If you were involved in a car accident in Richmond, 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 Richmond Police Department (RPD) investigated the crash, you can obtain the collision report online or directly from the department’s Records Office. The information below is based on current Richmond Police Department guidance and Kentucky law.
Quick Facts — Richmond, KY Accident Reports
- Agency: Richmond Police Department
- Typical availability: Generally 5–7 days after the report is completed
- Online access: BuyCrash
- In-person fee: $5
- In-person payment: Cash only
- Records Office: 1721 Lexington Road, Richmond, KY 40475
- Records Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Records Office phone: 859-623-1162
- Email: police@richmondky.gov
- Online report portal: https://www.buycrash.com/
Richmond Police notes that some reports may take longer than the usual 5–7-day period.
Who Can Request a Richmond Collision Report?
Kentucky collision reports are confidential and are not ordinary public records available to anyone who requests them.
Richmond Police states that to obtain a vehicle accident report, you must generally be:
- A party to the accident
- The parent or guardian of a minor who was a party to the accident
- An insurer of a party named in the report
- An attorney representing a party to the accident
Kentucky law provides additional categories of authorized requesters under KRS 189.635, including certain parties to litigation who provide the required court documentation.
The statute specifically provides that accident reports are confidential and exempt from general public disclosure under the Kentucky Open Records Act except as authorized by KRS 189.635.
Step-by-Step: How to Get Your Richmond Accident Report
Step 1 — Gather Your Crash Information
Before trying to retrieve the report, collect as much information about the accident as possible.
Useful details include:
- Report or case number
- Date of the collision
- Location or nearby intersection
- Name of a driver involved
- Your photo identification
If the officer gave you paperwork or an information card at the crash scene, check it for a report or case number.
Having that information available can make it easier to identify the correct collision report.
Step 2 — Allow Time for the Report to Be Completed
Richmond Police states that collision reports are generally available within 5–7 days after completion.
That wording is important: the timeframe runs from when the report is completed, not necessarily from the exact date of the accident.
RPD also warns that a report occasionally may not be available within the usual timeframe.
If you cannot locate the report after several days:
- Confirm the report or case number
- Verify the accident date and driver information
- Check BuyCrash again
- Contact the Richmond Police Records Office at 859-623-1162
Step 3 — Choose How to Get the Accident Report
Richmond Police currently provides two primary ways to obtain collision reports.
Option A: Request the Report Online
Richmond Police directs online collision-report requests to BuyCrash.
Online portal:
https://www.buycrash.com/
BuyCrash is a third-party electronic report service used by law enforcement agencies.
The report must be completed and available in the system before you can retrieve it.
Richmond Police does not currently publish a specific BuyCrash price on its collision-report page, so review the fee displayed by the service before completing your purchase.
Option B: Get the Report in Person
You can obtain an accident report directly from the Richmond Police Department Records Office:
Richmond Police Department
Records Office
1721 Lexington Road
Richmond, KY 40475
Hours:
Monday through Friday
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Fee: $5
Payment: Cash only
The Records Office is closed on holidays observed by the City of Richmond.
For questions about whether your report is ready, call 859-623-1162 before making the trip.
What if Your Report Is Not Available?
A report that does not appear in BuyCrash immediately is not necessarily missing.
The investigating officer may still be completing the collision report, or the report may not yet have been processed into the electronic system.
If the report is not available:
- Allow the usual 5–7-day processing period.
- Check that you are searching with the correct accident information.
- Try BuyCrash again.
- Contact the Richmond Police Records Office at 859-623-1162.
Kentucky State Police separately advises motorists to allow 10 days for an officer-prepared collision report to be completed and made available in the statewide system.
What Does Kentucky Law Require After a Serious Crash?
Kentucky law imposes certain reporting requirements after vehicle accidents.
Under KRS 189.635, a driver involved in a crash resulting in:
- A fatal or nonfatal personal injury, or
- Damage that renders a vehicle inoperable
must immediately notify a law enforcement officer with jurisdiction.
The officer is then required to investigate the accident and file a written report with the officer’s law enforcement agency.
The law enforcement agency must submit the required accident report to the Kentucky State Police reporting system within 10 days after its investigation.
What if Police Did Not Investigate the Accident?
Kentucky also has a separate reporting requirement for some crashes that are not investigated by a police officer.
If an accident causes more than $500 in property damage and no law enforcement officer investigates it, 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 a Civilian Report if Richmond Police Already Made One?
Generally, no.
KSP states that if a police officer responded and told you that the officer would complete the collision report, you do not need to submit a second civilian collision report.
KSP recommends allowing 10 days for the officer’s report to be completed and made available in the system.
A civilian collision report is therefore different from getting a copy of the police-written report. It is used when a qualifying accident was not investigated and reported by law enforcement.
If Kentucky State Police Handled the Crash in Madison County
Not every collision in Madison County is investigated by the Richmond Police Department.
Kentucky State Police Post 7 serves Madison County along with Boyle, Clark, Estill, Garrard, Jackson, Jessamine, Lee, Lincoln, Mercer, and Owsley counties.
KSP Post 7 is also located in Richmond:
Kentucky State Police Post 7
699 Eastern Bypass
Richmond, KY 40475
Phone: 859-623-2404
If a Kentucky State Police trooper investigated your accident, obtain the report through KSP rather than Richmond Police.
KSP states that eligible accident reports can be obtained through BuyCrash:
Eligible requesters may also submit a written request for an accident report to the Kentucky State Police Official Custodian of Records according to the agency’s current records-request procedures.
Kentucky’s restrictions under KRS 189.635 apply to KSP collision reports as well.
Police Collision Report vs. Civilian Collision Report
Knowing which type of report you need can save time.
Police Collision Report
A police collision report is prepared after a law enforcement officer investigates the crash.
If Richmond Police investigated the accident, request it from:
- Richmond Police Records Office, or
- BuyCrash
If a KSP trooper investigated it, obtain it through KSP or BuyCrash.
Civilian Collision Report
A civilian collision report is filed by an involved driver when a qualifying collision was not investigated by law enforcement.
Kentucky State Police maintains the online civilian reporting system.
Why Your Richmond 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 accident 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, rideshare, commercial vehicle, or multi-vehicle accident
A police report can be an important part of investigating an accident, but it does not necessarily make the final legal determination about who was at fault.
If you were injured, keep a copy of the collision report with your other accident-related documentation, including photographs, medical records, repair estimates, insurance correspondence, and receipts.
Injured in a Richmond Car Accident?
Obtaining the police report is one part of documenting what happened after a serious collision.
If you were injured in a crash, a Richmond car accident attorney from Morrin Law Office can review the circumstances of the accident, available insurance coverage, your injuries, and other evidence involved in your claim during a free case evaluation.
Related Morrin Law Resources
- Richmond Personal Injury Attorney
- Richmond Car Accident Attorney
- Richmond Truck Accident Attorney
- Richmond Rideshare Accident Attorney
- Richmond Lyft Accident Attorney
- Richmond Pedestrian Accident Attorney
- Richmond Passenger Injury Attorney
- Kentucky Uber Accident Lawyer
Sources
- City of Richmond — Obtain Collision Reports:
https://richmondky.gov/departments/police_department/police_services/obtain_collision_reports.php - City of Richmond — Police Department:
https://richmondky.gov/departments/police_department/ - 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 7:
https://www.kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov/post7 - Kentucky State Police — Open Records Requests:
https://www.kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov/open-records-requests - BuyCrash:
https://www.buycrash.com/
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