If you were involved in a car accident in Frankfort, Kentucky, you may need a copy of the official police collision report when dealing with an insurance claim, vehicle damage, or a personal injury case.
If the Frankfort Police Department (FPD) investigated the crash, the department directs drivers and other eligible parties to BuyCrash for online access to accident reports. The information below is based on current Frankfort Police Department guidance and Kentucky law.
Quick Facts — Frankfort, KY Accident Reports
- Agency: Frankfort Police Department
- Online access: BuyCrash
- Typical online cost: Usually $10, with the price determined by the hosting service
- Availability: Reports can take several days after the collision to complete the approval process
- Information needed: Accident date, last name of an involved party, and either a driver’s license number or local accident code
- Local accident code assistance: 502-875-8525
- Frankfort Police Central Records: 300 W. Second Street, Public Safety Building, Frankfort, KY 40601
- Central Records phone: 502-875-8523
- Online portal: https://www.buycrash.com/
Frankfort Police does not currently promise that every collision report will be available within a specific number of days. The department states that reports can take several days from the collision date to go through the approval process.
Who Can Request a Frankfort Collision Report?
Kentucky collision reports are confidential and are not ordinary public records available to anyone who requests them.
Under KRS 189.635, accident reports may be provided to certain authorized people and entities, including:
- Parties to the accident
- Parents or guardians of a minor who was a party to the accident
- Insurers or their written designees handling insurance business involving a party named in the report
- Attorneys representing parties to the accident
- Certain parties to litigation who provide the documentation required by Kentucky law
- Other entities specifically authorized by the statute
For most people obtaining a report after their own crash, the important point is that you should be prepared to establish your connection to the collision.
Kentucky law generally treats collision reports as confidential and exempt from ordinary disclosure under the Kentucky Open Records Act except where KRS 189.635 specifically permits release.
Step-by-Step: How to Get Your Frankfort Accident Report
Step 1 — Gather the Information You’ll Need
Frankfort Police identifies several pieces of information that can help you find the correct collision report.
Have the following available:
- Date of the accident
- Last name of an involved party
- Driver’s license number of an involved party OR the local accident code
If the officer gave you paperwork or an information card at the scene, check it for identifying information before starting your search.
What Is the Local Accident Code?
Frankfort Police lists a local accident code as one of the identifiers that can be used to locate the collision report.
If you do not know your local accident code, call:
Frankfort Police Department: 502-875-8525
The department can provide assistance with obtaining the code needed for your report search.
Step 2 — Allow Time for the Report to Be Approved
Frankfort Police states that collision reports can take several days from the date of the accident to go through the approval process.
This means a report may not appear in BuyCrash immediately after the collision.
FPD does not currently publish a guaranteed two-day, five-day, or seven-day turnaround for accident reports. Because processing time can vary, it is better to rely on the department’s current “several days” guidance rather than assume the report will be available on a particular date.
Kentucky State Police separately advises allowing 10 days for an officer-prepared collision report to be completed and made available in the statewide system.
Step 3 — Order the Accident Report Online
Frankfort Police directs online collision-report requests to BuyCrash.
Online portal:
https://www.buycrash.com/
What You’ll Need
Frankfort Police recommends having:
- Accident date
- Last name of an involved party
- Driver’s license number of an involved party or local accident code
How Much Does a Frankfort Accident Report Cost?
Frankfort Police states that the report usually costs $10.
The department notes that the final price is determined by the hosting service, so review the amount shown before completing your purchase.
When Can You Download the Report?
If BuyCrash finds the report in the system, Frankfort Police states that you can print it immediately.
If the report does not appear in the search results, that does not necessarily mean anything is wrong. The report may still be going through the approval process.
What if Your Accident Report Isn’t Posted Yet?
If you search for the collision report and cannot find it:
- Confirm that you entered the correct accident date.
- Check the spelling of the involved party’s last name.
- Confirm the driver’s license number or local accident code.
- If you do not know the local accident code, call 502-875-8525.
- Give the report additional time to complete the approval process.
- Search BuyCrash again later.
- Contact Frankfort Police Central Records at 502-875-8523 if you continue to have difficulty.
Kentucky State Police’s statewide guidance says to allow 10 days when an officer responded and indicated that the officer would complete the collision report.
Can You Get a Copy Directly From Frankfort Police?
Frankfort Police’s current accident-report instructions direct people to BuyCrash for online copies.
The department also maintains a Central Records Section, which receives, processes, stores, and maintains accident reports and other police records.
Central Records is located at:
Frankfort Police Department
Central Records
300 W. Second Street
Public Safety Building
Frankfort, KY 40601
Phone: 502-875-8523
The current FPD accident-report page does not publish a separate walk-in procedure or local paper-copy price for collision reports.
If you need a paper copy directly from the department or cannot use BuyCrash, contact Central Records before visiting to confirm the current procedure.
What if Kentucky State Police Investigated the Crash?
Not every collision in Frankfort or Franklin County is investigated by the Frankfort Police Department.
Kentucky State Police Post 12 serves Franklin County along with Anderson, Fayette, Scott, Shelby, Spencer, and Woodford counties.
KSP Post 12 is located at:
Kentucky State Police Post 12
1250 Louisville Road
Frankfort, KY 40601
Phone: 502-227-2221
If a Kentucky State Police trooper investigated your accident, obtain the collision report through KSP rather than assuming it will appear as a Frankfort Police report.
KSP states that eligible accident reports can be obtained through BuyCrash:
An eligible requester may also submit a written request for a collision report to the Kentucky State Police Official Custodian of Records according to KSP’s current records-request procedures.
Kentucky’s access restrictions under KRS 189.635 apply to these reports.
What if Police Did Not Investigate the Accident?
Getting a copy of a police-written accident report is different from filing a Civilian Collision Report yourself.
Under Kentucky law, if a vehicle accident results in more than $500 in property damage and the accident is not investigated by a law enforcement officer, an involved driver generally must file a written report with the Kentucky State Police within 10 days of the accident.
Kentucky State Police provides an online Civilian Collision Report system:
https://www.kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov/civilian-collision-reports
Do You Need to File a Civilian Report if an Officer Already Made One?
Generally, no.
Kentucky State Police states that if an officer responded to the collision and indicated that the officer would complete the report, you do not need to submit a second civilian collision report.
KSP advises allowing 10 days for the officer-prepared report to be completed and made available in the system.
A Civilian Collision Report is therefore different from simply obtaining a copy of a report prepared by Frankfort Police or Kentucky State Police.
What Does Kentucky Law Require After a Serious Collision?
Kentucky law also establishes reporting requirements for certain accidents.
Under KRS 189.635, a driver involved in an accident resulting in:
- Fatal or nonfatal personal injury, or
- Vehicle damage that renders a vehicle inoperable
must immediately notify a law enforcement officer having jurisdiction.
The responding officer must investigate the accident and prepare the required report.
The law enforcement agency is then required to submit the applicable collision report to the Kentucky State Police reporting system within the period established by Kentucky law.
Police Collision Report vs. Civilian Collision Report
Knowing which report you need can prevent delays.
Police Collision Report
A police collision report is prepared when a law enforcement officer investigates the accident.
If Frankfort Police investigated the crash, follow FPD’s BuyCrash procedure.
If Kentucky State Police investigated the crash, obtain the report through KSP or BuyCrash.
Civilian Collision Report
A civilian collision report is submitted by an involved driver when a qualifying accident was not investigated by law enforcement.
Kentucky State Police maintains the civilian collision reporting system.
Why Your Frankfort Accident Report Matters
A police collision report can contain useful information about the crash and the responding officer’s investigation, including:
- Names of drivers and other involved parties
- Vehicle information
- Date, time, and location of the collision
- Insurance information documented at the scene
- Reported injuries
- Vehicle or property damage
- Witness information, when available
- Officer observations
- Citations issued, when applicable
- Other circumstances documented during the investigation
The report may be useful when:
- Reporting the collision to an insurance company
- Handling a vehicle damage claim
- Identifying drivers, owners, and insurers
- Investigating how the collision occurred
- Pursuing a personal injury claim
- Handling a truck, commercial vehicle, rideshare, or multi-vehicle accident
A police report can be an important part of investigating a collision, but it does not necessarily make the final legal determination about who was at fault.
If you were injured, keep a copy of the report with your other accident-related records, including photographs, medical records, repair estimates, insurance correspondence, and receipts.
Injured in a Frankfort Car Accident?
Obtaining the collision report is one part of documenting what happened after a serious accident.
If you were injured because of another person’s actions, Morrin Law Office can review the circumstances of the crash, available insurance coverage, your injuries, and other evidence involved in your claim during a free case evaluation.
Sources
- City of Frankfort — Accident Reports:
https://www.frankfort.ky.gov/373/Accident-Reports - City of Frankfort — Records Section:
https://www.frankfort.ky.gov/254/Records-Section - Kentucky Revised Statutes — KRS 189.635, Vehicle Accident Reports:
https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=54793 - Kentucky Administrative Regulations — 502 KAR 15:010, Traffic Collision Reports:
https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/502/015/010/ - Kentucky State Police — Civilian Collision Reports:
https://www.kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov/civilian-collision-reports - Kentucky State Police — Post 12:
https://www.kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov/post12 - Kentucky State Police — Open Records Requests:
https://www.kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov/open-records-requests - BuyCrash:
https://www.buycrash.com/
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