To get a copy of a police report in Illinois, submit a written request to the law enforcement agency that produced the report. Incident and arrest reports are public records under the Freedom of Information Act, while traffic crash reports follow a separate rule in the Illinois Vehicle Code with its own flat fee. The process, the cost, and how long you wait all depend on which kind of report you need.
Figure Out Which Report You Need
Illinois agencies produce three kinds of records, and the access rules are not the same for each.
- Incident reports cover crimes, disturbances, thefts, and other non-traffic events. They are generally available to anyone under FOIA, though the agency can redact details that would compromise an ongoing investigation or reveal a confidential source.
- Arrest reports are also public under FOIA, with similar redactions for active investigations, sensitive personal details, or anything that could jeopardize a fair trial.
- Traffic crash reports are governed by the Illinois Vehicle Code. The written crash reports officers file with the Illinois Department of Transportation are confidential and used for research and statistical purposes, but the investigating agency can furnish copies of its own crash report directly to the public for a fee.
If you need a fully unredacted crash report, a standard FOIA request will not get you there. You will need a subpoena or a court order.
What to Have Ready Before You Ask
The more you can tell the records staff, the faster they can pull the right file. Try to have:
- The date, time, and location of the incident or crash
- Names of people involved — victims, suspects, drivers, or witnesses
- The case or report number, if one was given at the scene or by a detective
Most departments require a FOIA request form, usually posted on the agency’s website or available at the records counter. Some use their own version.
Reports are not ready the moment an incident ends. Officers write them up, and supervisors review them before they enter the system. Crashes investigated by the Illinois State Police are typically available about 5 to 10 business days after the collision, and local departments run on similar timelines. If you file too early, the agency will tell you the report is not yet complete.
How to Submit the Request
Illinois agencies accept requests through several channels, and you can usually pick whichever is easiest.
By Mail
Send your completed FOIA form to the department’s records division or designated FOIA officer. The mailing address is almost always on the department’s website. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want the report mailed back.
In Person
Deliver the form to the records counter during business hours. Many departments keep standard weekday hours.
Online
More agencies now take requests by web portal or email. The Illinois State Police runs an E-PAY system built specifically for crash reports, which lets you request, pay for, and receive a redacted copy by email without going in person.
What It Costs
Crash reports are priced separately from every other kind of police record. Under the Illinois Vehicle Code, a copy of a traffic crash report costs $5. If a crash reconstruction officer or team was involved, the fee is $20. Local police and sheriff’s offices that investigated a crash can charge up to those same limits.
For incident reports, arrest reports, and other FOIA records, Illinois law caps what agencies can charge. The first 50 pages of standard black-and-white letter or legal copies are free. After that, the maximum is 15 cents per page. Color copies and oversized documents can be billed at the agency’s actual reproduction cost. A certified copy of any record costs no more than $1. For a non-commercial request, the agency cannot add search time or staff review to the bill.
How Long the Agency Has to Respond
Once the department has your FOIA request, it has five business days to provide the records or issue a written denial. It can extend that by up to five more business days if the records are stored off-site, the request covers a large volume, or the material needs legal review. Any extension has to come to you in writing, with the reason.
If the agency neither responds, extends, nor denies within the first five business days, Illinois law treats that silence as a denial. That is not just a technicality: it starts the clock on your right to appeal.
Redactions You Should Expect
Almost every report comes with something blacked out. Agencies must release as much of the record as possible and redact only the specific portions covered by an exemption, not withhold the whole document. The common redactions:
- Social Security numbers and dates of birth of people named in the report
- Confidential informant identities and information provided only by those sources
- Details about pending investigations where release could compromise the case
- Specialized law enforcement techniques not generally known to the public
Each redaction should cite the specific FOIA exemption the agency is relying on. If the denial letter or the redacted report does not name the exemption, that itself is a violation of the Act and grounds for an appeal.
One useful carve-out for crash reports: the identities of witnesses must be provided unless releasing them would interfere with an active criminal investigation by the agency holding the report.
If You Are Denied
You can file a Request for Review with the Public Access Counselor in the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. The deadline is 60 calendar days after the denial. The request has to be in writing and signed, and you need to include a copy of your original FOIA request and any response the agency gave you.
After the PAC receives your filing, it forwards a copy to the agency within seven business days. The agency then has seven business days to hand over the records and any justification for withholding them. The PAC can issue a binding opinion requiring release, or it can find that the denial was proper and close the case.