How to Report a Car Accident in Salt Lake City, Utah
To report a car accident in Salt Lake City, call 911 from the scene if anyone is hurt, and use the Salt Lake City Police non-emergency line at 801-799-3000 when the crash is minor but still needs an officer. Utah treats that notice as immediate, not as something handled the next day.
Which agency responds depends on where the crash happened. City streets belong to Salt Lake City police, while collisions on I-15, I-80, and I-215 usually go to the Utah Highway Patrol.
Drivers often ask why accident reporting matters when the damage looks small. The report becomes the official record that insurers and Utah courts rely on, and skipping it turns a simple claim into an argument over what happened.
When Utah Law Requires You to Report
The threshold is lower than most drivers expect, and failing to report can bring a criminal citation on top of the crash itself.
Under Utah Code § 41-6a-401, a driver must stop, exchange information, and give immediate notice to the nearest law enforcement office when apparent property damage reaches $2,500 or more. Notice is also required in these situations:
- Any crash involving injury or death
- Damage to an unattended vehicle or to city property
- A collision you learn about only after leaving the scene
When you hit a parked car and cannot find the owner, Utah law lets you leave a written notice with your name, address, and plate number in a visible spot.
Which Agency Takes Your Report
Calling the wrong department delays the file, so match the location to the agency before you dial.
Salt Lake City Police handle crashes on city streets, including downtown corridors such as State Street, 400 South, and North Temple.
Utah Highway Patrol covers the interstates running through the valley, along with state routes outside city jurisdiction.
Unified Police or the Salt Lake County Sheriff respond in unincorporated areas just beyond the city boundary, which matters near the canyon roads and the west side.
What If No Officer Comes to the Scene?
Salt Lake City police do not dispatch to every minor collision, particularly during winter storms or heavy call volume.
The department accepts certain reports online, including hit-and-run crashes without injuries, and lets you attach photos or video to the submission. You can also add follow-up details later by referencing the original case number.
If your situation does not fit the online form, call dispatch at 801-799-3000 and ask how the crash should be documented. Getting a case number that day is what allows an insurer to verify the crash later.
What Happens After the Report Is Filed
State law puts the paperwork on a clock. Under Utah Code § 41-6a-402, the investigating officer files an electronic copy of the crash report with the Utah Department of Public Safety within ten days of completing the investigation.
The same section lets the department require a driver to submit a report within ten days of a request, which usually happens when no officer investigated the crash in person.
Getting Your Copy of the Report
Utah crash reports are protected records rather than open public records, so access runs to the people involved and their representatives.
Salt Lake City processes these requests under GRAMA, the state records law. The police records office at 475 South 300 East charges $15 for a traffic accident report, and requests can be submitted through the city’s online records portal.
Key Takeaways
- Call 911 for injuries and 801-799-3000 for minor Salt Lake City crashes.
- Utah requires immediate notice at $2,500 or more in apparent damage.
- Interstate crashes in the city belong to the Utah Highway Patrol.
- Some non-injury crashes can be reported through the SLCPD online form.
- Officers file the crash report with the state within ten days of investigating.
- Crash reports are protected records, so only involved parties get full copies.
- A traffic accident report costs $15 through a GRAMA request.