After a Crash in Arizona — Official Resources

Report the crash

In Arizona the officer writes the crash report, not you — there's no separate DMV form for drivers to file. That makes getting police to the scene the whole ballgame.

Under A.R.S. §28-667, an officer who investigates a crash involving injury, death, property damage over $2,000, or a citation must complete a full written report within 24 hours of finishing the investigation. Below that, the officer still completes a partial report with everyone's identifying and insurance information, and a copy goes to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

File it yourself online (state highways)

For a minor collision on a state highway where DPS didn't come out, Arizona has an online tool most drivers don't know exists: the AZDPS Citizen's Collision Report. You submit the details, DPS reviews it, and you get emailed a police report number — which is often exactly what your insurer asks for.

It only applies to crashes in DPS jurisdiction and doesn't replace a full Arizona Crash Report, but for a fender-bender nobody responded to, it's the difference between having a record and having nothing.

Get the crash report

If DPS worked your crash, request the report through their Public Services Portal — typically around $9. If a city police or county sheriff's department responded, request it from that agency's records division instead. Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, and Scottsdale all run their own.

Note that state law restricts who can obtain crash reports — they're for the people involved and their representatives, not for commercial solicitation.

Hit-and-run

Call the police immediately — with a fled driver, the officer's report is the foundation of any claim, and in Arizona that report is the only crash record that exists. Your dashcam clip is the case: save it now and note the time and location. Your own policy's uninsured-motorist coverage may apply even though the driver fled — ask your insurer, and check your policy's own deadline for reporting a hit-and-run, which is often much shorter than the claim itself.

Find a lawyer

Arizona has no single statewide referral service — the county bars run them. In the Phoenix area, the Maricopa County Bar Lawyer Referral Service: 602-257-4434, which schedules a 30-minute consultation for a low fee. In Tucson, the Pima County Bar Lawyer Referral Service: 520-623-4625, $35 for the consultation.

The State Bar of Arizona's legal aid resources page lists more options, and its member directory is the way to confirm any attorney is actually licensed here.

Free legal help

AZLawHelp.org — run by the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education — is the statewide starting point for free legal information and the legal aid programs serving your county. Phone: 866-637-5341.

Insurance problems

The Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions investigates complaints against insurers and licensed agents. They're clear about their limits — they won't give legal advice or decide who was at fault — but they will make the company answer for how it handled your claim.

One practical tip from their own instructions: gather and scan your documents before you start the online form, because the system gives you one shot at attaching them.

Driving without insurance yourself? You still have rights and steps worth taking — make sure the crash is documented per the rules above, and lean on the free legal help listed here; it exists for exactly this kind of bind.