How to Get Your Accident Report in Luzerne County
(and Which Police Department Has It)
After a crash, nearly everyone asks for the police report — your insurer, the other driver’s insurer, and any lawyer you talk to. Getting it is simple once you know one thing: which agency responded. In Luzerne County, that is either the Pennsylvania State Police or your local municipal police department, and each has its own request process.
Step one: figure out who responded
Look at anything the officer handed you at the scene — a card, an exchange-of-information slip, or an incident number. It will show the department. If you didn’t get anything, the rule of thumb is geography:
Cities, boroughs and townships with their own police force — Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, Pittston, Kingston, Plains Township, Pittston Township and many others — handle crashes inside their borders.
Areas without a local department, and interstate stretches such as I-81 and I-80, are patrolled by the Pennsylvania State Police.
If you are unsure, call the non-emergency line for the municipality where the crash happened and ask. They will tell you whether it was theirs.
Which State Police station covers Luzerne County?
Luzerne County is split between two State Police troops. Troop P, headquartered in Wilkes-Barre, covers the northern part of the county — Nescopeck, Conyngham, Newport, Slocum, Hanover and Bear Creek townships and everything north of them — with stations in Wyoming and Shickshinny. Troop N, headquartered in Hazleton, covers southern Luzerne County.
You do not need to go to the barracks to get a State Police crash report. Requests are handled centrally, as explained below.
How to request a State Police crash report
Online, through the Pennsylvania State Police Online Crash Report Requests site. You’ll search using your name and the crash date.
By mail, using form SP 7-0015 (Application to Obtain Copy of Police Crash Report), sent to the PSP Crash Reports Unit, 1800 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110, with a check or money order payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The fee is $22.
Reports are generally available about 15 days after the crash. Requesting sooner usually means waiting.
How to request a report from a local police department
Local departments set their own procedures and fees. Most ask you to call or visit the records office with the date, location, your name and the incident number. Some have an online form. Call first so you know what to bring and how they accept payment.
What if no officer came to the scene?
Police don’t respond to every crash. If no officer investigated and someone was injured or killed, or a vehicle had to be towed, Pennsylvania law requires the driver to send a written crash report to PennDOT (form AA-600) within five days. There is no fee. If police did investigate, you do not need to file this form.
What’s in the report — and what isn’t
The report records the date, time and location, the drivers, vehicles and insurers, a diagram, and the officer’s notes. It may note citations and contributing factors. It is important evidence, but it is not the final word on fault. Insurers make their own fault decisions, and an officer’s opinion can be challenged with photos, witnesses and video.
If something in your report is wrong — a vehicle description, your insurer, the direction of travel — contact the responding department. Officers can sometimes add a supplement, though they generally won’t change their conclusions.
Don’t wait on the report to protect yourself
The report takes weeks. Evidence doesn’t wait that long: business camera footage near the crash is often recorded over within days. Get medical care, take photos, write down witness names, and keep every document. You can give the report to your insurer when it arrives.
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Talk it through with someone local. If you have questions about your own situation, the attorneys at Joyce, Carmody & Moran can review what happened and explain your options — no cost for the first conversation, and no obligation. We are based in Pittston and handle injury matters throughout Luzerne County.
Let’s Work Together
When you work with us, you can expect clear communication, thoughtful strategy, and a team that is fully invested in your goals. We take the time to understand your needs, tailor our approach, and stand with you through every step of the legal process. Let’s move forward — together.