How To Get a Police Report After an Accident in Lexington, KY

There are three ways to obtain a car accident report in Lexington. A collision report can be obtained online for a $10 fee, in-person at the Lexington Police Headquarters for a $5 fee, or by mail for a $5 fee. Additionally, if your accident report was filed through the Kentucky State Police, you can obtain a copy by mail.

If you’ve been injured, our Lexington injury lawyers can obtain a copy of your crash report on your behalf. Just give us a call to get your injury claim started in the best position possible.

Call us today at 800-800-4600

Table of Contents

Obtaining a Lexington crash report online

Obtaining a Lexington car accident report in-person

Requesting your Lexington collision report by mail

How to submit or request a copy of your collision report from the Kentucky State Police

Why you should file a police report after an auto accident

Are crash reports required in Lexington?

How long do you have to file a report after a car accident?

What happens if you don’t file a police report after an accident?

What if the police report is not accurate?

How long does a police report take in Lexington?

Does a police report say who was at fault?

An auto accident attorney can obtain your report for you

Persons authorized to receive copies of an accident collision report 

In Kentucky, the only individuals that can obtain a copy of the police report include:

• Involved Person, including any passengers who were injured or involved in the crash
• Parents of Involved Juveniles
• Insurance Companies of Involved Persons
• Authorized Legal Representation of Involved Party with Written Authorization, including a personal injury lawyer

Obtaining a Lexington crash report online

To get an accident report online, you can visit BuyCrash, which is the system that the Lexington police department uses to allow individuals involved to search for and obtain their report.

When you visit the site, you will use “Lexington Police Department” as the jurisdiction to locate your report. First, search for the state of Kentucky, then select “Lexington Police Department” and search.

Following this step, you’ll be asked to provide some information, including:

• Last name
• Date of the incident
• You will also need to provide at least one of the following:
  • The report number
  • The badge number of the officer who submitted the report
  • Or your driver’s license number

After you’ve completed the form, you will be prompted to pay the $10 fee and will then have access to your report.

Obtaining a Lexington car accident report in-person

To get receive your accident collision report in person, or a “walk-in report”, you can visit the Lexington Police Headquarters at 150 E. Main Street. The building has “Division of Police” on the outside, along with a sign shaped like a badge that reads “Lexington, Kentucky Fayette Urban County”.

Image Source: Google Maps

Once in the building, you can speak with the Records Department to obtain your report. You will need to provide the following:

• Case number (local code number)
• Name of driver/owner
• Location of collision
• Date of collision
• Photo ID

When you get an accident report in-person, you will need to pay a $5 fee.

It is also recommended to call first so that you can ensure that your report is available, and that they are open.

Requesting your Lexington collision report by mail

Requesting your report by mail requires that you provide all of the same information above as if you were collecting the report in-person, however you do not need to send your actual photo ID. Instead, send a copy of your ID.

Send a self addressed stamped envelope to:

Lexington Police Department
Central Records
150 E. Main St.
Lexington, KY 40507​

You should also include the $5 fee within the envelope in the form of a check.

Do not send photos of the accident, insurance cards, or any other documents other than what is listed above, as they will not be accepted and will be shredded and destroyed.

How to submit or request a copy of your collision report from the Kentucky State Police

If your crash occurred on any Kentucky state highway, you will need to go through the Kentucky State Police to submit or obtain a report.

You can enter, submit and print a Commonwealth of Kentucky Civilian Traffic Collision report online. If a police officer was at the scene and investigated the crash, do not file this report.

If you choose to send your report by mail, submit the Civilian Traffic Collision Report Form (PDF.). Make two copies before sending so that you can keep one copy for your records, and send the form to:

Kentucky State Police Records
Attn: Crash
1266 Louisville Road
Frankfort, KY 40601

In both reports, you’ll be asked to provide specifics about the collision, for example, if it was a Hit and Run, or a T-bone or side-impact crash, if you were sideswiped, or other types of crashes, including if you were rear-ended. You’ll also need to provide other basic information, as well as a diagram of how the crash occurred.

Why you should file a police report after an auto accident

In many instances, law enforcement officers may not respond to the scene of a motor vehicle accident. If you’ve been involved in a car accident, and the police do not arrive at the scene, it is in your best interest to initiate a report on your own, and in certain situations, you may also be legally obliged to do so.

Having the official accident report filed will help make sure that the incident is recorded through the proper channels, and will help a Lexington car accident lawyer to assist you in recovering compensation from the insurance company for any medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, pain and suffering, or other damages you may have incurred as a result of the other driver.

Additional reading: Is Kentucky a No Fault state?

Are crash reports required in Lexington?

In Lexington, As of 2023, according to KRS 189.635(4), you must adhere to Kentucky state law, which mandates that you file a collision report if:

• The accident resulted in property damage exceeding $500.
• The accident led to personal injury or death for any involved party.
• The police did not already investigate the accident at the scene.

If it’s a serious accident, a law enforcement officer will typically arrive at the scene, and if an officer completes an accident report there, you don’t need to submit a report yourself. However, if the police don’t show up at the scene, it’s your responsibility to file the report online.

How long do you have to file a report after a car accident?

In Kentucky you must file a report within ten (10) days if the accident resulted in property damage of $500 or more, if the crash led to a personal injury or death for any party involved, or if the police did not investigate the collision at the scene.

What happens if you don’t file a police report after an accident?

In Kentucky, not promptly reporting an accident can result in a fine of $20 to $100. Failing to submit a required written accident report can also incur the same fine.

However, beyond fines, not filing a report after an accident can significantly impact your ability to pursue a personal injury claim and receive compensation if you’ve been injured due to someone else’s negligence. The report is a crucial piece of documentation that can influence insurance decisions. Therefore, it’s in your best interest to ensure a police report is filed to protect your entitlement to compensation in a car accident claim.

What if the police report is not accurate?

Having an accurate record of a car accident is crucial. While your own documentation of the scene is valuable, an official report from authorities provides an unbiased account of contributing factors. This can protect you from false claims and insurance disputes. The report ensures your side of the story is considered and can be backed by additional evidence obtained by you or your attorney.

If the report is not accurate, you can request that it be corrected by the agency that recorded it.

How long does a police report take in Lexington?

Collision reports filed through the Lexington police department are available 5 days after a report is filed. The only individuals that can receive the report are those who were involved in the incident, or an attorney that has been authorized by a party involved.

When seeking to obtain your report, LexusNexus (BuyCrash) can provide you with a notification to alert you when it’s ready.

To locate an accident report, you will need:

• Your report number
• The report date
• Driver’s last name or owner’s last name

If you do not have or know your report number, you can contact the Lexington Police Department and ask them to provide it.

Does a police report say who was at fault?

A police report typically does not explicitly state who was at fault in an accident. Determining fault is generally the responsibility of insurance companies, legal professionals, or, in some cases, the courts. They rely on the information contained in the police report, along with other evidence and statements, to establish fault or liability. The police report can be a crucial piece of evidence in this process, but it does not make a final determination of fault.

An auto accident attorney can obtain your report for you

If you’re injured in a car accident, contact Hughes & Coleman. We can get your accident report and maximize your compensation for any injuries you may have as a result of a negligent driver. We provide free case evaluations, and we work on a contingency fee basis, which means that if we don’t recover compensation for you, you don’t pay us anything.

Call now at 800-800-4600.

Get it done.