On this page
- Step 1: Find out who investigated your crash
- Birmingham Police Department: how to request
- Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA): how to request
- Who can get a crash report in Alabama
- What is on a report
- Two different reports: the officer's and yours
- What if the report has a mistake?
- Related guides
- Questions
- Sources
Last verified November 9, 2026 against the official pages listed under Sources. Fees and hours change; confirm with the agency before you pay. General information, not legal advice. Not the English city of Birmingham: this is Birmingham, Alabama.
Step 1: Find out who investigated your crash
The officer at the scene should give you a card or slip with an agency name and a crash or case number. If you did not get one, call the non-emergency line of the agency you think responded.
| If the crash was investigated by | Request it from | Start here |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham Police Department | BPD Records Division | BPD Records Division |
| Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Highway Patrol | ALEA crash report portal | alabamainteractive.org/dps_crash_report |
| Any other agency (a county sheriff or another city's police) | That agency | Contact the agency named on the officer's card |
BPD's non-emergency number is 205-328-9311 and headquarters is 205-254-1700 (both listed on the city's contact page) [2] [2]. In an emergency, call 911.
Birmingham Police Department: how to request
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Online | BPD's Records Division page says "Accident Reports may be purchased online or in person." [1] The page links a payment portal, which we did not open, so ask Records at (205) 254-6308 whether it adds a fee. The page notes "a separate transaction is required for each request." [1] |
| In person | BPD Records Division, 1710 1st Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203. Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays; "No reports are sold after 4:30pm." [1] [1] [1] |
| Phone / email | (205) 254-6308; [email protected] [1] |
| Fee, accident report | $10.00 listed on BPD's price list. The page does not say whether paying online adds a fee [1]. |
| Fee, archived reports | $25.00 for accident reports prior to January 2015, "Available within 3-5 business days" [1] |
| Payment in person | Cash, debit cards, money orders and company checks. "No personal checks will be accepted." [1] |
| How long it takes | For incident and offense reports BPD says "Most releasable reports are available within 5-7 working days"; the page gives no separate wait time for accident reports [1]. Ask Records when yours will be ready. |
| Who can buy | "Alabama Code 32-10-7 governs who is eligible to purchase accident reports." [1] |
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA): how to request
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Online | alabamainteractive.org/dps_crash_report, the state portal [4] |
| Fee | $15 per report, per ALEA [8]. A 2016 portal support page listed a $2.00 online processing fee, major credit cards, and no refunds once purchased; that page is dated, so confirm the total on the portal before you pay [4] [4]. |
| Wait | "It can take up to 15 business days from the date of a crash for the crash report to be available online." [7] |
| Access | "Crash reports will be available to view and download for up to 5 days after your submission." (The 2016 support page said 7 days; the portal now says 5 [7].) |
| Coverage | Online reports are available for crashes on or after January 1, 2006 and kept for 10 years (same page) [4] |
| Highway Patrol Birmingham office | 205-635-0006 (ALEA contact page); for emergencies dial 911 or *HP [3] [3] |
Who can get a crash report in Alabama
Alabama Code § 32-10-7(b)(3) lists who may request a crash report. It includes "A person involved in the accident made the basis of the accident report, including, but not limited to, drivers of and passengers in the automobiles and pedestrians involved in the accident that is the subject of the report." [5] The list also includes a parent or guardian of a minor who was involved; a personal representative or other legal representative of a person who died (or, if none has been appointed, an heir); an insurer or its written designee "if the purpose of the request is for insurance business purposes"; [5] a governmental entity responsible for the road or bridge or for law enforcement investigations; and "An owner or lienholder of an automobile in the accident that is the subject of the report." [5]
An attorney of a person involved in the accident, or an employee of the attorney, may request a report only with consent: "The attorney or employee of the attorney shall provide written signed consent by the represented person to request the report." [5]
Separately, § 32-10-7(b) makes reports available to news-gathering organizations for publishing or broadcasting the news, and says that "For 30 days following the accident, the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency shall limit any personal identifying information contained in any accident report released pursuant to this subsection to the name and age of the person involved." [5] Read the full section before relying on this summary.
What is on a report
Under § 32-10-8, the uniform report form must call for details such as the location, probable cause, injuries, property damage, vehicle registration, the operator's name, address and driver license number, highway lighting, markings and road surface, and witnesses' names and addresses [6]. The "probable cause" box is the officer's opinion, not a legal finding of fault.
Two different reports: the officer's and yours
Alabama also requires drivers to send their own written report to the state in some crashes, and the officer's report goes to the state on the uniform accident report form within 24 hours after the investigation is completed [5]. See Alabama accident reporting requirements.
What if the report has a mistake?
The pages linked here for BPD and ALEA don't list a correction procedure. What people can do:
- Write down exactly what is wrong and keep your own photos and notes.
- Contact the agency that wrote the report (BPD Records at (205) 254-6308) and ask how corrections are handled.
- Tell your insurer what you believe is inaccurate.
If you disagree with an officer's description of fault, that is a question for an attorney. We cannot advise you on it.
Sources
- City of Birmingham: Police Records Division (checked November 9, 2026)Official source“Accident Reports may be purchased online or in person”“a separate transaction is required for each request”“1710 1st Avenue North Birmingham, AL 35203”“Monday-Friday, 8am – 4:30pm”“No reports are sold after 4:30pm”“Contact Us (205) 254-6308 [email protected]”“Accident Reports – $10.00”“Archived reports – $25.00 Incident/Offense Reports prior to January 2013 or Accident Reports prior to January 2015 Available within 3-5 business days”“Cash Debit cards Money orders Company checks No personal checks will be accepted”“Most releasable reports are available within 5-7 working days”“Alabama Code 32-10-7 governs who is eligible to purchase accident reports”
- City of Birmingham: Contact Birmingham Police Department (checked November 9, 2026)Official source“Non-Emergency P: 205-328-9311”“Police Headquarters P: 205-254-1700”
- ALEA: Highway Patrol contact information (checked November 9, 2026)Official source“Highway Patrol Offices Alexander City 256.540.0070 Birmingham 205.635.0006”“*For emergencies, please dial 911 or *HP”
- Alabama Interactive support wiki: ALEA crash accident reports (page dated 2016) (checked November 9, 2026)Vendor support page (2016)“pay for the selected results and receive the reporting all in a secure environment”“The fee/cost/price for a PDF copy of an accident report is $17.00 ($15.00 per report as directed by Alabama statute, plus a $2.00 per report processing fee)”“customers will not be able to receive a refund”“online reports are only available for accidents that occurred on or after January 1st 2006”
- Ala. Code § 32-10-7, written reports of accidents, release of information (Alabama Legislature) (checked November 9, 2026)Official source“A person involved in the accident made the basis of the accident report, including, but not limited to, drivers of and passengers in the automobiles and pedestrians involved in the accident that is the subject of the report”“if the purpose of the request is for insurance business purposes”“An owner or lienholder of an automobile in the accident that is the subject of the report”“The attorney or employee of the attorney shall provide written signed consent by the represented person to request the report”“For 30 days following the accident, the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency shall limit any personal identifying information contained in any accident report released pursuant to this subsection to the name and age of the person involved”“within 24 hours after completing such investigation, forward the necessary completed written report or copy thereof of such accident to the director on the uniform accident report form supplied by the director”
- Ala. Code § 32-10-8, accident report forms (Alabama Legislature) (checked November 9, 2026)Official source“including, but not limited to, the location of the accident, probable cause, injuries to persons, property damage, deaths of persons, the registration of vehicles involved including license numbers, the name, address, and driver's license number of the operator, highway design and maintenance, including lighting, markings, and road surface, and the names and addresses of any witnesses”
- ALEA crash report portal (Alabama Interactive, ALEA) (checked November 9, 2026)Official source“It can take up to 15 business days from the date of a crash for the crash report to be available online”“Crash reports will be available to view and download for up to 5 days after your submission”
- ALEA: Driver Records, Crash Reports, and Driver License Reinstatements (checked November 9, 2026)Official source“Copy of Crash Report - $15”
Page last updated November 9, 2026. Attorney review pending. General information, not legal advice. Fees, hours and rules change; confirm on the official page. How we source.
Questions
Can I get a Birmingham police accident report online?
BPD says "Accident Reports may be purchased online or in person." [1] ALEA reports are sold through the state's online portal [4].
How much does a Birmingham accident report cost?
BPD's price list shows "Accident Reports – $10.00." [1] It does not say whether the online payment adds a fee, so confirm the total before you pay. For ALEA reports, ALEA lists a copy of a crash report at $15 [8]. A 2016 portal support page listed a $2.00 online processing fee on top of the $15.00 [4]. Confirm the total on the portal.
How long does it take?
BPD's page does not give a time for accident reports (it says most releasable incident and offense reports are available within 5-7 working days) [1]. Ask Records at (205) 254-6308 when yours will be ready.
Who can get a copy?
Alabama Code § 32-10-7(b)(3) allows a report to be requested by a person involved in the accident (including drivers, passengers and pedestrians); a parent or guardian of a minor who was involved; a personal representative or other legal representative of a person who died, or an heir if none is appointed; an insurer or its written designee for insurance business purposes; an attorney of a person involved, or the attorney's employee, who must provide "written signed consent by the represented person to request the report"; a government entity responsible for the road or bridge or for law enforcement investigations; and an owner or lienholder of an automobile in the accident [5] [5] [5].
Do I need the report number?
It helps. Have it ready when you contact the agency or the state portal.
The state rules
Deadlines, fault and reports for all of Alabama are in the Alabama reference.
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