How to get a car accident report in Vermont

Where to get the report

• Vermont DMV (statewide, all agencies’ reports) $22 certified police report, VG-116

  Law enforcement crash reports go to the Agency of Transportation’s crash data repository and drivers’ reports to DMV (23 V.S.A. § 1603b), and DMV sells copies. Use DMV’s Vermont DMV Record Request form (VG-116, dated 06/26): mark “Certified Copy of police crash report – $22.00” or “Certified Copy of individual crash report – $15.00” (a driver’s VC-004 report), and if you need the other driver’s insurer, “Insurance information of crash – $10.00.” Give as much detail as you can (names, plate, dates), pay by check or money order payable to the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, include a copy of your state-issued ID and any documentation that you are authorized to get the information, initial the permitted use under the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, and sign the form. The State Police tell requesters to mail it to Department of Motor Vehicles, Driver Improvement Unit, 120 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05603; DMV’s number is 802-828-2000. The form says a request that does not meet the Act’s requirements, or lacks enough information to decide, will be denied, and that you may appeal a denial to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles in writing.

  Official page

• Vermont State Police crashes (through DMV) VSP refers you to DMV

  The Vermont State Police say crash reports are supplied by DMV and that you should complete a Vermont DMV Record Request and mail it to DMV; they say a crash report includes the police report of the crash and that reports “are available 30 days from the date of the collision,” and to call DMV at 802-828-2000 with questions. The Department of Public Safety’s online records portal says the same: reports of crashes investigated by the State Police must be requested through DMV. For other State Police records about the incident (a case report, photos or video), the State Police take written or online requests through the Department of Public Safety records portal, or by mail to Vermont State Police, Attn: Record Request, 45 State Drive, Waterbury, VT 05671-1300, with the case number (from the barracks that handled the case), date, names of the parties and type of incident; the records custodian is at 802-241-5351. DMV’s Vermont Highway Patrol (renamed from its Enforcement and Safety Division on August 6, 2026, with no change in duties) has sworn law enforcement officers; its officers have the same duty as other officers to report the crashes they investigate to the Agency of Transportation (23 V.S.A. § 1603a), and DMV sells the report as above.

  Official page

• City police and sheriffs (example: Barre City) Ask the agency; fees and rules vary

  An officer who investigates a crash must forward a report to the Agency of Transportation within 30 days after the crash is investigated (23 V.S.A. § 1603a(b); crashes involving a commercial motor vehicle or a hazardous materials placard are reported on the Agency’s forms under § 1603a(a), with no day count), so a local department’s report can be requested from DMV as above; many departments also release their own copy under the Public Records Act, with their own fees. Example from its own page: the Barre City Police Department takes written requests on its Records Request Form, lists “Crash Reports: $20.00,” “Police Report: $20.00” and “Video: $45.00,” takes check or money order payable to the Barre City Police Department, and says it will tell you within 3 to 5 business days whether the request will be granted. Ask the agency that responded which report it can release and what it charges.

  Official page

When you must report a crash in Vermont

Injury/others’ damage: stop, aid, ID

Stop and help (23 V.S.A. § 1128(a)): the driver of a motor vehicle who has caused or is involved in a crash “resulting in injury to any person other than the operator, or in damage to any property other than the vehicle then under his or her control” must immediately stop and render any assistance reasonably necessary, and must give his or her name, residence, license number and the name of the vehicle’s owner to anyone who is injured or whose property is damaged, and to any enforcement officer. Penalties: a fine of up to $2,000.00, up to two years in prison, or both; if serious bodily injury results, up to $3,000.00, up to five years, or both; if death results, up to $3,000.00 and not less than one year nor more than 15 years, or both (§ 1128(a) to (c)), plus a $50.00 surcharge on conviction (§ 1128(d)). Where to stop: a driver who must stop, or who chooses to stop, must move the vehicle to the nearest place where it will not impede traffic or endanger anyone (§ 1102(g)(1)), except when the crash involved a death or apparent injury, the vehicle was carrying hazardous material, it cannot be driven under its own power without further damage, or moving it would endanger other highway users (§ 1102(g)(2)); a driver who fails to move it may not be ticketed, fined or given points for that (§ 1102(g)(3)). Police: we found no Vermont statute that requires the driver of a motor vehicle to call the police after a crash (the all-terrain vehicle and snowmobile laws do have such a duty); the duties are to stop, help, identify yourself and file the DMV report described below. Unattended vehicles: we also found no Vermont statute with a separate rule, such as leaving a note, for hitting a parked vehicle or other property whose owner is not there; § 1128 requires giving your information to any person whose property is damaged and to any enforcement officer. Under § 1603, the Commissioner of Public Safety “shall,” after notice of a crash with personal injury, and “may,” after notice of a crash with property damage, have the crash investigated by an enforcement officer. Insurance notice: the owner and the driver of a vehicle covered by liability insurance must notify anyone injured by the vehicle, and the owner of any property it damaged, of the name and address of every liability insurer that may cover the crash and the policy numbers, within five days after the injury or damage, at each person’s last known address (§ 1129(c)).

The driver report you may have to file

Hurt or $3,000+: VC-004 within 72 hours

The driver of a motor vehicle involved in a crash in which someone is injured or “there is total property damage of $3,000.00 or more” must make a written report to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles on DMV’s form, mailed within 72 hours after the crash (23 V.S.A. § 1129(a)); “crash” means physical contact between the vehicle and a person or object, including another vehicle (§ 1129(b)). The form is VC-004, Crash Report, Motor Vehicle. DMV says completed reports may be emailed to DMV.DriverControl@Vermont.gov or mailed to Driver Control, Vermont DMV, 120 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05603. The form says the property damage figure includes all vehicles involved and physical property damage, that “You must report even if the vehicle was parked,” that each driver signs under penalty of perjury, and that insurance information is required: if you do not complete the insurance section in full, DMV will assume you had no liability insurance and will issue a suspension. A police report does not replace your own: the VTrans investigator’s guide says the officer should give each driver an operator’s report and, if someone was injured or total property damage is $3,000.00 or more, tell each driver that it must be submitted to DMV within 72 hours. Proof of insurance: after a crash with bodily injury, death or property damage (including to your own vehicle) of $3,000.00 or more, DMV must require proof of financial responsibility unless you show that a liability policy in the required amounts was in effect at the time of the crash (§ 801(a)(3)); this does not apply if your vehicle was legally parked somewhere other than a public highway (§ 801(b)). If you are required to give proof and do not do so within 20 days after DMV mails notice, DMV must suspend your license until you do, after giving you the chance of a hearing (§ 802(a), (i)). Penalty for not filing: § 1129 sets none of its own; the form says failure or refusal to report “may be punishable by a civil penalty,” and Title 23 provides that a traffic law violation with no other penalty carries a penalty of not more than $1,000.00 (§ 2302(c)).

What the report costs

DMV $22 police, $15 driver; local varies

DMV’s fees are set by statute (23 V.S.A. § 114(a)): certified copy of a police crash report $22.00, certified copy of an individual crash report $15.00, and insurance information on a crash $10.00; DMV’s VG-116 form lists the same amounts. For the Department of Public Safety (State Police), 20 V.S.A. § 1815 lets it sell officers’ reports of crashes that did not require a DMV report under § 1129 for $20.00 each, photographic prints related to crashes for $8.00 each and discs for $20.00 each, and charge $0.05 a page and $0.33 a minute of staff time over 30 minutes for a report over 20 pages; its records page lists a police report at $20.00 and a photo CD at $20.00, but sends crash report requests to DMV. A city police department or sheriff sets its own copy charges under the Public Records Act (1 V.S.A. § 316); example from its own page: Barre City charges $20.00 for a crash report. Confirm the fee with the agency before you pay.

When the report is ready

Filed within 30 days of investigation

An officer who investigates a crash must forward a report to the Agency of Transportation “within 30 days after the crash is investigated” (23 V.S.A. § 1603a(b)); crashes involving a commercial motor vehicle or a vehicle with a hazardous materials placard are reported to the Agency on its forms (§ 1603a(a)). The VTrans investigator’s guide says reports are submitted electronically through Web Crash, and that the officer can give each driver a copy of page 1 of the report at the scene or by email through Web Crash, so ask the officer for it. The State Police say crash reports are available from DMV 30 days from the date of the crash. We found no DMV statement of how long it takes to fill a VG-116 request. Retention: the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles must file the crash reports DMV receives and preserve them, properly filed and indexed, “for three years after their dates” (23 V.S.A. § 102(a)(3), (4)); the State Archives’ schedule for DMV keeps crash reports related to license enforcement actions until the action is completed plus 6 years. We found no statute or schedule series setting how long VTrans keeps the police reports in its crash data repository, so ask soon if the crash is more than three years old.

Who can get a copy

DMV: ID and a permitted DPPA use

Information in DMV records “is subject to and shall be released pursuant to the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, 18 U.S.C. chapter 123” (23 V.S.A. § 104(a)). DMV’s VG-116 form requires a copy of your ID, documentation that you are authorized to get the information, and your initials beside a permitted use, which include: use by a government agency or court; use in connection with a court or agency proceeding, including investigation in anticipation of litigation; use by an insurer or its agents for claims investigation; and use with the written consent of the person the information is about, including information about yourself. The form says DMV reviews each request for compliance with the Act and that a request that does not qualify, or lacks the information needed to decide, will be denied; you may appeal a denial to the Commissioner in writing. For the State Police’s own files, 20 V.S.A. § 1815(a) says photographs and copies of investigation reports or other material relating to motor vehicle crashes “may be furnished to any interested person.” A local agency decides requests for its records under the Public Records Act, which lets any person inspect or copy public records unless an exemption applies (1 V.S.A. §§ 316, 317).

What to do now

1. 1

   Stop, help and exchange information

   If anyone other than you is hurt, or property other than your own vehicle is damaged, stop, give reasonable help and give your name, address, license number and the owner’s name to the others and to any officer.

2. 2

   Send DMV your VC-004 within 72 hours

   If anyone was injured or total property damage is $3,000 or more, email or mail form VC-004 to DMV Driver Control, with your insurance details filled in.

3. 3

   Ask the officer for page 1

   Officers can hand or email each driver a copy of page 1 of the crash report. Note the agency and case number.

4. 4

   Order the full report from DMV

   The State Police say reports are available 30 days after the crash. Mail form VG-116 with ID, your permitted use and $22 for a certified police crash report.

5. 5

   Tell the others who insures you

   Within 5 days, a driver or owner with liability insurance must give each injured person or property owner the insurer’s name and address and the policy number.

Frequently asked questions