How to File a Police Report in Maryland: Online, Phone, or In Person

To file a police report in Maryland, you have three options: walk into the station that covers where the incident happened, use an online reporting portal if your local department offers one, or call the non-emergency line for that jurisdiction. Which option is available depends on the type of incident and the agency involved. Vehicle collisions with injuries carry their own rule: every driver must file a written report with the Motor Vehicle Administration within 15 days unless a police officer already investigated the scene.¹

Figure Out Which Agency Handles Your Location

The right agency depends on where the incident took place. Contacting the wrong one doesn’t cause legal trouble, but it does mean being redirected.

Maryland State Police handle incidents on state highways and in unincorporated areas without a local police department. They operate 23 barracks across the state and have statewide jurisdiction outside incorporated municipalities.²
County police cover residential and commercial areas within county boundaries. Montgomery County, Baltimore County, and other county departments take most suburban reports.
Municipal police serve incorporated cities such as Baltimore City and Annapolis. Anything inside city limits goes to that city’s department.

If you’re not sure which jurisdiction covers your address, most county police websites include a district lookup tool.³ When in doubt, call the non-emergency line and let the dispatcher route you.

911 or the Non-Emergency Line?

Call 911 only for emergencies: a crime in progress, an injury, a threat to someone’s safety, a collision with injuries, or any situation where immediate response could prevent harm. For a past crime, a noise complaint, property damage, or a suspicious vehicle, use the non-emergency number for your department. Every county and municipal department staffs one around the clock.

The Three Ways to File

In Person at the Station

Walking into your local station is the most reliable option and works for any type of incident. A desk officer reviews your information, enters it into the department’s system while you wait, and gives you a case number before you leave. Call the non-emergency line first if you don’t know which district station to visit.³

Online

Several Maryland departments offer online reporting portals, including Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Montgomery County, and St. Mary’s County. Online filing is limited to lower-level incidents where there’s no immediate danger and no scene evidence to collect. After you submit the form, you’ll get a confirmation and a temporary case number; an officer reviews the submission and, once approved, issues a permanent report number.⁴

Not every department offers this option, and the Maryland State Police do not appear to operate a general online crime reporting portal. Check your local department’s website to confirm what’s available in your area.

By Phone

Some departments accept non-emergency reports over the phone through a telephone reporting unit. Baltimore City runs a dedicated line for this purpose. The dispatcher or reporting officer gathers the same information you’d give in person and generates a case number.

What You Can’t File Online

Online systems are built for convenience, which means departments restrict them to situations unlikely to need further on-scene work. You generally cannot file online if:

The crime is in progress or happened within the last 30 minutes
There are known suspects or witnesses
Physical evidence needs to be collected
Anyone was injured or threatened with bodily harm
The incident is a hate or bias crime
The collision involved a tow, injury, or government vehicle

These situations call for an officer’s judgment, evidence preservation, or follow-up that a form can’t handle.⁴ If you’re unsure whether your situation qualifies, call the non-emergency line and ask.

Gather This Before You File

Having your information organized before you contact police speeds up intake and produces a stronger report. Pull the following together first:

Date, time, and location, as specific as you can get. “Tuesday around noon on Route 29 near the Burtonsville exit” is useful; “sometime last week on the highway” is not.
Your full legal name, date of birth, address, and a phone number where the investigating officer can reach you.⁵
Suspect description: height, weight, clothing, hair color, distinguishing features, direction of travel. For vehicles, note make, model, color, and any part of the plate you caught.
Property details for theft or damage: every affected item with brand names, serial numbers, and approximate replacement values. Receipts or photos help.
Witness names and contact details.

Write out what happened in plain, chronological order before you arrive or start the form. “I parked at 3 p.m., returned at 5 p.m., and found the rear window smashed and my laptop bag missing from the back seat” is the kind of clear narrative investigators work from easily.

Identity theft reports need extra preparation. Pull your credit reports from all three bureaus and flag anything you don’t recognize. Maryland law lets you file an identity theft report either where you live or where the crime occurred, and police must take the report and give you a copy.⁶ Bring a government-issued ID, evidence of the fraudulent activity, and an FTC Identity Theft Report if you’ve already filed one at IdentityTheft.gov.

When a Report Is Legally Required

Most police reports in Maryland are voluntary. If someone breaks into your car or steals a package, you’re not legally obligated to report it, though you’ll almost certainly need a report for an insurance claim. Vehicle accidents are the main exception. When a collision causes bodily injury or death, every driver involved must file a written report with the MVA within 15 days, unless an officer already investigated and filed one with the State Police.¹

For property-damage-only collisions where both vehicles are drivable, Maryland doesn’t require you to call police or wait at the scene. You do have to exchange names, addresses, license numbers, and insurance information with the other driver.⁷ Filing anyway gives you documentation if the other driver later claims injuries or disputes the facts.

After You File

Every report gets a unique case or incident number. Write it down and keep it accessible. You’ll need it to follow up with the department, file an insurance claim, or request a copy of the report. Online filers get a temporary number right away and a permanent one after officer review.⁴

You can request a copy of the finalized report online, by mail, or in person at the records division of the handling agency.⁸ Processing times vary. Montgomery County estimates three to five business days for collision reports; the Maryland State Police recommend waiting at least 10 days.⁹

Fees depend on the agency. Montgomery County charges $10 per report.⁸ The Maryland State Police charge a $4 non-refundable search fee for motor vehicle accident reports, payable by check or money order.⁹ Other agencies set their own rates, so confirm before requesting.

Penalties for a False Report

Filing a report you know is false, in whole or in significant part, is a misdemeanor in Maryland. A conviction carries up to six months in jail, a fine of up to $500, or both.¹⁰ The statute targets statements made with intent to deceive and trigger an investigation; honest mistakes in a description aren’t what the law reaches. A separate provision applies to vehicle accident reports: providing false information in any written or oral report required under the accident reporting laws carries up to two months in jail and a fine of up to $500.¹¹

1
New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Transportation Code 20-107 – Written Accident Report Required by Each Driver Involved
2
Maryland Manual On-Line. Department of State Police – Functions
3
Montgomery County, Maryland. How to Make a Police Report
4
Baltimore Police Department. File a Police Report
5
Baltimore County Government. Request Crime and Accident Reports
6
Attorney General of Maryland. Identity Theft Information
7
MDOT State Highway Administration. Move It – Collision Information
8
Montgomery County Police Department. Incident Report
9
Maryland Department of State Police. Request Police Reports
10
Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Criminal Law Code 9-501 – False Statements
11
Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Transportation Code 20-108 – False Accident Reports