Pennsylvania Crash Reporting Rules

When you must file a written crash report, the deadline, and which agency receives it.

Crash Report Required Threshold Damage

Pennsylvania does not use a dollar amount to decide whether a crash must be reported. You must notify the nearest police department immediately if anyone is injured or killed, or if any vehicle involved is damaged badly enough that it has to be towed. If no police officer investigates, you have five days to send a written report to PennDOT on Form AA-600. A minor scrape that hurts nobody and leaves both vehicles drivable does not trigger either requirement. The test phrases this carefully, because the trigger is the tow and the injury, not the repair bill.

Source: Pennsylvania sets no dollar-damage threshold for crash reporting. 75 Pa.C.S. Sec. 3746(a) requires immediate notice to the nearest police department when the crash involves "(1) injury to or death of any person; or (2) damage to any vehicle involved to the extent that it cannot be driven under its own power in its customary manner without further damage or hazard ... and therefore requires towing." Where no police officer investigates, Sec. 3747(a) requires the driver to forward a written report to PennDOT "within five days of the accident" (Form AA-600). Verified Aug 2026

Deadline to file written report (days)

Source: Pennsylvania Driver's Manual (PUB 95), Chapter 4: Crashes Verified Aug 2026