FHP Reports: What You Need To Know
The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) is responsible for investigating traffic accidents and criminal acts on Florida highways. The agency also handles all accident investigations in unincorporated areas of two dozen counties. In 26 counties, FHP handles most but not all crash investigations. In some areas of Florida, the county Sheriff’s Office handles most accident investigations.
The FHP investigates most crashes in Duval County on interstate and state highways. If you are involved in a car accident, you are required by law to report it to the local police department, FHP station, or sheriff’s office if damages appear to exceed $500.
An FHP officer may respond to the scene of the crash, especially if it involves injuries. Their crash report can be critical evidence if you need to pursue the other driver for injuries you sustained.
Here is what you should know about FHP reports and how to get a copy of your accident report.
What’s in the FHP Accident Report?
A Florida Highway Patrol accident report is created by the officer responding to the scene of a crash. It contains important information about the accident, including:
- The officer’s account of the crash
- The location, date, and time of the accident
- The parties involved
- Any tickets or citations issued
- Each party’s insurance information
- Road and weather conditions at the time of the crash
- Damage to vehicles
- Apparent or suspected injuries
- Diagram of the crash
Overall, the report is an unbiased analysis of the events of the crash and documentation of details like weather conditions and injuries. Here is a blank example of a Florida traffic crash report.
How To Get a Copy of Your FHP Crash Report
You can request a copy of your FHP report online, by mail, or in person. Here’s how.
Get Your FHP Report Online
The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) is the official repository of statewide crash reports. You can order your crash report online through the Florida Crash Portal. Note that it may take up to 10 days before the crash report is available.
There is a fee of $10 per report with a convenience fee of $2 per transaction. You can purchase up to 10 reports in a single transaction.
After purchasing a copy of your accident report, you will get an email with a download link. Your report will be available immediately, but it must be downloaded within 48 hours.
Get an FHP Report in Person at an FHP Station
You can get up to 10 copies of your crash report at the FHP Troop Station closest to where the accident occurred. You can see all FHP Station locations here.
FHP Troop G serves nine Northeast Florida counties, including Baker, Bradford, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, and Union counties. There are two Troop G stations: the headquarters in Jacksonville and another station in St. Augustine.
Jacksonville FHP Station
7322 Normandy Blvd.
Jacksonville, FL 32205
(904) 695-4000
St. Augustine FHP Station
875 SR 16
St. Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 417-4272
Order an FHP Report by Mail
You can request your crash record by mail by sending a notarized Sworn Statement for Crash Report and payment to the following address:
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
Crash Records
2900 Apalachee Parkway, MS 28
Tallahassee, FL 32399
There is a processing time of 6 to 8 weeks for requests received by mail. You must submit a check or money order of $10 made out to “FLHSMV” with your notarized statement.
An Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help You Through the Process
You may not need to request a copy of your crash report. Your insurance company can get a copy of the report while processing your claim. If you hire a personal injury lawyer to represent you, they will handle ordering the accident report.
If you suffered serious injuries in your accident, you may be entitled to pursue the at-fault driver for damages that exceed your coverage. The FHP report can be important evidence to establish fault.
An experienced Jacksonville car accident lawyer can help you gather evidence and pursue the compensation you deserve.
Contact the Jacksonville Car Accident Law Firm of Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers Today For Help
For more information, please contact the Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra car accident law firm of Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers at the nearest location to schedule a free consultation today.
We serve Duval County, St. Johns County, and its surrounding areas:
Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers – Jacksonville
9471 Baymeadows Rd #105,
Jacksonville, FL 32256
(904) 396-1100
Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers – Downtown Jacksonville
121 W. Forsyth St. #170,
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 822-4225
Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers – Ponte Vedra
480 Town Plaza Ave #130,
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32081
(904) 675-1167