How to Get a Crash Report in Delaware

The Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security (DSHS) is the official custodian of Delaware crash reports. It's responsible for collecting and sharing crash data statewide.¹

The police officer who investigates a crash fills out the report. To get an official copy, you contact the police agency that wrote it.¹

Under 21 Del. C. §4203(d), police complete the State of Delaware Uniform Traffic Collision Report for certain reported crashes, including crashes that involve an impaired driver. DSHS supplies the form.³

DSHS also publishes public crash data on FirstMap and the Open Data Portal. That data has no personal information, and it isn't an official record of what happened in any particular crash.¹

Contact the police agency that wrote your report, meaning the agency whose officer investigated the crash. If you're eligible, you can ask that agency directly for an official copy.¹

If the Delaware State Police wrote your report, request it by mail. Send a copy of your collision information exchange form and your payment to Delaware State Police, Traffic Operations Section, P.O. Box 430, Dover, DE 19903. Pay by check or money order payable to the Delaware State Police. They don't accept walk-in requests. Their Traffic Unit page lists a phone line for questions, open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.²

Some local police departments take requests by mail. Wilmington Police and Middletown Police do, and New Castle County Police accept report fees by mail.^4,5,6

Some local departments also handle requests or payments in person. Middletown Police take requests in person, and New Castle County Police accept report fees at the Public Safety Building. Dover Police let you pay by credit card over the phone before you pick up your report.^5,6,7

You need proof of identity and the fee. Delaware law requires both from anyone who requests a crash report, and the police agency with primary jurisdiction over the crash sets the fee (21 Del. C. §313(c)(2)).⁸

For a Delaware State Police report, include a copy of your collision information exchange form with your payment.²

Some local departments ask for more. Middletown Police need the report number, the last name and the date of the incident. Wilmington Police need a written request and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Newark Police need picture ID.^4,5,9

The Delaware State Police charge $25 for a standard collision report and $60 for a fatal collision report. Pay by check or money order payable to the Delaware State Police.²

Each police agency sets its own fee. By law, the fee has to roughly match what it costs the agency to provide a copy (21 Del. C. §313(c)(2)).⁸

A crash report costs $20 from Wilmington, Newark or New Castle County Police, and $25 from Middletown, Cheswold or Dover Police. Cheswold and Dover say their fee can change.^4,5,6,7,9,10

Some departments charge more for fatal or serious crash reports. Newark Police charge $60 for a serious injury or fatality report, New Castle County Police charge $60 for a major or fatal report, and Middletown Police charge $75 for a fatal report.^5,6,9

Middletown Police sell available crash photos for $5 each, and you have to buy every photo available for your crash.⁵

Dover Police say most reports are ready within 7 to 10 days of the crash. They ask you to call their Records Unit first to confirm yours is ready.⁷

Cheswold Police give no fixed time frame. They ask you to call to confirm your report has been processed and is ready to release.¹⁰

New Castle County Police release only reports that a supervisor has approved.⁶

If a report is tied to a criminal prosecution, it can be withheld until the prosecution is over (21 Del. C. §313(c)(3)).⁸

Official Delaware crash reports are confidential. They aren't public records under the Delaware Freedom of Information Act.¹

State law lists who can get a copy (21 Del. C. §313(c)(1)). You can get your own crash report, and so can your legal representative.⁸

Insurers, insurance support organizations and self-insured entities can also get reports, as can their agents, employees and contractors. The law allows this for claims investigation, anti-fraud work, rating or underwriting.⁸

Local police departments state their own rules too. Wilmington Police give copies to the parties involved, their legal representatives and their insurance companies. New Castle County Police require you to be listed on the report as a party involved.^4,6

New Castle County Police give a copy only to people listed on the report as a party involved: a vehicle driver or owner, or the owner of damaged property. A major or fatal collision report costs $60, and all other collision reports cost $20. Pay by mail to New Castle County Police, Attn: Records Unit, 3601 N DuPont Hwy, New Castle, DE 19702, or in person at the Public Safety Building at the same address. Make checks payable to New Castle County. They release only reports that a supervisor has approved.⁶

Wilmington Police give copies to the parties involved in a collision and to their legal representatives and insurance companies. Send a written request, a self-addressed stamped envelope and a $20 check or money order payable to the Wilmington Police Department. Mail it to Wilmington Police Department, Attention: Records Unit, 300 North Walnut Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801.⁴

Newark Police give copies only to the people or vehicle owners listed on a collision report, or to their insurance companies. You need picture ID. A collision report costs $20, and a serious injury or fatality collision report costs $60. Newark's Request for Police Report form says you have to pay crash report fees in advance.^9,11

Dover Police sell crash reports to the drivers or owners of the vehicles involved, and to insurance companies for their insured on written request with payment. A report costs $25. The fee can change. Most reports are ready within 7 to 10 days of the crash. Call the Records Unit first, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., to confirm yours is ready. You can pay by credit card over the phone before pickup.⁷

Middletown Police take crash report requests in person or by mail. The department's address is 130 Hampden Road, Middletown, DE 19709. They release crash reports only to people listed on the report, except insurance companies and law firms. You need the report number, the last name and the date of the incident, plus $25, and you pay before the report is released. A fatal accident report costs $75. Crash photos, if available, cost $5 each, and you have to buy all of them.⁵

Cheswold Police sell crash reports to the drivers or owners of the vehicles involved, and to insurance companies for crashes involving their insured, on written request with payment. A report costs $25. The fee can change without notice. They give no fixed time frame. Call them Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., to confirm your report has been processed and is ready to release. They release protected information only after they have proof of your identity.¹⁰

If you're a driver in certain crashes, Delaware law requires you to report the crash right away to the police agency with primary jurisdiction over the crash location (21 Del. C. §4203(a)).³

This applies if the crash causes injury or death, or if it happens on a public highway and causes apparent property damage of $2,000 or more. It also applies if the crash appears to involve a driver impaired by alcohol or drugs.³

The Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security can require drivers or police departments to file a supplemental collision report on its forms if it considers the original report insufficient (21 Del. C. §4203(e)).³