How to get a car accident report in Michigan
Every rule below is quoted from Michigan law or a state agency, with a link. Checked September 17, 2026.
The short answer
You can buy a copy of a Michigan crash report online through the Traffic Crash Purchasing System for $15. It can take 3 to 30 days after the crash before the report is available to purchase. A driver in a crash that injures or kills someone, or causes at least one thousand dollars in property damage, must immediately report it at the nearest police station or to a police officer.
Which agency has your report
The report comes from the agency whose officer came to the crash. On interstates and state highways that is usually the state police or highway patrol. On city streets it is the city police, and outside city limits it is often the county sheriff. Ask the officer for the report number before you leave the scene.
Requesting a state police crash report
You can buy a copy of a Michigan crash report online through the Traffic Crash Purchasing System for $15. It can take 3 to 30 days after the crash before the report is available to purchase.
“It can take 3 - 30 days following the crash for the report to be processed into the TCPS database and made available online for purchase.”
Your reporting duties
When you must report to police
A driver in a crash that injures or kills someone, or causes at least one thousand dollars in property damage, must immediately report it at the nearest police station or to a police officer.
“The driver of a motor vehicle involved in an accident that injures or kills any person, or that damages property to an apparent extent totaling $1,000.00 or more, shall immediately”
Whether you must file your own report
Michigan does not require the driver to separately file a report with a state agency. When a crash meets the police report threshold, the officer who takes the report forwards it to the Michigan State Police.
“The officer receiving the report, or his or her commanding officer, shall immediately forward each report to the director of the department of state police on forms prescribed by the”
Sources on this page
Each one was opened and checked on September 17, 2026.
Know My Claim is not a law firm or a government agency, and this page is not legal advice. Laws change, so check the linked source before you rely on a deadline.