In Houston, all official police crash reports (Texas Form CR-3) cost $6 ($8 for a certified court copy) and become available 5 to 10 business days after the collision. You can download your report instantly through the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) CRIS portal or pick it up in person at Houston Police Department headquarters.
Houston Crash Report Quick Reference
| Retrieval Channel | Cost | Privacy Status | Where to Request | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TxDOT CRIS Portal (Online) | $6 ($8 certified) | Unredacted (if you certify as an involved party) | cris.dot.state.tx.us | 5–10 business days |
| HPD Records (In Person) | $6 ($8 certified) | Unredacted (with photo ID) | 1200 Travis St., 1st Floor, Houston, TX 77002 | 5–10 business days |
| Harris County Sheriff (HCSO) | $6 | Unredacted | TxDOT CRIS Portal or 1200 Baker St. | 5–10 business days |
| LexisNexis BuyCrash | ~$7.50 | Varies by selection | policereports.lexisnexis.com | 5–10 business days |
Step 1: How to Get an Unredacted Copy (Avoiding Blacked-Out Info)
Under Texas Transportation Code § 550.065 (H.B. 2633), public crash reports have personal names, addresses, and policy details blacked out. However, involved drivers, vehicle owners, insurers, and their attorneys are legally entitled to the full, unredacted CR-3 report.
- Online via TxDOT CRIS: Go to cris.dot.state.tx.us and search by your 8-digit TxDOT Crash ID, driver's license number, or crash date + name. When prompted during checkout, check the legal certification box confirming you are a person directly involved in the crash to receive the unredacted PDF.
- In Person at HPD Headquarters: Visit the HPD Records Division at 1200 Travis St., 1st Floor (Mon–Fri, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Phone: 713-308-3200). Bring a valid photo ID and $6 in cash, check, or money order (credit cards are not accepted at the walk-in window).
- Jurisdiction Note: Whether your crash was investigated by Houston PD, Harris County Sheriff's Office (HCSO), a Harris County Precinct Constable, or Texas DPS on I-10, I-45, I-69/US-59, or Loop 610, all agencies upload their CR-3 forms into the same central TxDOT CRIS database.
Step 2: How to Read Your Texas CR-3 Crash Report
Texas uses a standardized 2-to-4-page form called the CR-3. Insurance adjusters focus on three specific areas on Page 2:
- Box 36 (Contributing Factors): Located on the right side of Page 2. The officer assigns numeric codes (from 1 to 98) to Unit 1 and Unit 2, separated into Contributing and May Have Contributed. Common Houston codes include:
- Texas's 51% Bar Rule (Modified Comparative Fault): Under Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code § 33.001, if the contributing factors in Box 36 lead an adjuster to assign you 51% or more of the blame, you recover $0 from the other driver's insurance.
- Injury Severity Codes (K-A-B-C-N Scale): Located in the occupant table on Page 1 (
K= Killed,A= Suspected Serious Injury,B= Suspected Minor Injury,C= Possible Injury / Complaint of Pain,N= Not Injured).
Step 3: What If Houston Police Didn't Write a CR-3 Report?
Since September 2017, Texas eliminated the old Form CR-2 ("Blue Form") driver self-report—TxDOT no longer accepts or retains civilian-submitted crash forms. If HPD did not respond to a minor fender bender (damage under $1,000 and drivable vehicles), file an online Non-Emergency Minor Crash Report at houstontx.gov/police to generate an incident number for your insurance adjuster.
Listed with a Contributing Factor in Box 36 on your Texas CR-3? Have a Texas car accident lawyer review your report free at submitaccident.report.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Houston TranStar record freeway accidents on video?
No. While Houston TranStar operates hundreds of traffic cameras across I-10, I-45, US-59, and Loop 610, feeds are live-streamed only and not recorded or archived by the government. However, nearby feeder-road businesses often capture footage if requested within 48–72 hours.
Why does my CR-3 list me as "Unit 1"? Does Unit 1 automatically mean I'm at fault?
Not automatically, though in practice HPD officers frequently list the primary contributing vehicle as Unit 1. Always look at Box 36 (Contributing Factors) on Page 2 rather than the Unit number alone to see which unit was assigned a fault code.