Sacramento crash reports: city police or CHP, because the Sheriff does not take them

Three agencies, and the Sheriff is not one of them

The Sheriff's Office spells out the split itself: crashes in unincorporated Sacramento County go to CHP, crashes in the City of Rancho Cordova go to the Rancho Cordova Police Traffic Unit, and crashes in the City of Sacramento go to SPD. Sacramento County Sheriff: Transparency Sheriff records FAQ CHP's North, South and East Sacramento Areas cover the county's freeways, state highways and unincorporated roads.

Sacramento Police reports: online, by mail or at two counters

• Online: “Request an Online Accident Report” through BuyCrash. As of October 31, 2026, per SPD: “Cost of an online report is $5.00.”
• Mail: Sacramento Police Department, Attn: Records Report Requests, 5770 Freeport Blvd., Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95822. Include the report type (Traffic), the report number if known, the date and location, the parties and their addresses if known, and the vehicle license number; insurers add the policy number.
• In person, no appointments: Police Headquarters at the Public Safety Center, 5770 Freeport Blvd., Suite 100, or the William J. Kinney Police Facility, 3550 Marysville Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95838. Bring valid government-issued ID.

The page does not list the mail or in-person fee, so check the current fee with SPD Records at 916-808-0620. Reports go to authorized persons under Vehicle Code 20012. SPD: Request a police report

When SPD will not sell the report online

No online copy is offered when no SPD officer responded, when the crash happened on private property, when there were serious injuries or a death, or when it was a hit and run. Hit-and-run and fatal reports are released only after Traffic Section approval or after 90 days. SPD: Request a police report

CHP North, South and East Sacramento Areas

Ask the Area office that handled the crash, or use the CHP Crash Portal. CHP accepts form CHP 190 or a personal letter giving the crash date and location (approximate is accepted), with a photocopy of your driver license or photo ID; without ID, the request must be notarized. By mail, pay with a personal check or money order made out to the California Highway Patrol. CHP cannot provide reports written by SPD. CHP: Request a crash report As of October 31, 2026, per CHP: $10.00 for up to 25 pages, rising in $10 steps to $40.00 for 76-100 pages, with the exact amount confirmed by the Area office. CHP: Collision report fees

Alcohol and speed lead Sacramento's 2023 rankings

Among California's 15 cities over 250,000 people in 2023, the Office of Traffic Safety ranked the City of Sacramento 1st, the worst, for alcohol-involved victims (454) and for speed-related crashes (745); 2nd for total people killed or injured (4,214); and 3rd for hit-and-run crashes (581). OTS 2023: Sacramento city Counting all roads, Sacramento County placed 27th of 58 counties with 11,407 killed or injured, but 4th for bicyclist victims (529) and 6th for hit-and-run crashes (1,207). OTS 2023: Sacramento County City figures leave out crashes CHP reports on shared roads.

Free tow trucks on Sacramento freeways

The Sacramento Metropolitan Freeway Service Patrol, run by the Sacramento Transportation Authority, sends free roving tow trucks along major Sacramento and Yolo county freeways at peak commute times. If a car cannot be restarted, it is towed to a CHP-approved spot off the freeway. In the authority's words, “There is no cost to utilize these important benefits.” Route hours are listed on its page. Sacramento Transportation Authority: FSP

Spanish at home in Sacramento

13.2% of Sacramento County residents age 5 and older speak Spanish at home, and 16.5% in the City of Sacramento, per the 2020-2024 American Community Survey (table S1601). Census S1601: Sacramento County Census S1601: Sacramento city LegalMax intake is bilingual from the first call.