30 Aug

After a collision on Norfolk roads such as Tidewater Drive, Hampton Boulevard, or Granby Street, the responding officer’s paperwork may become the first shared account of what happened.

Your Norfolk police report can help identify the other driver and his insurance carrier, explain eyewitness accounts, and show what the officer recorded at the scene. The problem is knowing where to request it and how to use it.

Merrick Brock, PLLC, helps injured people move from that paperwork to the larger investigation their claim may require. We can obtain the report and follow the leads it contains.

How Can I Get My Norfolk Car Accident Report?

If you have been injured in an accident, Merrick Brock can help you obtain an official Police Crash Report.  You can request a copy from the Norfolk Police Department or order the official crash report maintained by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.

Request a Copy from Norfolk Police Central Records

Norfolk Police provides accident reports at the Public Service Counter in the Police Operations Center:

3661 East Virginia Beach Boulevard

Norfolk, VA 23502

You can pick up a Norfolk incident report from 9 AM to 3 PM. Bring two forms of identification. One should be a primary ID, such as a driver’s license, military ID, federal ID, or state ID. The second may be a passport, a birth certificate, a Social Security card, or a voter registration card. 

You can call Central Records at 757-664-7012 to confirm that the report is ready. Norfolk currently charges $10 for a copy.

Request the Report Through the Virginia DMV

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles releases complete crash reports to people with a recognized connection to the collision, including:

  • A driver, passenger, or injured person;
  • The owner of an involved vehicle or damaged property;
  • A personal representative of someone involved, injured, or killed;
  • A lawyer representing someone involved, injured, or killed;
  • An authorized representative of an insurance company; or
  • A parent or legal guardian of an injured or deceased minor.

Virginia law requires the DMV to keep crash reports for at least 36 months. The fee is $8 per report.  

Submit either a written request or a completed Information Request Form. Your written request should identify your connection to the crash and include the date, time, and location. Include the driver’s name if you were not driving and your driver’s license number if you were involved.

If you use the form, select “Police Crash Report,” provide as much crash information as possible, and sign the certification.

You can submit the request in the following ways. Once processed, the DMV will send the accident report via U.S. Postal Service first-class mail.

Request the report by mail

Mail the completed request and an $8 check or money order to:

Customer Records Work Center, Room 514

Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles

Post Office Box 27412

Richmond, VA 23269

Do not send cash with a mailed request.


Request the report by fax

Fax the completed request to 804-367-0390. You must also submit a completed License, ID Card, and Records Payment Authorization form so the DMV can process the $8 fee.

Request the report in person

Bring the completed request to a Virginia DMV customer service center. You may make an appointment or visit during regular business hours. In-person payment options include cash, check, money order, or credit card.

What Information Is in the Norfolk Accident Report?

A Norfolk police incident report may include:

  • Driver and passenger information. The report can list the names, addresses, and contact information of the people involved.
  • Vehicle and ownership details. It may identify each vehicle, its owner, license plate number, and insurance carrier.
  • Crash details. The officer may record the date, time, location, road conditions, weather, and direction each vehicle was traveling.
  • Reported injuries and vehicle damage. It can note visible injuries, ambulance transport, damaged areas of the vehicles, and towing information.
  • Statements and citations. The officer may summarize what the drivers said and identify any traffic citations issued.
  • The officer’s diagram and narrative. These sections show how the officer understood the crash based on the information available at the scene.

Check for incorrect names, insurance details, vehicle descriptions, street names, directions of travel, witness information, and statements attributed to you. An error does not automatically defeat your claim. It does mean you should preserve photographs, video, medical records, and witness accounts that may identify discrepancies.

Why Is the Norfolk Police Incident Report an Important Part of a Car Accident Claim?

The Norfolk police report brings the basic facts of the collision into one record. It can identify the drivers, vehicles, insurance carriers, witnesses, crash location, and statements made at the scene. That information gives you and the insurance companies an official starting point for investigating who caused the crash and which coverage may apply.

The report can also highlight evidence that requires prompt follow-up. A listed witness may have seen the impact, the crash location may reveal nearby surveillance cameras, and towing information may help locate a vehicle before it is repaired or disposed of. These leads can become especially valuable when the drivers disagree about a turn, a lane change, a traffic signal, or right-of-way.

Insurance adjusters often review the report early in the claim. They may rely on the diagram, narrative, citations, and driver statements when deciding whether to accept responsibility or dispute part of the accident.  

The report should be compared with photographs, video, vehicle damage, medical records, and witness accounts. It is an important piece of the investigation, but it does not replace the remaining evidence or make the final decision about fault.

Let Merrick Brock Put Your Norfolk Incident Report in Context

John Merrick and Les Brock spent more than 25 years defending insurance companies and other large corporations before forming Merrick Brock, PLLC. That experience helps us anticipate how insurers analyze liability, challenge injuries, and use small inconsistencies to reduce a claim. We have also developed a reputation for taking cases to trial when reasonable compensation cannot be reached through settlement.

We can request the crash report, compare it with the remaining evidence, handle insurance communications, and prepare your claim.

Contact Merrick Brock for a free case review. We handle personal injury cases on a contingency-fee basis, so you do not pay attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.

Legal References Used to Inform This Page

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