaint guidance recommends first contacting the financial service provider, explaining the problem and requested resolution, and keeping written communications and notes of telephone conversations. Its complaint process can address auto-insurance coverage or claim disputes when appropriate. Submit copies of supporting material, not the only originals. The Consumer Services Division explains the limits of its role: it can review regulated conduct and seek explanations, but it does not represent a consumer in court or decide every disputed fact about the crash. A pending DISB complaint also does not suspend a DMV fine; the division says it cannot ask DMV to hold the fine during its investigation.

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District of Columbia crash records: Track each request to completion

Maintain separate identifiers for the police report, FOIA request, and insurance claim so a question reaches the right office. Follow any request for missing identity or authorization documents, and verify that a mailed or emailed request reached its destination before repeatedly submitting it. DISB's consumer insurance resources can help explain coverage questions as the claim progresses. Keep the final report and correspondence available after repairs, since later questions may concern the original incident rather than the vehicle's current condition.

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District of Columbia crash records: Questions about reports and claim documents

Should I send a collision report directly to DC DMV?
DMV tells motorists not to report crashes to the agency; emergency response, police reporting, and insurer notification use their respective channels.

Can I file a traffic crash through MPD ordinary online police reporting?
The published eligibility conditions expressly exclude traffic crashes from that online reporting tool.

Is a first-party PD-10 report copy subject to the standard DMV record fee?
MPD states that first-party PD-10 requests have no charge; the separate DMV insurance-record search has its own fee.

What accompanies an emailed request for my PD-10?
Include the requested crash identifiers, a copy of valid government photo identification, and the completed PD-10B application.

Where should a person uninvolved in the crash request its records?
MPD directs third-party PD-10 requests through the department FOIA process.

Will the DMV insurance search reveal a home address for the other vehicle owner?
DMV says the search provides reported vehicle insurance information and excludes personal information about the owner.

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More Washington DC DMV guides

The other Washington DC DMV guides, 52 of them:

The public records that sit beside this page, on SearchSystems: what the District of Columbia records law opens and looking up a District of Columbia court case.