Berlin, New Hampshire: Car Accident Reporting Requirements: Police, Driver, and Motor Vehicle Reports

Short answer

In New Hampshire, a car accident involving death, personal injury, or combined vehicle/property damage over $1,000 must be reported in writing to the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) within 15 days. If police investigate, the officer’s report generally satisfies that DMV reporting requirement. If police did not investigate, the operator files the Operator (Driver) Accident Report, DSMV 400. New Hampshire DMV accident-report instructions | RSA 264:25

For a car accident with injuries, the New Hampshire Driver’s Manual says to call 911. A police report, driver report, DMV insurance-verification form, and records request are different steps.

Immediate checklist

1. Stop and make the scene safer if possible. The Driver’s Manual says to move a vehicle off the road when possible so traffic is not blocked.
2. Call 911 if there are injuries. Give aid without moving an injured person unless necessary, and make sure an ambulance has been called. Driver’s Manual, Accident Procedures
3. Exchange and save information. Gather names and addresses, driver-license and plate details, vehicle details, available insurance information, and witness contact information. The statute also sets information-exchange duties after car accidents involving death, injury, or property damage. RSA 264:25
4. Confirm whether police investigated. That determines whether an officer report or DSMV 400 is the state reporting route.
5. Keep photos, estimates, notices, and your notes. The car-accident evidence checklist can help organize them.

Who reports what?

Calling or notifying police

The driver manual tells drivers to call 911 when there are injuries and gives car accident-scene safety directions. Driver’s Manual This is separate from the DMV report threshold; the $1,000 threshold is not a general police-notification rule.

Investigating officer report: DSMV 159

When police respond to and investigate a car accident, the officer submits the Uniform Police Traffic Accident Report (DSMV 159) to the NH DMV. DMV accident-report instructions The state rule identifies DSMV 159 as the police investigation-report form. Saf-C 7505.01

Under RSA 264:26, an officer, agency, or individual who investigates a reportable accident in the regular course of duty must forward the completed report to the Division within five days after finishing the investigation. For a fatal car accident, the statute also requires written notice to the Department of Safety within seven days, followed by the complete report. RSA 264:26 Those are investigator duties, not a second driver filing.

Driver/operator report: DSMV 400

If police did not investigate, the operator is responsible for the DMV report when the car accident caused death, personal injury, or combined vehicle/property damage over $1,000. The deadline is 15 days after the car accident. The official form is the Operator (Driver) Accident Report, DSMV 400; the rule directs people required by RSA 264:25 to submit it to the Division. DMV instructions | Saf-C 7505.02

RSA 264:25 includes an owner of an illegally parked vehicle and provides that, if a driver is physically or mentally unable to report, the owner or the owner’s representative must do so after learning of the car accident. RSA 264:25 The Driver’s Manual similarly says a passenger or owner may file when the driver is injured and cannot complete the report. Driver’s Manual

The DMV says an operator may submit DSMV 400 to assist an insurance claim even after a police investigation; the later police report becomes part of the operator’s file. DMV instructions

DMV insurance verification: DSMV 385

A car accident report is different from insurance verification. If police responded or investigated and insurance information is unavailable, the DMV says the operators involved and/or vehicle owner must verify insurance through the online service or the Insurance Verification Form, DSMV 385. DMV instructions

The official sources used here do not state a general insurer-notice deadline, a public-entity claim-notice deadline, or a lawsuit deadline. Those subjects are not added to this reporting guide.

How to request a report

For an NH DMV accident-report copy, start with the DMV’s Accident Reports page and the Release of Motor Vehicle Records form, DSMV 505. The stated fee is $1 per page, $5 minimum. DSMV 505 asks for the car accident date and location and uses record-holder/vehicle information and requester status to process the request. It also requires a signature and describes authorization or statutory authorized uses for someone seeking another person’s record. DSMV 505

The Accident Reports web page uses different submission wording than DSMV 505 (revised 6/26). Check the current Accident Reports page or contact DMV before sending the form.

The DMV says a law-enforcement agency may take several weeks to submit a police report. For a supplemental, incident, or investigation record, begin with the investigating agency. For a fatal car accident, if the report has been released, DMV says it should be sent within 30 working days; it may be withheld pending litigation and unavailable for months. Accident Records FAQs

If the report is held elsewhere

Ask the investigating local police department, sheriff, campus police department, or other named agency for its official records procedure and whether it has an incident or supplemental record. Where the holder is a New Hampshire public body or agency, RSA 91-A:4 is the official public-records fallback: a reasonably described request goes to the agency with custody or control. If a record is not immediately available, the agency must within five business days provide it, deny it, or provide a written time-needed explanation and any estimated cost. RSA 91-A:4

The Department of Safety also directs requesters to the specific division maintaining the record and lists State Police and Motor Vehicles separately. Department of Safety Right-to-Know requests If a tribal or non-New Hampshire public authority investigated, use that authority’s official records procedure rather than assuming the DMV or RSA 91-A process applies.

Motor-vehicle records are generally not public under RSA 260:14, and the Department may limit personal information released. A special rule covers car accident-related records involving government-owned or leased state, county, city, town, or local-public-entity vehicles. RSA 260:14

Documents and identifiers to gather

Keep the car accident date, street/route and city or town, driver names, plate or VIN if available, investigating agency and officer name, and any report or case number. DSMV 505 specifically asks for date and location. Keep exchanged information, photos, estimates, and request correspondence.

Official resources

• New Hampshire DMV: Accident Reports
• Operator (Driver) Accident Report, DSMV 400
• Release of Motor Vehicle Records, DSMV 505
• New Hampshire DMV: Accident Records FAQs
• Department of Safety: Right-to-Know requests

For broader after-car accident organization, see what to do after a car accident and the site’s guides.

Sources

1. NH DMV: Accident Reports and DSMV 505.
2. RSA 264:25, RSA 264:26, and Saf-C 7505.
3. NH DMV Accident Records FAQs, RSA 91-A:4, and RSA 260:14.