How to Get a San Francisco Police Accident Report (SFPD and CHP)

After a crash in San Francisco, the police report is the first document an insurance adjuster asks for and the first one a lawyer reads. Which agency wrote it depends on where the crash happened. City streets are the San Francisco Police Department. The freeways that run through the city, including US-101, I-80, I-280 and the Bay Bridge approaches, are the California Highway Patrol. This guide covers both, using each agency’s own instructions.

Which report do you need?

If officers came to a crash on a city street, the SFPD wrote the report. If the crash was on a freeway or a freeway ramp, the CHP wrote it. If you are not sure, the report number on the card or slip the officer gave you will tell you. SFPD report numbers come from the San Francisco Police Department; CHP reports carry a CHP form number and the name of a CHP Area office.

One thing to know before you start: the SFPD only prepares a traffic collision report in three situations, according to its own request form: hit and run, drunk driving, and cases where someone was injured. If no one was hurt and no crime was involved, there may be no SFPD report to request, and your insurance claim will rely on your own documentation and the other driver’s information.

Getting an SFPD traffic collision report

Online

The SFPD accepts requests for all incident report types, including traffic collision reports, through an online portal linked from its Request a Copy of a Police Incident Report page. You will be asked to upload a copy of valid identification, which can be a driver’s license, an SF City ID card, a state-issued ID card or a passport. The report is free.

In person or by mail

Requests and pickups are handled at the SFPD Report Management Section, 1245 3rd Street, 1st Floor, San Francisco, CA 94158, from 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday, closed on holidays. The building has security screening. Mail requests go to the same address: San Francisco Police Department, Report Management Section, 1245 3rd Street, San Francisco, CA 94158-2102. Mailed requests must include a self-addressed, legal-size stamped envelope or the report will not be processed.

The form

The request form is the “Request for Incident Report,” form SFPD 491E. It asks for the police report number if you have it, the party’s name and date of birth, your interest in the report, the incident type, date, time and location, and the vehicle plate or description. The form itself says there is no legal requirement to fill out every field, so do not let a missing report number stop you.

Timing

The SFPD asks you to allow a minimum of five business days from the date of the collision before requesting a traffic collision report, and the form says to allow ten business days from the date of your request for processing. Those measure two different things. Wait five business days after the crash, then expect about two more weeks.

If you have a lawyer

An attorney requesting a report on your behalf must upload a business card showing a State Bar number plus written proof of representation, such as a retainer agreement or a letter on firm letterhead. GJEL requests reports for every client we represent, so if you have already spoken with our San Francisco car accident lawyers, this step is handled for you.

Questions about a report go to the Report Management Section at 1-415-575-7232. The SFPD non-emergency line is 1-415-553-0123.

Getting a CHP collision report (freeways and the Bay Bridge)

The CHP releases collision reports to what it calls a proper Party of Interest: the driver, a passenger, the property owner, the vehicle owner, a parent of a minor or a legal guardian. Insurance companies and attorneys can also request them. The request uses form CHP 190, Application for Release of Information, submitted in person or by mail to the nearest CHP Area office.

Crashes inside San Francisco fall under the CHP San Francisco Area office at 455 Eighth Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, one of eleven Area offices in the CHP Golden Gate Division. Division headquarters is 1551 Benicia Road, Vallejo, CA 94591, (707) 917-4300. [VERIFY the San Francisco Area office phone and hours on chp.ca.gov before publishing; the page was not reachable during research.]

What to include

Attach a photocopy of your driver license or picture ID to the CHP 190. Without it, the form must be notarized. You will need the collision date (approximate is fine if you do not know it), the location, and the name of a driver or vehicle owner.

Fees

CHP charges by page count: $10 for 1 to 25 pages, $20 for 26 to 50, $30 for 51 to 75, $40 for 76 to 100, and $10 for each additional 25 pages over 100. There is no charge for handling or mailing. Pay by personal check or money order to the California Highway Patrol; the CHP does not take cash or cards by mail. The report is mailed after the CHP verifies the requester and receives payment.

What to check when the report arrives

Read the narrative and the diagram, then check the party information, the insurance details for every driver, the list of witnesses and the officer’s notes on the primary collision factor. Errors are common. A wrong plate, a missing witness or a factor code that does not match what happened can change how an insurer treats fault. If something is wrong, the SFPD or CHP can add a supplemental report, and your lawyer can request that with the evidence to support it.

A police report is evidence, not a verdict. Officers often do not see the crash, and in California a report’s opinion on fault is not binding on an insurer or a court. If the report blames you and you believe it is wrong, do not accept the insurer’s decision as final. Talk to a lawyer first.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: San Francisco Police Department, Request a Copy of a Police Incident Report and Traffic Collision Report pages, and form SFPD 491E; California Highway Patrol, Collision Report CHP 190 page, office directory and Golden Gate Division page. Accessed September 2, 2026. Procedures and fees change; confirm with the agency before relying on them.