How to Get a Police Report in Birmingham, Alabama

The Birmingham Police Department Records Division handles all requests for accident reports, incident reports, and offense reports. The office is located at 1710 1st Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203. Phone: (205) 254-6308. Walk-in hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

To request your accident report in person, bring a valid photo ID (driver's license, state ID, or passport). You will need to provide the date of the accident, the location, and the names of the parties involved. If you have the accident report number from the officer at the scene, bring that as well — it speeds up the search.

Each report costs $10.00. If you need a notarized copy (some insurance companies and attorneys request this), the additional notarization fee is $6.00. Payment methods accepted include money order, certified check, or company check made out to the City of Birmingham. Check with the Records Division about current cash and card acceptance policies, as these may vary.

Reports can also be ordered online through the Birmingham Police Department website. Online orders may require a credit or debit card. Allow additional time for processing and delivery if ordering by mail.

Most Birmingham police accident reports are available within 5 to 7 business days after the accident. Complex accidents involving serious injuries, fatalities, or ongoing investigations may take longer — sometimes several weeks. Hit-and-run reports or accidents requiring reconstruction by the department's traffic unit can also be delayed.

If you need the report urgently for an insurance claim or legal deadline, call the Records Division at (205) 254-6308 to check availability. The officers can tell you whether your report has been completed and entered into the system. If it has not been completed yet, ask for an estimated completion date.

In the meantime, your insurance company can begin processing your claim with an exchange-of-information form or the other driver's insurance details. You do not need to wait for the official police report to notify your insurer of the accident.

Alabama law (Ala. Code 32-10-11) makes accident reports confidential. Not everyone can walk in and request a copy. Eligible requesters include: any person involved in the accident or their legal representative, an insurance company covering a vehicle or person involved in the accident, and any person with a proper court order.

If you are requesting a report on behalf of someone else — for example, a family member who was injured and cannot visit in person — bring a signed authorization letter from the accident victim along with your own ID and their ID or a copy of it.

Attorneys representing accident victims can request reports by presenting their bar card or a letter of representation. Insurance adjusters typically submit requests through their company on official letterhead.

A Birmingham police accident report (Alabama Uniform Traffic Crash Report) contains critical information for your personal injury claim. The report typically includes the date, time, and exact location of the accident; weather and road conditions at the time; names, addresses, phone numbers, and insurance information for all drivers; the officer's diagram of the accident scene; the officer's narrative describing what happened; any citations or traffic violations issued; witness names and contact information; and vehicle descriptions and damage details.

The officer's narrative and any citations are particularly important for establishing fault. If the other driver received a citation for running a red light, speeding, or following too closely, that citation supports your claim that the other driver was negligent. In Alabama, where the pure contributory negligence rule can bar your entire claim if you are found even 1% at fault, the police report's fault determination carries significant weight.

Review your report carefully as soon as you receive it. If you find errors — a wrong street name, incorrect vehicle description, or inaccurate account of what happened — you can request an amendment. Contact the investigating officer through the Birmingham Police Department to discuss corrections. Factual errors in the report can undermine your claim if left uncorrected.

Not every accident in the Birmingham area is investigated by the Birmingham Police Department. If your accident occurred on an interstate highway (I-65, I-20/59, I-459), it may have been investigated by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), formerly the Alabama State Troopers. ALEA reports can be requested through the ALEA website at alea.gov or by contacting the ALEA office.

If your accident occurred in a suburb or unincorporated area of Jefferson County, it may have been handled by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office or a local municipal police department such as Homewood PD, Vestavia Hills PD, Mountain Brook PD, Hoover PD, or Bessemer PD. Each agency maintains its own records division. Check the report number or ask which agency responded to determine where to request your copy.

The Shelby County Sheriff's Office handles accidents in parts of the Hoover and Pelham areas that fall within Shelby County. If you are unsure which agency investigated your accident, the report number prefix or the jurisdiction listed on any paperwork from the scene will tell you.

Your police report is the foundation of your personal injury claim. Insurance adjusters request and review the report before making any settlement offer. The report establishes when and where the accident happened, who was involved, and — critically — the officer's assessment of fault.

In Alabama, the pure contributory negligence rule means that any evidence suggesting you were partially at fault can destroy your entire claim. If the police report indicates you were speeding, failed to signal, or were distracted, the insurance company will use that against you. Conversely, if the report clearly places fault on the other driver, it strengthens your position significantly.

An attorney can help you interpret the police report, identify errors that need correction, and build a strategy around the report's findings. If the report is unclear on fault or contains information that could be used against you, an experienced Birmingham personal injury attorney will know how to address those issues before they become problems in your case.

If you were in an accident in Birmingham and you have your police report — or you are still waiting for it — take our free 2-minute assessment. You will answer a few quick questions about your accident and injuries, and we will give you a personalized report that includes Alabama's filing deadline for your claim, how the police report fits into your next steps, and whether connecting with a personal injury attorney makes sense for your situation.

You do not need to have your police report in hand to start. Our assessment gives you a clear picture of where you stand and what to do next — free and confidential.