How to get a car accident report in Minnesota
Every rule below is quoted from Minnesota law or a state agency, with a link. Checked September 17, 2026.
The short answer
To get a copy of a Minnesota crash report, you go through the Department of Public Safety's Driver and Vehicle Services data request portal. A driver in a crash that injures or kills someone must promptly report it to local police, the State Patrol, or the county sheriff.
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
To get a copy of a Minnesota crash report, you go through the Department of Public Safety's Driver and Vehicle Services data request portal.
“Learn how to request a crash report or a record from DVS on our driving record request procedure page. Visit DVS's data request portal to submit a data request.”
Your reporting duties
When you must report to police
A driver in a crash that injures or kills someone must promptly report it to local police, the State Patrol, or the county sheriff.
“give notice of the collision to the local police department if the collision occurs within a municipality, to a State Patrol officer if the collision occurs on a trunk highway, or to the office of the sheriff”
Whether you must file your own report
Minnesota does not require the driver to separately file a report with a state agency. When an officer investigates a reportable crash, that officer must send an electronic or written report to the Commissioner of Public Safety within ten days.
“A peace officer who investigates in the regular course of duty an accident that is required to be reported under this section must submit an electronic or written report of the accident to the commissioner of public safety within ten days”
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.