How to Get Your Police Report in Tampa

If your accident was investigated by the Tampa Police Department, the cheapest option is the TPD Records portal at cityoftampa.govqa.us. Reports cost $2 per download. You need the date of the crash and the names of the individuals involved. The report number helps narrow your search if you have it — the officer should have provided this at the scene on an exchange-of-information card.

You can also purchase your report through the Florida Crash Portal (FLHSMV) at services.flhsmv.gov/crashreportpurchasing. This statewide portal covers all Florida law enforcement agencies — Tampa PD, Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Florida Highway Patrol, and every other Florida agency. Reports cost $10 plus a $2 convenience fee per transaction, for $12 total. You can purchase up to 10 reports per transaction. A download link is emailed to you and must be downloaded within 48 hours.

Reports typically appear in the online systems within 10 days of the accident. Florida law (F.S. § 316.066) requires investigating officers to submit crash reports within 10 days of completing their investigation. Complex crashes involving fatalities, multiple vehicles, or ongoing investigations may take longer.

If you prefer to get your report in person, or if you need it before it appears online, visit the Tampa Police Department Records Section at One Police Center, 411 N Franklin Street, 2nd Floor, Tampa, FL 33602. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The office is closed on city holidays. In-person requests may provide same-day results if the report has been filed. Phone: (813) 276-3250.

Bring a photo ID and, if you have it, the crash report number or the date and location of the accident. The records staff can look up your report by name if you do not have the report number. In-person copies cost $2 per report. Additional copies are $0.15 per page for one-sided copies.

You can also request a report by mail. Send a completed Records Request Form, a copy of your driver's license or government-issued ID, the report number, a notarized sworn statement, and $2 payment to the Records Section at the address above. Mail requests take longer to process than online or in-person requests.

If your accident was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) rather than Tampa PD, you can obtain the report through the Florida Crash Portal for $12, or in person at the HCSO Records Section at 1900 E 9th Avenue, Tampa, FL 33605. Phone: (813) 247-8210. Email: rec_request@hcso.tampa.fl.us. Hours: Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

In-person requests at HCSO may provide same-day results if the report is available. You will need the date of the incident, names of individuals involved, a copy of your driver's license, and the report number if available. All Florida crash report requests require a signed sworn statement that the information will not be used for commercial solicitation of accident victims.

You can also request HCSO reports by mail. Include a signed Sworn Statement for Crash Report form, payment of $10 made out to FLHSMV, and a copy of your ID. Mail requests to HCSO are processed in 4 to 6 weeks.

If your accident occurred on an interstate (I-275, I-75, I-4) or state highway in the Tampa area, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) may have responded. FHP Troop C covers Hillsborough County. The troop headquarters is at 11305 N McKinley Drive, Tampa, FL 33612. Phone: (813) 558-1800.

FHP reports are available through the Florida Crash Portal at services.flhsmv.gov/crashreportpurchasing for $12 ($10 plus $2 convenience fee). In-person requests at the FHP troop station cost $10 per report for requests of 10 or fewer reports. Parties directly involved in the crash may qualify for free access at the troop station.

For mail requests exceeding 10 reports, send your request to: Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Crash Records, 2900 Apalachee Parkway, MS 28, Tallahassee, FL 32399. Include a request letter, signed sworn statement, and payment by check or money order payable to FLHSMV. Mail requests take 4 to 6 weeks to process.

To find your crash report on the Florida Crash Portal or Tampa PD portal, you need at least one of the following: the crash report number (the best way to search — the officer should have provided this on an exchange-of-information card at the scene), the date of the accident, the reporting agency (Tampa Police Department, Hillsborough County Sheriff, or Florida Highway Patrol), or the name of a person involved in the crash.

If you were taken from the scene by ambulance and did not receive a crash report number, do not worry. You can search by your last name and the date of the accident. Selecting the reporting agency will help narrow results. If the officer left a card with a family member, check with them. The report number may also be on the tow receipt if your vehicle was towed.

All Florida crash report requests require a signed sworn statement confirming that the information will not be used for commercial solicitation of accident victims or disclosed to third parties for such solicitation. This is a requirement under Florida law to protect crash victims' privacy during the 60-day confidentiality period (F.S. § 316.066).

Florida law (F.S. § 316.066) provides a 60-day confidentiality period for crash reports. During this period, only certain parties may access the report: people involved in the crash, their licensed insurance agents, their attorneys, and law enforcement agencies. After 60 days, the report becomes a public record available to anyone.

This confidentiality period exists to protect crash victims from solicitation by attorneys and medical providers. If you are a party to the crash, you can access your report immediately — you do not need to wait 60 days. Bring your photo ID to prove you were involved in the accident.

If someone other than a crash party, their insurer, or their attorney requests a report within 60 days, the request will be denied. After 60 days, crash reports are public records and available to anyone through the Florida Crash Portal or in-person requests.

Florida crash reports (the Long Form) contain a detailed record of the accident. The report includes the date, time, and exact location of the crash, weather and road conditions, a diagram of the accident scene showing vehicle positions and directions of travel, and the names, addresses, driver's license numbers, and insurance information for all drivers and passengers involved.

The responding officer's narrative is the most important section for your injury claim. The narrative describes what the officer observed at the scene, what the drivers and witnesses said, and the officer's assessment of how the accident occurred. If the officer determined that one driver was at fault — ran a red light, failed to yield, was following too closely — the narrative will say so. If the officer issued a citation, that is powerful evidence supporting your claim.

The report also notes whether anyone was injured, whether anyone was transported by ambulance, and whether any driver appeared to be impaired. Witness contact information is included if witnesses were present and spoke to the officer. All of this information becomes part of the evidence in your personal injury case.

The police report is one of the first documents the insurance company reviews when evaluating your claim. It documents the officer's assessment of fault, whether citations were issued, the severity of the impact, and the injuries reported at the scene. An officer's determination that the other driver was at fault — especially if backed by a citation — puts significant pressure on the insurance company to offer a fair settlement.

The report also establishes a timeline. It documents when the accident occurred, when police arrived, and what injuries were reported at the scene. If you develop symptoms later that were not immediately apparent — whiplash, concussions, and soft tissue injuries often take 24 to 72 hours to manifest — the report provides context that supports the connection between the accident and your delayed symptoms.

Under Florida's new modified comparative negligence rule (F.S. § 768.81(6)), if you are found more than 50% at fault, you recover nothing. The police report's fault determination is a critical piece of evidence in establishing that the other party bears the majority of responsibility. If the police report contains errors, contact Tampa PD Records at (813) 276-3250 to ask about the correction process.

Florida law (F.S. § 316.065) requires the driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury, death, or property damage of $500 or more to immediately stop and contact local law enforcement. The investigating officer must complete and submit a Florida Traffic Crash Report (Long Form) within 10 days of completing the investigation (F.S. § 316.066).

If no officer responded to the scene and damage is $500 or more, the driver must submit a written report to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles within 10 days of the accident. Drivers must also provide their name, address, vehicle registration, and driver's license information to the other party (F.S. § 316.062) and render reasonable assistance to any injured person.

Leaving the scene of an accident involving injury (hit-and-run) is a third-degree felony in Florida, punishable by up to 5 years in prison, 5 years probation, and a $5,000 fine (F.S. § 316.027). Leaving the scene involving death is a first-degree felony, punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. If the other driver left the scene, call 911 immediately and file a police report — a documented hit-and-run report is essential for your insurance claim, particularly if you need to use your own uninsured motorist coverage.

If you have been in an accident in Tampa and have your police report, get your free Injury Claim Check. You will answer a few quick questions about your accident and injuries, and we will give you a personalized report that includes Florida's filing deadline for your specific claim, your legal options based on the details of your accident, and whether connecting with a Tampa personal injury attorney makes sense for your situation.

Your police report is an important piece of the puzzle, but understanding the full picture — fault, insurance coverage, medical documentation, deadlines — is what determines the strength of your claim. Florida's 2023 tort reforms shortened the deadline to 2 years and added a 51% fault bar that makes documentation more critical than ever. Our Injury Claim Check gives you clear, actionable information about what comes next. Free, confidential, and takes less time than waiting on hold with the records office.