How to get a car accident report in New Mexico
Every rule below is quoted from New Mexico law or a state agency, with a link. Checked September 17, 2026.
The short answer
Request a New Mexico crash report through the Department of Public Safety Law Enforcement Records Bureau Records Request Portal. Physical copies cost 1 dollar for the first page, 25 cents for each additional page, and $6 75 cents for a disc. Reports involving a fatality are kept for 25 years, and reports without a fatality, such as hit and runs or property damage crashes, are kept for 10 years. You must give notice of a crash right away, by the fastest means available, to local police if it happens in a municipality, or otherwise to the county sheriff or state police, if anyone is injured or killed, or if property damage is $500 or more.
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
Request a New Mexico crash report through the Department of Public Safety Law Enforcement Records Bureau Records Request Portal. Physical copies cost 1 dollar for the first page, 25 cents for each additional page, and $6 75 cents for a disc. Reports involving a fatality are kept for 25 years, and reports without a fatality, such as hit and runs or property damage crashes, are kept for 10 years.
“Physical copies of records provided in person, by mail, or by fax are subject to a copy fee of: $1.00 for the first page, $0.25 for each subsequent page, $6.75 for discs.”
Your reporting duties
When you must report to police
You must give notice of a crash right away, by the fastest means available, to local police if it happens in a municipality, or otherwise to the county sheriff or state police, if anyone is injured or killed, or if property damage is $500 or more.
“The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in bodily injury to or death of any person or property damage to an apparent extent of five hundred dollars ($500) or more shall immediately, by the quickest means of communication, give notice of the accident to the police department if the accident occurs within a municipality; otherwise to the office of the county sheriff or the nearest office of the New Mexico state police.”
Whether you must file your own report
A driver in a crash with injury or death, or property damage of $500 or more, must send a written report of the crash to the Department of Transportation within 5 days. If a law enforcement officer investigates the same crash, the officer must also forward a written report within 24 hours of finishing the investigation.
“The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in bodily injury to or death of any person or total property damage to an apparent extent of five hundred dollars ($500) or more shall, within five days after the accident, forward a written report of the accident to the department of transportation.”
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.