How to Get Your Virginia Beach Police Crash Report (and the 5 Things to Check on It)

After a crash in Virginia Beach, the police crash report is usually the first document an insurance adjuster reads. It often shapes the adjuster's view of who was at fault before anyone has talked to you. In Virginia, where being found even slightly at fault can bar your recovery, getting the report and checking it carefully is one of the most useful things you can do in the first week.

Step 1: Get the report number at the scene

Ask the responding officer for the report or case number and the officer's name and badge number. If you left in an ambulance, call the VBPD non-emergency line and give the date, time and location of the crash.

Step 2: Request the report

For crashes in Virginia Beach, the police department sends crash reports to the Virginia DMV, and the DMV is where you request a copy. (VBPD, Virginia DMV) You can send a written request or the DMV Information Request Form (CRD 93) by mail, fax, or in person at a DMV customer service center. You will usually need:

Your role in the crash (driver, passenger, injured person, or vehicle owner).

The date, time and location of the crash.

The other driver's name, if you know it, and your driver's license number.

The fee is $8 per report, and the DMV refunds it if no report is found. Only people involved in the crash and their representatives, such as an attorney or insurer, can get the full report.

Step 3: Know how long it takes

Reports are usually not available the same day. The officer has to finish the investigation and send the report to the DMV, and the DMV mails copies by first-class mail. Plan on a week or two. If the crash involved a serious injury or a death, the investigation may take longer.

Who can get a copy

Virginia law limits full crash reports to the people involved and their authorized representatives (Va. Code § 46.2-380).

The 5 things to check on your crash report

1. Names, insurance and vehicle details. A wrong policy number or a misspelled name can slow your claim. Make sure the other driver's insurance company is listed correctly.

2. The diagram and narrative. Does the drawing match where the cars actually were? Does the officer's short summary match what happened? Adjusters read these first.

3. Contributing factors and citations. Look at the boxes for speed, distraction, failure to yield and similar codes, and check whether anyone was charged. A citation to the other driver helps; a box checked against you can hurt in a contributory negligence state.

4. Witnesses. Check that independent witnesses are listed with contact details. Witness names are easy to lose and hard to find later.

5. Injuries noted. If the report says "no apparent injury" but you were hurt, that is common, since many injuries show up hours or days later. Get medical care and keep your records. They matter more than an early box on a form.

What if the report is wrong?

Factual errors, like a wrong plate number or insurance company, can sometimes be corrected by contacting the reporting officer. An officer is unlikely to change an opinion about fault just because you disagree. That is where photos, witness statements, video and an attorney's investigation come in.

Don't let the report be the whole story

A police report is one piece of evidence. Under Virginia law, an officer's crash report generally cannot be used as evidence at trial (Va. Code § 46.2-379), but insurers still rely on it heavily when deciding what to offer. If the report gets fault wrong, the sooner you respond with real evidence, the better. Learn why fault matters so much in Virginia.

Talk to a Virginia Beach injury attorney

I've practiced injury law in Hampton Roads since 2006. When you hire me, you get me. If your crash report has mistakes or the adjuster is already pointing at you, call or text 757-965-7200, or contact me online. The consultation is free. I handle Virginia Beach auto accident cases from this office.

Scott R. Barney, Esq. · Barney Injury Law · 1080 Laskin Road, Suite 101, Virginia Beach, VA 23451