The Houston Police Department Records Division answers accident report questions at 713-308-8500, Option 3.1Houston Police Department. Public Information Requests That is the phone number for a Houston police accident report, and the staff on that line can confirm whether your report has been entered into the system, tell you what paperwork you need, and walk you through how to buy a copy. Call after your report has had time to process, not the day after the crash.
When to Call
Houston police accident reports generally take five to eight business days to become available after a crash.1Houston Police Department. Public Information Requests The investigating officer has to finish and submit the report, and administrative staff then load it into the retrieval system. Fatalities, multi-vehicle wrecks, and more complicated investigations can take longer.
If you call before that window closes, Records staff will usually tell you the report is not yet in the system and ask you to try again later. If your insurance company needs something in the meantime, the exchange-of-information sheet the officer handed you at the scene, plus the incident number, is normally enough to open a claim.
Hours and Where the Office Is
The Records Division public counter sits on the first floor of the Edward A. Thomas Building at 1200 Travis Street, Houston, Texas 77002.1Houston Police Department. Public Information Requests Phone lines and the counter both run Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the office is closed on weekends and city holidays. Hold times tend to be longest early in the week.
What to Have Ready Before You Call
To pull your report from the HPD database, staff need at least two of the following: the incident number, the date of the crash, the location of the crash, or the names of the drivers involved.1Houston Police Department. Public Information Requests The incident number is the fastest match, so dig out the paperwork the responding officer gave you before you dial.
You will also need to complete the HPD Crash Report Request Form, sometimes called the H.B. 2633 form, to actually receive a copy. The form is available in English and Spanish on the department’s website and at the 1200 Travis Street counter.2Houston Police Department. HPD Crash Report Request Form Fill in every field you can. Incomplete forms slow things down and sometimes cause the wrong report to be pulled.
What the Phone Line Won’t Do
The Records Division phone number is for questions and status checks. You cannot buy your report over the phone. HPD offers three ways to actually obtain a copy:
Online. HPD sells electronic reports through the LexisNexis BuyCrash portal.1Houston Police Department. Public Information Requests Search by incident number or crash details, pay with a credit or debit card, and the copy is emailed to you.3BuyCrash. BuyCrash – Home BuyCrash charges its own service fee on top of the report price.
By mail. Send the completed request form, a check or money order payable to the City of Houston, and a self-addressed stamped envelope to HPD Records Division, 1200 Travis Street, Houston, TX 77002.1Houston Police Department. Public Information Requests The self-addressed stamped envelope is the piece people most often leave out, and without it the request stalls.
In person. Walk-in requests are handled at the first-floor counter at 1200 Travis Street during business hours. Bring the completed form and payment. If the report is in the system, staff can hand you a copy before you leave. The counter accepts cash, credit cards, and money orders.1Houston Police Department. Public Information Requests
What It Costs
A non-certified copy is $6.00. A certified copy is $8.00.2Houston Police Department. HPD Crash Report Request Form Most people only need the non-certified version. Certified copies carry an official seal and are mainly useful when the report has to be submitted as evidence in court. Fees are non-refundable once the report is issued.
Payment method depends on how you order. BuyCrash takes credit or debit cards. Mail-in orders take checks and money orders payable to the City of Houston. The counter takes cash, credit cards, and money orders.1Houston Police Department. Public Information Requests
When HPD Is the Wrong Agency to Call
HPD only investigates crashes that happened inside Houston city limits. If your collision was in unincorporated Harris County, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office likely worked it, and that agency holds the report. Crashes on state highways may have been investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety. The responding officer’s name and agency are printed on the paperwork you received at the scene, so check that first. Calling HPD for a report they never wrote is the most common reason people are told their report does not exist.
If Your Report Has Errors
If the report contains factual mistakes, call the Records Division at 713-308-8500, Option 3, and ask about amending a report. You will generally need to submit a written statement identifying the specific errors along with any supporting evidence, such as photographs or witness contact information. Even when the department does not change the original narrative, your written statement becomes part of the file tied to that incident number, and insurance adjusters and attorneys reviewing the case will see it alongside the officer’s account.