To get an NOPD police report, submit a request to the New Orleans Police Department’s Records and Identification Division online, in person, or by mail, using your item number or the incident details. Plan on 14 to 21 working days after the incident before the report is ready.1City of New Orleans. NOPD Form 26 – Item Number Form
What You Need Before You Request
When an officer responds to an incident, they complete a Form 026 and hand the reporting person a copy. That slip carries your NOPD item number, the unique identifier the Records Division uses to pull your report, along with the signal number, date and location, responding officer, and district.2City of New Orleans. Item Number (Form 026) Keep it.
If you don’t have the item number, you can still request the report by giving the clerk as much identifying detail as you can: date and approximate time, location, and the names of the people involved. Less information doesn’t disqualify the request, but it will take longer to locate the file.
Requesting the Report Online
The fastest route is the City of New Orleans public records portal at nola.nextrequest.com.3City of New Orleans. Police Report Requests Start a new request, include your item number or the incident details, and submit. Standard fees still apply to portal requests.4City of New Orleans. City of New Orleans Public Record Requests
Requesting the Report In Person
Go to the NOPD Records and Identification Division at 1615 Poydras Street, 5th Floor. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with the last visitors accepted at 2:45 p.m. The office is closed on weekends and holidays.5City of New Orleans. Contact – NOPD Records and Identification Division
Bring a valid photo ID, such as a driver’s license or state-issued ID card. Give the clerk your item number or incident details, pay the fee, and take your copy. If the report is still processing, you’ll need to return once it’s finalized. Call (504) 658-5455 first to confirm the report is ready and save yourself a trip.
Requesting the Report by Mail
Send a written request with the incident details to:
NOPD Records and Identification Division
1615 Poydras Street, 5th Floor
New Orleans, LA 70112
Include a photocopy of your valid photo ID, payment, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Allow several weeks for processing and return by mail.
Fees and Payment
- Offense report: $25.00 for the first ten pages, plus $1.00 for each additional page.
- Accident report: $5.00 for the report and a $15.00 processing fee, for a total of $20.00.
Other record types are listed in the department’s fee schedule.6City of New Orleans. New Orleans Police Department Fee Schedule for Reports and Record Requests
In person, you can pay by cash or personal check. By mail, personal check only. NOPD does not accept money orders and discourages sending cash through the mail. Make checks payable to the City of New Orleans.6City of New Orleans. New Orleans Police Department Fee Schedule for Reports and Record Requests
When the Report Will Be Ready
A report is not available the moment the officer leaves the scene. The Form 026 slip states reports may be available in 14 to 21 working days, which covers the time officers need to write and submit the report through the department’s system.1City of New Orleans. NOPD Form 26 – Item Number Form Complex incidents or busy periods can push that out further.
If you need the report for an insurance claim, give your adjuster the item number in the meantime. Most insurers know NOPD’s processing timeline and can work with preliminary information while you wait. Before heading to Poydras Street, call the Records Division at (504) 658-5455 to confirm the report has been finalized.5City of New Orleans. Contact – NOPD Records and Identification Division
Who Can Request an NOPD Report
Initial police offense reports in Louisiana are public records. State law classifies the initial report filed by the investigating officer as a public record even before a case reaches final judgment, so you don’t have to be a party to the incident to request a copy.7Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes 44:3 – Records of Prosecutive, Investigative, and Law Enforcement Agencies Follow-up investigative reports can be restricted until the case is resolved. Victims and their designated family members have a specific right to review and copy records of the offense against them, unless the agency certifies in writing that release could affect an active prosecution.