June 22, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026

How to Request a Utah Traffic Accident Report

General information, not legal advice. Read the full disclaimer.

Short answer: Utah accident reports are protected records, but Utah Code § 41-6a-404 requires the Department of Public Safety or the responsible law enforcement agency to disclose an unredacted accident report to a person involved in the accident (not a mere witness), a person who suffered loss or injury, and their agent, parent, or legal guardian — and to certain others such as law enforcement, government agencies, news media (limited information), and a licensed private investigator representing a party. Upon written request, the agency must disclose the report and its accompanying data within 10 business days. "Agent" includes your formally engaged attorney, your insurer, an emergency-room hospital that treated you for the accident, and anyone with your signed permission. The agency may charge a reasonable fee. Importantly, the statute says accident reports may not be used as evidence in any civil or criminal trial arising from the accident, with limited exceptions.

Who this guide is for

Anyone involved in a Utah crash who needs a copy of the official report — for an insurance claim, an injury claim, or personal records — and wants to understand what's included and what the report can and can't do.

What counts as an "accident report"

Under § 41-6a-404(1), the term can include the officer's police report, motor vehicle collision report, DUI report, animal control report, witness statements and recordings, ambulance medical records or bills, and photographs, body camera video, dash camera video, supplemental reports, and other information, recordings, and drawings generated in the investigation. "Accompanying data" covers witness identities, witness statements, photographs, surveillance, body camera, and dash camera footage, diagrams, and field notes. When you request the report, ask in writing for the accompanying data too.

Who can get an unredacted report

Under § 41-6a-404(3)(a), the department or responsible agency discloses an unredacted report to:

a person involved in the accident (not a witness);
a person suffering loss or injury in the accident;
an agent, parent, or legal guardian of those persons;
law enforcement and government agencies for official purposes;
news media, but limited to specified details (names, ages, city of residence, vehicle make and year, insurance status, location, and a description without other personal identifying information);
a licensed private investigator who represents a person described above and shows the representation is directly related to the accident.

A person who isn't eligible may not knowingly obtain an accident report, and it is a class A misdemeanor to use information in a report to market services, including legal representation (§ 41-6a-404(9)).

How to request it

In writing. The statute provides that the agency must disclose a report and accompanying data within 10 business days of a written request (§ 41-6a-404(3)(b)). A written request creates a record and a clock.
From whom. The Department of Public Safety or the law enforcement agency that investigated. Check that agency's website for its current online or in-person process.
Information to provide. The date and location of the accident, the people and vehicles involved, and proof you are a person entitled to the report.
Insurance information. The statute says the agency must disclose whether any person or vehicle involved was covered by an insurance policy and the name of the insurer.
Cost. The department and agencies may charge a reasonable fee under § 63J-1-504; check the current fee with the agency.
Attorneys. An attorney formally engaged in anticipation of litigation can request protected records, including unredacted video, by providing a written request, a letter of representation, and paying fees, and may use the record only for the matter (§ 41-6a-404(5)).

Limits and delays

An agency may withhold a report and its accompanying data if disclosure would jeopardize an ongoing criminal investigation or prosecution, and may redact a person's phone number or address if disclosure could endanger them (§ 41-6a-404(3)(b)).
A witness may ask that their address and phone number be excluded; the officer must keep a separate record, which is discoverable in a lawsuit arising from the accident by a party involved.
Agencies may redact irrelevant video.

The report is not trial evidence

Under § 41-6a-404(4)(a), accident reports filed under this section may not be used as evidence in any civil or criminal trial arising from the accident, with limited exceptions (for example, the department can furnish a certificate showing a report was made, with basic information). So the report is chiefly useful for investigation, negotiation, and insurance claims: it can lead you to witnesses, photographs, video, and the insurer information, which can then be developed through admissible evidence. Don't assume the officer's conclusions will be read to a jury.

Duty to file your own report

The Department of Public Safety may require an operator of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury or death or apparent property damage of $2,500 or more to file a report within 10 days after the request, and may suspend the license of someone who fails to do so (§ 41-6a-402). If you were hurt or can't act, the vehicle's owner may need to file. Providing information you know to be false in a report is a class A misdemeanor.

If the report contains an error

Ask the investigating agency how to request a correction or supplement, and submit your own written account and any evidence (photos, video, witness names) to your insurer. Because reports generally can't be used at trial, the priority is making sure your claim is supported by admissible evidence.

Frequently asked questions

Can anyone get a Utah accident report?

No. Disclosure is limited to people involved, those who suffered injury or loss, their agents, and certain others listed in § 41-6a-404.

How long does the agency have to provide it?

Within 10 business days of a written request for the report and its accompanying data, under the statute.

Does the report include body camera or dash camera video?

It can; "accompanying data" includes body, dash, and surveillance video, though agencies may redact irrelevant video.

Can my insurer or lawyer get it for me?

Yes — an insurer, a formally engaged attorney, and certain others qualify as agents.

Can the report be used in court?

The statute says accident reports may not be used as evidence in a civil or criminal trial arising from the accident, with limited exceptions.