| Where to request | Phoenix Police Public Records and Services Bureau, which links to the Police Public Records portal. Choose Traffic Crash |
|---|---|
| Fee | Personal (non-commercial) request: free for a digital copy, $0.25 a page printed. Commercial request: $10.00 flat fee plus $0.25 a page |
| How long until it is available | No fixed time. Requests are processed in the order received. The city says crash reports can take as much as 6 weeks |
| What you need | An account on the portal, made with a Chrome or Edge browser |
| Who may request | Not published on the bureau's page. Arizona law sets who receives an unredacted report |
| In person | 100 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85003. Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., except city holidays |
| Phone and email | 602-534-1127 and policepublicrecords@phoenix.gov |
| How the report arrives | A download inside your portal account, after an email says the request is complete |
| If it is not found | The bureau emails you and issues a refund |
Where Phoenix police release crash reports
Phoenix is one of the departments that keeps its crash reports in house. There is no outside portal to buy from. Requests go to the department's Public Records and Services Bureau, and the bureau takes them through its own website, the Phoenix Police Public Records portal.
The portal offers 10 kinds of request. Two of them are easy to confuse. Incident Report is for other police reports. Traffic Crash is the one for a collision. Picking the wrong one sends your request to the wrong queue.
Not every crash inside Phoenix is a Phoenix police report. Collisions investigated by state troopers on an interstate or state highway are held by the Arizona Department of Public Safety. See Arizona Highway Patrol accident reports for those.
How to request the report
- Create an account on the portalThe bureau asks you to use a Chrome or Edge browser. If you sign up with a Google or Twitter login, you sign in the same way each time.
- Start a new request and choose Traffic CrashFill in what you know about the crash. By submitting, you confirm the information is true and accurate to the best of your knowledge.
- Wait for the emailEach request is processed in the order in which it is received. The bureau emails you when the request is complete.
- Download the reportLog in, click your name in the upper right corner, choose My Police Service Requests, then click the arrow at the end of the request and select Download.
If what you need is not one of the portal's options, the bureau asks you to contact it in person or by telephone during business hours.
What it costs
Phoenix changed its public records fees in November 2026. The city said the increases are focused largely on commercial users.
| Record | Personal request | Commercial request |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic crash report | Free as a digital copy. $0.25 a page when printed | $10.00 flat fee plus $0.25 a page |
| Incident report | No charge, plus $0.25 a printed page | $10 plus $0.25 a printed page |
| Photographs | $4 per request | $4 per request |
| 911 recordings | $16.50 per request | $16.50 per request |
Fees as listed on the portal's question page, applying from November 2, 2026. Before the change a printed page cost $0.24.
Personal or commercial
The bureau quotes Arizona Revised Statute 39-121.03 for the difference. A commercial purpose means using a public record "for the purpose of sale or resale", or "the obtaining of names and addresses from public records for the purpose of solicitation". Asking for the report of a crash you were in is a personal request.
The bureau adds one caution about money. An additional cost or a refund may be due once the report is ready for release, and you are told through your portal account.
How long it takes
Phoenix does not promise a number of days. The bureau says that processing time depends on the size, the complexity and the nature of the records, and that requests are taken in order.
The city has been open about the delay. When the council approved the new fees, the city said the bureau had a backlog of nearly 40,000 outstanding requests and expected nearly 140,000 requests in the year, almost 30% more than in 2024. It said wait times for traffic crash reports can take as much as 6 weeks.
The same vote added people to work through the pile: 10 permanent staff positions, six more permanent roles filled by internal transfer, and 19 temporary staff, with the aim of clearing the backlog within a year after training. If your insurer is waiting on the report, tell them it has been requested and give them the date. The portal shows a Status Reason for each request, and the bureau takes status calls at 602-534-1127.
The office
| Address | 100 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85003 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., except city holidays. Closed Saturday and Sunday |
| Phone | 602-534-1127 |
| policepublicrecords@phoenix.gov | |
| Parking | City of Phoenix Parking Garage, 305 W. Washington St. |
| Light rail | Central/Washington stop |
Who may get the report
The bureau's page does not list who may have a crash report. Arizona law does. Under A.R.S. 28-667 an agency must give the unredacted report, on request, to a person who is involved in the accident, to the owner of a vehicle involved, or to a representative of either. The statute goes on to name insurers, attorneys and licensed private investigators acting for a person involved. The Arizona page sets out the whole rule.
When it goes wrong
No record found
If nothing matches the information you gave, the bureau emails you and issues a refund. Before you try again, check two things: that the crash was inside Phoenix city limits, and that it was not on an interstate or state highway, where state troopers investigate.
The request has been open for weeks
That is within what the city itself describes. Check the Status Reason in the portal. If the report is needed for a claim, call 602-534-1127 during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
You cannot use the portal
The bureau takes requests in person at 100 W. Washington St. and answers by email at policepublicrecords@phoenix.gov.
Reading the report
For what the boxes and codes on an Arizona crash report mean, FairSettlement.org has a full guide: how to read an Arizona crash report.
Questions about Phoenix police crash reports
How much is a Phoenix police crash report?
For a personal request, nothing for a digital copy and $0.25 for each printed page. A commercial request costs a $10.00 flat fee plus $0.25 a page. The city's portal lists these fees as applying from November 2, 2026.
How long does Phoenix take to release a crash report?
There is no fixed time. The bureau processes requests in the order they arrive. When the city council approved new staff for the bureau, the city said wait times for traffic crash reports can take as much as 6 weeks.
Where do I request a Phoenix police crash report?
On the Phoenix Police Public Records portal, by choosing the request type Traffic Crash. You can also reach the Public Records and Services Bureau at 100 W. Washington St., by phone at 602-534-1127 or by email.
How do I download the report once it is ready?
Log in to the portal, click your name in the upper right corner, choose My Police Service Requests, then click the arrow at the end of the request and select Download.
What happens if Phoenix police cannot find my report?
The bureau notifies you by email and issues a refund. Check first that Phoenix police investigated the crash. If state troopers investigated it, as they do on interstates and state highways, the report is held by the Department of Public Safety.
What counts as a commercial request in Phoenix?
Arizona law defines a commercial purpose as using a public record for sale or resale, or obtaining names and addresses from public records for solicitation. A person asking for the report of their own crash is making a personal request.
Can I check the status of my Phoenix request?
Yes. The portal shows a Status Reason field for each request, and the bureau answers status questions at 602-534-1127 during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.