In Philadelphia, an official police traffic accident report (Pennsylvania Form AA-500) costs $25 and takes 2 to 3 weeks to become available online through the City of Philadelphia Public Safety Reports portal. To order online, you must have the 12-digit DC Number (District Control Number) given to you by the responding Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) officer.
Philadelphia Crash Report Quick Reference
| Investigating Agency | Where Crash Occurred | Cost | Portal / Office Location | Turnaround Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Police (Online) | City streets & Roosevelt Blvd (US-1) | $25 (+processing fee) | public-safety-reports.phila.gov | 2–3 weeks |
| Philadelphia Records (In Person) | City streets & Roosevelt Blvd (US-1) | $25 (Cash/MO/Cert Check) | City Hall Room 170, 1400 JFK Blvd, Phila., PA 19107 | 2–3 weeks |
| PA State Police (PSP) | I-95, I-76 (Schuylkill), I-676 (Vine St) | $22 | crashreports.psp.pa.gov | 15 days after crash |
| PennDOT Self-Report (AA-600) | Police did NOT respond (injury/tow) | Free to file | Mail Form AA-600 to PennDOT in Harrisburg | Must file within 5 days |
Step 1: Retrieve Your Report (And How to Find a Lost DC Number)
How to Order Online ($25): Go to public-safety-reports.phila.gov, select Traffic Accident Report*, and enter your 12-digit DC Number (formatted as YYYY-XX-XXXXXX, where the first four digits are the year and the middle two digits are the PPD Police District).
- Lost Your 12-Digit DC Number? You cannot search the online portal by name alone. If you lost your DC Number, call the PPD Accident Investigation District / Records Unit at 215-686-2262 or 215-686-8477 with the crash date and intersection to look it up.
- In-Person Payment Warning: If you visit City Hall Room 170 (Mon–Fri, 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.), the Department of Records only accepts cash, money orders, or certified/business checks—no credit cards, debit cards, or personal checks are accepted at the window.
- Interstate Crashes (I-95, I-76, I-676): Most crashes on the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76), I-95, and the Vine Street Expressway (I-676) are investigated by Pennsylvania State Police (Troop K - Philadelphia), not PPD. Order those at crashreports.psp.pa.gov for $22.
Step 2: How to Read Your Pennsylvania Form AA-500
Philadelphia and PA State Police use the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Police Crash Report (Form AA-500). Check three critical areas:
- Prime Factor & Driver Actions (Contributing Factors): The officer assigns numeric codes indicating which unit triggered the crash (e.g., Tailgating, Proceeded Without Clearance, Careless Passing, or Running Red Light).
- Pennsylvania's 51% Modified Comparative Negligence Rule (42 Pa.C.S. § 7102): If the AA-500 report leads an insurer to find you 51% or more at fault, you cannot recover damages from the other driver.
- Full Tort vs. Limited Tort Impact: Under Pennsylvania's Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law (75 Pa.C.S. § 1705), if you selected Limited Tort on your auto policy, you can only sue for pain and suffering if you suffered a "serious injury" OR if an exception applies—such as the at-fault driver being convicted of DUI / ARD or driving a vehicle registered in another state (like New Jersey or Delaware). Check the AA-500 vehicle registration state box carefully!
Step 3: Mandatory 5-Day PennDOT Form AA-600 Self-Report
Philadelphia Police often do not respond to non-injury crashes if both vehicles can be driven. However, under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3747, if police did not investigate a crash that resulted in any injury, death, or a vehicle requiring towing (disabled vehicle), you must complete and mail PennDOT Form AA-600 (Driver's Accident Report) within 5 days.
Stuck with Limited Tort or an unfair fault code on your Philadelphia AA-500 report? Have a Pennsylvania accident lawyer review your report free at submitaccident.report.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Philadelphia accident report say "Record Not Found" after 10 days?
Philadelphia has one of the longest processing queues of any major city—PPD reports routinely take 14 to 21 business days to be typed, approved by a supervisor, and uploaded to the Department of Records portal. Also verify whether PA State Police Troop K responded instead of PPD if you were on I-76 or I-95.
Does my own car insurance pay my medical bills first in Philadelphia?
Yes. Pennsylvania is a "choice no-fault" medical state—your own auto policy's Personal Injury Protection (PIP / First Party Medical Benefits) pays your initial medical bills (minimum $5,000 coverage) regardless of what the AA-500 police report says about fault.