You can obtain a San Antonio crash report, officially called a CR-3, through the TxDOT Crash Report Online Purchase System or in person at the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) Records Office, located at 315 South Santa Rosa.
While requesting the report sounds simple, the hard part is usually the timing. These reports are almost never ready immediately after the accident. There is a processing period that causes anxiety when you have insurance adjusters calling and medical bills starting to arrive.If you have a question about a recent accident or can’t locate your report, call us at (512) 477-7333.
Key Takeaways for Obtaining a San Antonio Police Report
- Expect a 7–10 business day delay for your report. The officer's report must go through an approval and filing process before it becomes available on the TxDOT online portal.
- The TxDOT online portal is the fastest way to get your report. Use the crash ID, VIN, or license plate number for the most accurate search results.
- An officer's opinion on fault is not final. If the report contains errors, you have options to correct factual mistakes or supplement the report with your side of the story.
The Waiting Game: Why You Can’t Find Your Report Yet
You go online the day after the crash, punch in your details, and the system returns a cold, frustrating message: "No Record Found." It's a common experience, and it's easy for your mind to jump to worst-case scenarios. Did the officer lose the paperwork? Did I write down the wrong case number? How can I file my insurance claim without this document?
This delay is a normal part of the process, as the investigating officer has to complete their official report, which then goes to a supervisor for review and approval. After that, administrative staff must officially file and upload it to the state's central database. This chain of events takes time.
The San Antonio Police Department and TxDOT generally advise that it takes 7 to 10 business days for a crash report to become available for purchase. This timeline varies, however. A straightforward fender-bender on Loop 410 with no injuries might appear in the system faster than a difficult, multi-vehicle pileup on I-35 that required extensive investigation at the scene. It's best to wait until this window has passed before trying to purchase your report, as you might end up paying for a document that is still listed as "pending" or incomplete.
Three Ways to Get Your San Antonio Police Report
Once the waiting period is over, you have three primary methods for getting your hands on the report. We've ordered them by what is typically the fastest and easiest path.
Method 1: The Online Portal (Fastest & Most Convenient)
The most efficient way to get your report is through the aforementioned official TxDOT Crash Report Online Purchase System, also known as C.R.I.S. (Crash Records Information System). This is the central repository for all official CR-3 reports filed by any police agency in Texas, including SAPD and the Texas Highway Patrol.
To find your report, you'll need at least one key piece of information:
- Name of a Person Involved: You may search by your name or the other driver's name. However, be cautious if you have a common name. A search for "Jose Garcia" in San Antonio will likely return dozens, if not hundreds, of results. You'll need the date of the crash to narrow it down.
- VIN or License Plate: Searching by the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or the license plate number of one of the involved vehicles is a highly accurate method.
- TxDOT Crash ID: This is the specific case number assigned to your accident. The investigating officer should have provided you with an information exchange slip at the scene that contains this number. This is the most direct way to find your specific report.
The cost for a report through the online portal is $6.00 for a standard, uncertified copy and $8.00 for a certified copy. A standard copy is sufficient for your personal records and for filing an initial insurance claim. A certified copy, which includes a seal verifying its authenticity, is typically only needed if a lawsuit is filed.
Method 2: In-Person Request (Best for Troubleshooting)
If you're having trouble with the online system or believe there might be an error with your report, going in person is your best option. You may request a copy directly from the San Antonio Police Department Records Office.
- Address: 315 South Santa Rosa, San Antonio, Texas 78207
- Hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Bring a valid photo ID and your case number or other information about the accident. Speaking directly with a records clerk allows you to ask questions and troubleshoot any issues, such as a misspelled name or incorrect date that might be preventing you from finding the report online.
Method 3: Via Mail (The Slow Route)
Finally, you may request your report by mail. This is the slowest method and should only be used if you do not have reliable internet access or cannot travel to the downtown police headquarters. You will need to download and complete the Police Report Request Form from the city's website.
You must mail the completed form along with a check or money order for the fee and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:
San Antonio Police Department Records Office
315 S. Santa Rosa
San Antonio, TX 78207
Be prepared for this process to take several weeks from the time you mail your request to the time you receive the report back.
Who Has Jurisdiction? (Don’t Look in the Wrong Place)
A common source of confusion is not knowing which police department actually handled the accident. If the San Antonio Police Department didn't respond to your crash, you won't find the report in their specific records queue, though it should still end up on the statewide TxDOT portal eventually.
- Bexar County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO): If your accident happened in an unincorporated area of Bexar County (outside the official city limits of San Antonio), the Sheriff's Office likely responded. While their reports are also submitted to the TxDOT C.R.I.S. portal, you may also contact their records office at 200 N. Comal Street.
- Texas Highway Patrol (DPS): State troopers have primary jurisdiction over Texas highways and interstates. If your crash was on I-10, I-35, Loop 1604, or another major highway, there's a good chance a DPS trooper filed the report. These reports are filed directly with TxDOT and are best found on the C.R.I.S. online portal.
- Small Municipalities: Bexar County contains several independent cities like Alamo Heights, Castle Hills, Leon Valley, and others. If your accident occurred within the boundaries of one of these smaller towns, their local police department would have responded and filed the report. You would need to contact their specific records department directly.
The Blue Form vs. The Officer’s Report
In some cases, especially minor accidents with no apparent injuries, police may not respond to the scene. In the past, officers would instruct drivers to self-report the crash by filling out a Driver's Crash Report (CR-2), commonly known as a Blue Form.
However, as of September 1, 2017, the Texas Department of Transportation no longer retains these driver-submitted forms. While some officers may still hand them out for your personal records, they are no longer filed in an official state database. This makes them effectively useless for an insurance claim.
Insurance companies give far more weight to an official, officer-filed CR-3. The officer's report is an independent, third-party account of the incident, while a Blue Form is just your version of events. If you were injured or the damage exceeds $1,000, Texas law requires that an officer file an official report. If police refused to come to the scene of a serious accident, document everything yourself, such as photos, videos, and witness information, and consider contacting a car accident attorney for guidance on how to proceed.
Understanding the Redacted vs. Complete Report
When you first download a report from the public portal, you may notice that some information is blacked out or redacted. This is intentional. Texas Transportation Code § 550.065 makes crash reports confidential to protect the privacy of the people involved. The publicly available, redacted version proves the accident happened but hides key personal details like addresses, phone numbers, and full insurance policy information.
To get the complete, unredacted report, you must prove you have a proper interest in the accident. This group includes:
- Any person, driver, or vehicle owner involved in the crash.
- An authorized representative of anyone involved, such as their attorney.
- The insurance company for a person or vehicle in the crash.
This is one area where having a law firm on your side is highly efficient. When we request a report on your behalf, we automatically attach our legal credentials, which grants us immediate access to the full, unredacted version needed to pursue your claim.
What to Do If the Report Is Wrong
You wait ten days, pay the fee, and finally open the report... only to find a glaring error. Maybe it says you were the one who merged improperly, or it lists the wrong insurance carrier for the at-fault driver. Your heart sinks. Now what?
Distinguish between two types of errors: factual mistakes and disputed determinations. How you act depends on which one you're facing.
- Factual Errors: These are objective mistakes like a misspelled name, the wrong license plate number, an incorrect VIN, or the wrong time of day. These are usually easy to fix. Contact the SAPD Records Office or the reporting officer directly with proof of the correct information (like a copy of your driver's license or vehicle registration).
- Disputed Determinations: This is when you disagree with the officer's opinion, particularly about who was at fault. This is much harder to change. An officer is unlikely to amend their official conclusion based on a phone call. The proper course of action is to draft a formal supplemental statement with your version of events and request that it be attached to the original report.
Remember, an officer’s opinion on fault is not the final word. A police report that incorrectly assigns fault is a significant hurdle, but it is not a dead end. An experienced attorney gathers evidence, such as witness statements, vehicle damage analysis, or nearby surveillance footage, to challenge the report's conclusion and demonstrate the truth of what happened.
FAQ for San Antonio Police Reports
Can I look up a police report for free in San Antonio?
No. While some basic incident information may be available through public portals, obtaining the official CR-3 crash report document requires paying a statutory fee, which is currently $6 for a standard copy.
What if the other driver had no insurance listed on the report?
This is a serious but common problem. Your next step is to look to your own auto insurance policy. If you have Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage, you may file a claim with your own provider to cover your medical bills and damages.
How long does SAPD keep records on file?
The state of Texas requires that law enforcement agencies retain crash reports for 10 years plus the current year. Reports older than that may be destroyed and unavailable.
Can I get a report if the accident happened on private property (like an H-E-B parking lot)?
Usually, no. SAPD typically does not write official CR-3 state crash reports for minor accidents on private property unless a serious crime (like a DWI or hit-and-run with injuries) occurred. Instead, they may create a less formal incident report that simply documents that they responded. In these cases, exchanging information and taking photos is your primary evidence.
What does “Unit 1” mean on the report?
While not a legally binding rule, a common practice for Texas police officers when filling out a CR-3 is to list the driver they believe to be primarily at fault as "Unit 1." The other vehicle is then listed as "Unit 2." Always read the narrative and contributing factors section to understand the officer's full assessment.
Don’t Let Paperwork Delay Your Recovery
A police report is just a piece of paper, but it’s the piece of paper that unlocks your ability to get your car fixed and your medical bills covered. Dealing with the bureaucracy of TxDOT or the City of San Antonio is a slow, impersonal, and frustrating process. The instructions are not always clear, and the delays add to the stress you're already feeling.
You might be tempted to handle the insurance adjuster without the report, or you might hope that the other driver will simply do the right thing. Unfortunately, history shows that without official documentation, your position is much weaker. The report is your safety net.
The attorneys at Lorenz & Lorenz, PLLC, obtain these reports every day. We know how to read the codes, how to challenge inaccuracies, and how to use the report's findings to hold the at-fault party and their insurer accountable.
If you are struggling to get your report, or if the report blames you for a crash you didn't cause, call us today at (512) 477-7333.
