TxDOT CRIS Login: How to Find and Get Your Texas Crash Report

Short version

1. Go to the official TxDOT CRIS Purchase portal (cris.dot.state.tx.us).
2. Click Search for your Crash Report — you do not need to create an account.
3. Accept the disclaimer, then search by the name of someone involved plus the crash date and county.
4. A regular copy is $6; a certified copy is $8, paid to TxDOT.

Nothing found? It is almost always too early — see why your report is not showing up.

First: there are two CRIS sites, and most people pick the wrong one

What to have ready before you start

• The full name of someone involved in the crash — spelled the way it appears on their driver license. This is the most common reason a search fails.
• The date of the crash (the portal also accepts a small date range if you are unsure).
• The county where it happened — not the city. A crash on the Dallas/Tarrant line may be filed under either.
• A credit or debit card for the $6 or $8 fee.
• Optionally, the Crash ID if an officer gave you a card or driver exchange slip at the scene — searching by ID is far more reliable than by name.

Step by step through the portal

1. 1. Open the Purchase portal

   You will see two buttons. Search for your Crash Report is the orange one on the left. (The green Download Previous Purchase button is only for reports you already bought.)

2. 2. Accept the disclaimer

   A legal notice appears explaining that TxDOT is the authorized source for crash reports and that release is restricted by law. Click Accept to continue.

3. 3. Choose how to search

   You can search by person or by Crash ID. If you have the Crash ID from the scene, use it — name searches fail whenever a name was entered differently than you expect.

4. 4. Complete the security check

   The portal uses a captcha to block bots. This is normal and it is why no third party can look your report up for you automatically.

5. 5. Certify your interest

   Texas law (TTC §550.065(c)(4)) only allows release to people directly concerned in the crash or with a proper interest — drivers, passengers, vehicle owners, their insurers and attorneys. TxDOT requires you to certify how you qualify before it will release an unredacted report.

6. 6. Pay and download

   Choose a regular copy ($6) or certified copy ($8). Certified is only needed for court or other official proceedings — an insurance claim normally accepts the regular copy. The PDF downloads immediately after payment.

Your report is not showing up. Why?

In most cases nothing is wrong — you are simply early. Texas Transportation Code §550.062 gives the investigating officer until the 10th day after the crash to submit the report to TxDOT, and TxDOT then has to process it. Reports typically become searchable 7–10 days after the crash.

If it has been more than 10 days, check these:

• Try the other driver's name instead of your own.
• Try a date range of a day either side — crashes just after midnight are sometimes filed on the adjacent date.
• Try the neighboring county, especially for crashes on a highway near a county line.
• Check name spelling exactly as it appears on the driver license, including middle name or suffix.
• If police did not investigate at the scene, there may be no CR-3 at all. The old CR-2 "Blue Form" that drivers filed themselves was discontinued in 2019 and is no longer retained.
• Reports involving a fatality or a criminal investigation can be withheld until the case is closed.

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