How to Get a Torrance Police Accident Report

Published November 14, 2026. Fees and steps were checked against the Torrance Police Department’s records page on that date.

Most Torrance police traffic collision reports can be bought online about 15 days after the crash, through the department’s LexisNexis eCrash portal. You can also request one by mail or at the police counter for $18.00. If your crash was on the 405, the California Highway Patrol wrote the report, and the request goes to the CHP instead.

• Online: LexisNexis eCrash (BuyCrash), for a convenience fee set by the portal.
• By mail or in person: a records request form, a copy of your photo ID and a check or money order for $18.00 payable to City of Torrance.
• Where: Torrance Police Department, ATTN: Records Division, 3300 Civic Center Drive, Torrance, CA 90503.
• When: allow at least 15 days from the date of the collision.
• Questions: Records Division, (310) 618-5529.

First, Which Agency Wrote Your Report?

The agency that responded is the agency that holds the report. On Torrance surface streets, such as Hawthorne Boulevard, Crenshaw Boulevard, Torrance Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway inside the city, that is usually the Torrance Police Department. On the 405 and its ramps it is the California Highway Patrol. The card or slip the officer gave you at the scene names the agency and carries the report number. Keep it; every request goes faster with that number.

Not sure which roads see the most crashes? Our Torrance crash data by intersection and road shows where the injury crashes of 2022 to 2024 happened.

Who Is Allowed to Get the Report?

Collision reports are not open to the general public. Under California Vehicle Code § 20012, the Torrance Police Department releases them only to:

• a driver involved in the collision;
• a parent, guardian or conservator of an involved driver, where that applies;
• an injured person;
• the registered owner of a vehicle or of damaged property;
• an authorized representative of any of those people;
• a person who may face civil liability because of the collision; and
• an attorney who declares under penalty of perjury that they represent one of those people.

Passengers who were hurt qualify as injured persons. An insurance company usually obtains the report as the representative of its insured.

Option 1: Buy the Report Online

1. Wait at least 15 days from the date of the collision. The report is not released before it is approved.
2. Go to the Torrance Police Department’s Traffic Collision Reports page and follow its link to the LexisNexis eCrash portal.
3. Search for the report. The report number is the fastest way; the date of the crash and a driver’s last name are the usual alternatives.
4. Pay the portal’s convenience fee and download the report.

If the report does not come up, the LexisNexis help desk is at 1-866-215-2771. Reports tied to an open criminal investigation, such as a hit-and-run or a fatal crash, may be delayed or may not be offered online at all. For those, call the Records Division.

Option 2: Request It by Mail or in Person

1. Fill out the department’s Request for Release of Police Records form, which is linked from the same Traffic Collision Reports page.
2. Add a copy of your valid photo ID.
3. Add a check or money order for $18.00, payable to City of Torrance.
4. Mail or drop off all three at: Torrance Police Department, ATTN: Records Division, 3300 Civic Center Drive, Torrance, CA 90503.

Counter hours and procedures change, so call the Records Division at (310) 618-5529 before you drive over.

If the Crash Was on the 405

Freeway crashes are investigated by the California Highway Patrol, and Torrance police will not have the report. The CHP uses its own request form, the CHP 190, Application for Release of Information, which goes to the CHP Area office that took the report along with proof that you are a party of interest. The office named on the officer’s card can tell you the current fee and whether the report is ready.

If No Officer Came to the Scene

Then there may be no police report to request. That does not end your claim, but it changes what you need to do. A crash with an injury or death must be reported in writing to the police or the CHP within 24 hours (Vehicle Code § 20008), and an SR-1 report goes to the DMV within 10 days when anyone is hurt or property damage exceeds $1,000 (Vehicle Code § 16000). Our guide to claiming a car accident without a police report covers the proof that takes the report’s place.

What to Check When You Get It

• The basics: date, time, location, direction of travel and the lane each vehicle was in.
• The other driver: name, license, vehicle owner and insurance company with policy number. This is often the first place you see the other driver’s insurer.
• Witnesses: names and contact details, and what each one told the officer.
• Your own statement: whether the officer wrote down what you actually said.
• Injuries: whether yours are recorded. Pain that started later will not be there, which is one reason to see a doctor promptly.
• The diagram and the officer’s opinion on cause: who the officer believed violated which Vehicle Code section.

The officer’s opinion on fault matters to insurance adjusters, but it is not the last word. Officers usually arrive after the crash and rely on what they are told. Camera footage, vehicle data and witness statements can show something different, as explained in our guide to what to do immediately after a car accident in Torrance.

What If the Report Is Wrong?

A factual mistake, such as a wrong plate number, insurer or street name, can usually be corrected by contacting the agency and showing the right information. A disagreement about how the crash happened is different: the department is unlikely to rewrite an officer’s conclusion, but you can ask to add your own written statement to the file. Either way, do it early, and keep a copy of what you send.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a Torrance accident report take?

The Torrance Police Department says to allow at least 15 days from the date of the collision. Reports connected to a criminal investigation can take longer.

How much does a Torrance police accident report cost?

$18.00 by mail or at the counter, by check or money order payable to City of Torrance. Online, the LexisNexis portal charges its own convenience fee.

Can a lawyer get the report for me?

Yes. Vehicle Code § 20012 allows release to an attorney who declares under penalty of perjury that they represent a driver, an injured person or a vehicle owner in the crash.

Do I need the report before I talk to a lawyer or an insurer?

No. The report helps, but camera footage is often overwritten within days, well before the report is released. Getting medical care and preserving evidence should not wait for it.

Sources

1. Torrance Police Department, Records and Information Services, Traffic Collision Reports (read November 14, 2026).
2. Cal. Veh. Code § 20012. Who may receive a collision report.
3. Cal. Veh. Code § 20008. Written report within 24 hours of an injury or fatal crash.
4. Cal. Veh. Code § 16000. SR-1 report to the DMV within 10 days.

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Hurt in a Torrance Crash?

The report is one piece of the case. If you were injured, see our Torrance car accident lawyer page for how these claims are built, or get a free case evaluation or call 310-750-4149. There are no upfront legal fees; a fee is collected only if we win, under a written contingency fee agreement that complies with California law.

Disclaimer: This article is educational and informational in nature. It does not constitute legal advice for any specific situation, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Agency fees and procedures change; confirm them with the agency before you rely on them.