To request a Nassau County police report, you have two routes. If you need a motor vehicle accident report, download it from the LexisNexis eCrash portal, which is the fastest option for anyone involved in the crash. For case reports, arrest reports, and other records, file a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request with the Nassau County Police Department, either through the county’s online portal or by mailing a signed written request to NCPD headquarters in Mineola.
Which Route to Use
Pick the channel that matches the record you need. Choosing wrong is one of the easiest ways to slow things down.
- Car accident report (MV-104): LexisNexis eCrash portal, available to involved parties.
- Case report (general incident or aided report), arrest report, or anything else: NCPD FOIL request.
- 911 call recordings or transcripts: largely unavailable. Requests for E911 records are denied under County Law ยง308(4).
If your situation involved both a collision and an arrest, you can request both record types in a single FOIL submission.1Nassau County. FOIL Request
Getting an Accident Report Through LexisNexis
NCPD stores its motor vehicle accident reports in the LexisNexis eCrash system. If you were a party to the crash, register for an Involved Party Account at policereports.lexisnexis.com, then search for the report and download it.
To find your report, you need one of the following:
- The report number
- Your first name, last name, and the date of the accident
- Your first name, last name, and the street where the accident occurred
Once you locate the report, you can download it immediately through your account.2Nassau County Police, NY. Motor Vehicle Accident Reports Online
Filing a FOIL Request Online
For case reports, arrest reports, and anything not available through LexisNexis, use the Nassau County FOIL portal. The form asks for your personal information (name, address, phone, email, date of birth) and the details of the incident.
Have as much of the following ready as you can:
- Date of the incident, or your best approximation
- Incident address and town
- Names and dates of birth of the people involved
- Your role, if any (driver, victim, witness, and so on)
- The record type you need: case report, arrest report, motor vehicle accident report, 911 records, or other
The central complaint number assigned at the scene is the single most efficient piece of information for the Records Bureau to locate your file. If you don’t have it, the date and location fields become essential. After entering your details, you upload your identification and submit the form.1Nassau County. FOIL Request
Attorneys submitting on behalf of a client must indicate who they represent and provide the client’s name. If you are requesting records for the estate of someone involved in the incident, the portal requires you to upload Letters of Administration or Letters Testamentary, along with an authorization from the executor permitting release to your office.1Nassau County. FOIL Request
Filing a FOIL Request by Mail or In Person
You can also submit a written FOIL request. NCPD provides a downloadable form on its FOIL Requests page at pdcn.org.3Nassau County Police, NY. FOIL Requests Fill in the same information required by the online form, sign it, and send it to:
NCPD Headquarters
1490 Franklin Avenue
Mineola, NY
For questions about a pending request, call the FOIL office at 516-573-8800 or the Records Bureau at 516-573-7858.4Nassau County Police, NY. Contact Us
Identification and Authorization You Must Include
This is where many requests stall. NCPD requires different documentation depending on your relationship to the incident.
- If you were involved in the incident, you must provide copies of two forms of identification, and at least one must be a driver’s license or passport. A single photo ID is not enough.
- If you were not involved, you need a notarized authorization from someone who was involved, granting permission for the department to release records to you.
The online portal includes an upload step for these documents. For a mailed request, include photocopies with your form, or bring originals when submitting in person.1Nassau County. FOIL Request
Fees
Under New York’s Freedom of Information Law, agencies can charge up to 25 cents per photocopied page for paper records no larger than nine by fourteen inches. If a record takes more than two hours of staff time to prepare, the agency may charge for that time at the hourly rate of its lowest-paid qualified employee, but search time and general administrative costs cannot be included. If the same record was prepared for a previous request within the past six months and an electronic copy exists, the agency cannot charge a reproduction fee.5New York State Senate. Public Officers Law 87 – Access to Agency Records
Confirm the exact fee and accepted payment methods with the Records Bureau at 516-573-7858 before sending payment, especially by mail. Money orders or certified checks payable to the Nassau County Police Department are the safest option, since many government offices do not accept personal checks or cash.
How Long It Takes
New York law gives agencies five business days from receipt of a written FOIL request to do one of three things: provide the records, deny the request in writing, or send a written acknowledgment with an approximate date when the request will be granted or denied. If the acknowledgment is issued but the records cannot be produced within 20 business days, the agency must explain the delay in writing and give a specific date for its response.6Open Government. Explanation of Time Limits for Response
Straightforward single-incident requests tend to move faster than complex ones covering multiple records or long time periods. The finished report is typically mailed to you. If weeks pass without any acknowledgment, follow up with the FOIL office at 516-573-8800.
If Parts Are Redacted
Don’t expect to receive every word of the original report. New York’s Public Officers Law requires agencies to redact certain information before release. For law enforcement disciplinary records specifically, the statute requires removal of social security numbers, home addresses, personal phone numbers, personal email addresses of officers and complainants, medical history unrelated to misconduct investigations, and records of employee assistance program or substance abuse service use.7New York State Senate. Public Officers Law 89 – General Provisions Relating to Access to Records
Agencies may also withhold information that could compromise ongoing investigations, endanger someone’s life or safety, or interfere with law enforcement proceedings. When portions of your report arrive blacked out, the accompanying notice should cite the specific exemption the department relied on. That citation matters if you decide to appeal.
If Your Request Is Denied
You have the right to appeal a denial, whether it was issued in writing or took the form of silence past the statutory deadline. Under New York FOIL, appeals go to the agency’s designated appeals officer, who must issue a determination within 10 business days of receiving your written appeal. The agency must also send a copy of its appeal determination to the state Committee on Open Government at the Department of State in Albany.7New York State Senate. Public Officers Law 89 – General Provisions Relating to Access to Records
Your written appeal should include the date of your original request, the records that were denied, and whether the denial came in writing or by failure to respond. If the appeal is denied too, you can challenge the decision in court under Article 78 of New York’s Civil Practice Law and Rules. The Committee on Open Government (518-474-2518) can offer informal guidance on whether a denial appears justified, though it cannot compel an agency to release records.