If you were in a California traffic accident that caused any injury, any death, or more than $1,000 in property damage, you have 10 days to file the California DMV SR-1 form, officially the Report of Traffic Accident Occurring in California.1California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 16000 – Accident Reports You can complete it through the DMV’s online reporting portal or download the printable PDF and mail it in.2California DMV. Report of Traffic Accident Occurring in California (SR-1) The SR-1 is a separate obligation from any police report. Even if officers responded and wrote up the crash, the DMV still wants its own record from you.
When the SR-1 Is Required
The duty to file applies regardless of who was at fault, and it kicks in under any of these conditions:
- Property damage over $1,000 on a street or highway to any one person’s property.1California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 16000 – Accident Reports
- Off-highway property damage over $750, if the vehicle involved must be registered in California. If the only damage is to your own property and no one was hurt, no report is required.3Justia Law. California Vehicle Code 16000-16005 – Article 1
- Any bodily injury, no matter how minor. The statute makes no distinction between a bruise and a broken bone.
- Any death resulting from the accident.
The 10-day clock starts the day of the accident, not the day you learn about a hidden injury or delayed damage. That window is tight, so start gathering information at the scene.
Information to Gather Before You Fill It Out
The online portal does not save partial submissions, so pull everything together before you sit down. The form has four sections: your information, the other party’s information, injury and property damage, and a certification signed under penalty of perjury.
Your Details and Vehicle
You’ll enter your full legal name, date of birth, home address, home and work phone numbers, and your driver’s license number and issuing state. For the vehicle, you need the year, make, license plate or VIN, and state of registration. A checkbox asks whether you were driving for an employer at the time.4CSU Chico. SR 1 Report of Traffic Accident Occurring in California
Insurance Information
This is where people get stuck. You need the name of the actual insurance company, not your agent or broker, plus the policy number, the NAIC (National Association of Insurance Commissioners) company number, the policy period start and end dates, and the policyholder’s name. The NAIC number is printed on your insurance card or declarations page. If you can’t find it, call your insurer.
The Other Party
Same fields, mirrored: name, date of birth, address, phone numbers, license number, vehicle details, and insurance. If more than one other vehicle was involved, you’ll need this for each. Exchanging information at the scene matters here. Tracking someone down after the fact eats into your 10 days.
Injuries, Deaths, and Non-Vehicle Property
A separate section asks for the name and address of anyone injured or killed. The statute specifically requires you to identify by name and address any person complaining of bodily injury, if that information is available to you.1California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 16000 – Accident Reports You also describe any non-vehicle property that was damaged (fences, utility poles, guardrails, livestock), give the owner’s name and address, and check a box indicating whether the damage exceeded $750.4CSU Chico. SR 1 Report of Traffic Accident Occurring in California
Accident Details and Signature
Fill in the date, time, and location (city or county), the number of vehicles involved, and whether the collision happened on private property. Check boxes indicate each party’s status: moving, parked, stopped in traffic, pedestrian, or bicyclist. At the bottom, you certify under penalty of perjury that everything is true and correct.4CSU Chico. SR 1 Report of Traffic Accident Occurring in California
How to Submit the Form
You have two options. The DMV’s online accident-reporting portal is the fastest. Go to the DMV’s accident reporting page, click “Start an SR-1,” and enter your information directly. When you finish, save or print the confirmation screen as proof you filed on time.2California DMV. Report of Traffic Accident Occurring in California (SR-1)
To mail a paper form, download the printable PDF from the same DMV page, complete it, and send it to:
Department of Motor Vehicles
Financial Responsibility
Mail Station J237
P.O. Box 942884
Sacramento, CA 94284-08845UC Merced TAPS. SR 1 Report of Traffic Accident Occurring in California
Mail takes time. Send it early enough that the DMV receives it within 10 days, and consider certified mail so you have a delivery receipt if the timing is ever questioned.
Letting Your Insurer or Attorney File for You
You don’t have to submit the form personally. The statute allows your insurance agent, broker, or legal representative to file the SR-1 for you.1California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 16000 – Accident Reports Many insurers do this as part of the claims process. If you’re relying on someone else, confirm the report was actually submitted and ask for proof. The legal obligation stays on you as the driver. If your agent misses the deadline, the DMV suspends your license, not the agent’s.
What Happens If You Don’t File
The DMV will suspend your driving privilege if you fail to file a required SR-1.6California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 16004 – Accident Reports The suspension has no fixed term. It remains in effect until you either submit the report or provide proof of financial responsibility.3Justia Law. California Vehicle Code 16000-16005 – Article 1 The DMV frequently learns about unreported accidents through the other driver’s filing, a police report, or an insurance claim.
Getting your license back requires paying a reinstatement fee. The DMV’s current schedule lists a $14 reinstatement fee for standard suspensions and a separate $250 Financial Responsibility penalty fee that may apply depending on the circumstances.7California DMV. Licensing Fees Contact the DMV to confirm which fees apply to your case.
If You Were Uninsured When the Accident Happened
Filing the SR-1 while uninsured creates a second, more serious problem. When the DMV sees you lacked coverage at the time of the crash, it can suspend your license under Vehicle Code Section 16070. That suspension runs for a minimum of one year, and reinstating requires you to file a California Insurance Proof Certificate (SR-22 or SR-1P) and maintain it for three years.8Justia Law. California Vehicle Code 16070-16078 – Article 4 If the SR-22 lapses at any point during those three years, the suspension resumes.9California DMV. Financial Responsibility (Insurance)
Some uninsured drivers try to avoid filing the SR-1 because they know it will expose the gap in coverage. That approach stacks a second suspension on top of the first. Filing the report and dealing with the insurance issue directly is the only way to start the clock on getting your license back.