California regions · ORANGE COUNTY
Orange County accident reports: seven police departments, seven different processes
Each of the seven Orange County cities below runs its own police department, and each one releases collision reports in its own way. Freeway crashes belong to two CHP offices.
Ask the police department of the city where the crash happened: Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine or Santa Ana. Some sell reports online; others want a form at the front desk or a call to Records first. On the I-5, I-405, SR-55 and the county's other freeways, the report comes from CHP's Santa Ana or Westminster Area office. CHP (675) Santa Ana Area LegalMax helps you keep that report, the insurer's messages and your repair papers in one file and prepare for each adjuster conversation, in English or Spanish.
Seven city records counters compared
| Department | How to request | Wait and eligibility | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim PD source | Non-injury reports: the online Accident Report Database. Others: a request through the City's NextRequest portal. Records Bureau, 425 S. Harbor Boulevard, (714) 765-1990, Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Online reports take at least 10 working days to appear. Requests are processed under the Public Records Act, and not all are granted. | No fee stated on the pages we read. Check the current fee with Anaheim PD. |
| Costa Mesa PD source | Contact the Records Bureau, staffed 24/7, at (714) 754-5373. | Not listed on the Records page. | As of October 31, 2026, per the City of Costa Mesa's FY 2025-26 fee schedule, $9.30 per police report. It may have changed for FY 2026-27, so check the current fee with Costa Mesa PD. fee schedule |
| Fullerton PD source | Collision reports through LexisNexis BuyCrash. Police reports by online request, or a notarized written request mailed to Fullerton Police Department, Attention: Records Bureau, 237 W. Commonwealth Ave., Fullerton, CA 92832. | Victim, authorized representative with a signed waiver, an insurer facing a claim, or anyone with injury or property damage from the collision. Eligibility review can take up to 10 business days. | As of October 31, 2026, per Fullerton PD, $20.00 by mail. The online price is not stated, so check it with Fullerton PD. |
| Garden Grove PD source | The front desk, Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m., with the Request for Release of Police Records Information form, or online. | Parties involved only, with valid ID. Wait at least 21 days after the collision; review can take up to 10 business days. | The page says only “Fees may apply.” Check the current fee with Garden Grove PD. |
| Huntington Beach PD source | The online Police Records Request system. | Involved parties send a copy of photo ID; representatives send a letterhead request with the involved party's authorization; insurers send photo ID and a business card. Not released to witnesses. | The page says both “no cost” and “$5.00 per report.” Check the current fee with HBPD. |
| Irvine PD source | The online report request form, or the Business Desk (Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m.). Release status: (949) 724-7062. | Detective review can take up to 10 days. Hit-and-run reports need a Traffic Investigator's approval. Without an uploaded government ID, pick up in person with one. | As of October 31, 2026, per Irvine PD, $10.00 per report plus a 2.4% convenience fee. |
| Santa Ana PD source | The City FAQ lists requirements but not the request channel. Traffic Division, 60 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701; Collision Investigative Unit, (714) 245-8200. | Be the person who filed the report or be directly involved, and bring a valid picture ID. | As of October 31, 2026, per the Santa Ana Traffic Division fee list, $25.00 per traffic collision report. fee list |
Huntington Beach no longer writes most non-injury reports
Huntington Beach police no longer investigate or document most non-injury traffic collisions and point drivers to the DMV. HBPD Traffic Bureau After a fender-bender there, a police report may not exist, so keep your own photos, the other driver's details and your claim number together. The collision reports HBPD does write go to drivers, registered owners, parents of a minor driver, listed passengers, insurers, and people with property damage or civil liability.
Freeway crashes: CHP's Santa Ana and Westminster Areas
- Santa Ana Area (675), 2031 E. Santa Clara Ave., Santa Ana, CA 92705, (714) 338-5500. Over 225 miles of freeway, including I-5, I-405, SR-55, SR-22 and SR-91; about 220 miles of unincorporated roads; and the “Orange Crush” where I-5, SR-22 and SR-57 meet. CHP Santa Ana Area
- Westminster Area (670), 13200 Goldenwest Street, Westminster, CA 92683, (714) 622-3600. I-5, I-405, I-605, SR-22 and SR-91 near Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm, plus the unincorporated roads of Rossmoor and Midway City. CHP Westminster Area
CHP's pages list freeways, not city boundaries, so if you cannot tell which office took your report, ask either one. Copies come through the CHP Crash Portal or form CHP 190, in person or by mail, for proper parties of interest, and CHP asks you to contact the Area office for the exact fee. CHP: Request a crash report
Crash numbers for the county and its cities
The Office of Traffic Safety counted 17,809 people killed or injured on all roads within Orange County in 2023, ranking it 56th of California's 58 counties, where 1st is the worst. OTS 2023: Orange County City counts for 2023, each ranked against cities of similar size:
- Anaheim: 2,135 killed or injured, 5th of 15 large cities. OTS: Anaheim
- Santa Ana: 1,972, 4th of 15. OTS: Santa Ana
- Huntington Beach: 1,076, 23rd of 62, and 1st of 62 for bicycle victims, with 198. OTS: Huntington Beach
- Fullerton: 736, 25th of 62. OTS: Fullerton Costa Mesa: 685, 10th of 62. OTS: Costa Mesa
- Irvine: 570, 14th of 15. OTS: Irvine Garden Grove: 565, 49th of 62. OTS: Garden Grove
Spanish at home, from 66.1% in Santa Ana to 6.8% in Irvine
Across Orange County, 24.3% of residents age 5 and older, 729,433 people, speak Spanish at home (2020-2024 American Community Survey, table S1601). Census S1601: Orange County The share swings widely: 66.1% in Santa Ana, 40.8% in Anaheim, 28.4% in Garden Grove, 27.0% in Costa Mesa, 26.1% in Fullerton, 9.6% in Huntington Beach and 6.8% in Irvine. Santa Ana Anaheim Garden Grove Costa Mesa Fullerton Huntington Beach Irvine
Releasing an impounded car in Santa Ana
Santa Ana issues impound releases in person at the Police Department's Traffic Division, 60 Civic Center Plaza, with the front lobby open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The registered owner or an agent brings a valid license or ID and the current registration. Santa Ana: Impounded vehicles
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