How to Get a Police Report in Chicago

If you need a copy of a police or accident report in Chicago for any reason, it’s not as difficult as you think. A police report can help you substantiate a personal injury, a traffic accident, or damage and loss of property. You can also obtain a letter of clearance from the Chicago Police Department to confirm that you have not been convicted of a crime, although this excludes traffic offenses or minor regulator ordinances. Letters of clearance are often needed for passports, immigration documents, or adoptions.

Where to Obtain a Chicago Police Report

There are a few ways to obtain a Chicago police report:

1. In Person

   To obtain a police report or traffic accident report in person, head to Central Police Headquarters at:

   Chicago Police Department
   Records Customer Services Section
   3510 S. Michigan Ave., 1st Floor, Room 1043
   Chicago, IL 60653

   Hours: 8:00am to 3:00pm

   Be sure to bring the payment for the applicable fees in the form of a check or money order made out to “Department of Revenue, City of Chicago.” Your payment should include:

   • $0.50 for each copy of a case report requested
   • $5.00 for each copy of a traffic crash report
   • $20.00 for a copy of each report of a traffic reconstruction officer or accident reconstruction team in the case of a traffic crash.

   You should also be prepared to provide information about the report, including the victim or reporting person’s name and address, the location of the incident, and the RD number, which is the record number assigned by the police when a report is made.

   For more information, you can call the Chicago Police Department non-emergency number at (312) 746-6000 or email clearpath@chicagopolice.org.

2. By Mail

   To obtain a copy of a Chicago police report by mail, address your request to:

   Chicago Police Department
   Records Inquiry and Customer Service Section, Unit 163
   3510 S. Michigan Ave.
   Chicago, IL 60653

What to Include in Your Police Report Request

In your request, be sure to include:

1. Payment of a check or money order made out to “Department of Revenue, City of Chicago.”
   • $0.50 for each copy of a case report requested
   • $5.00 for each copy of a traffic crash report
   • $20.00 for a copy of each report of a traffic reconstruction officer or accident reconstruction team in the case of a traffic crash.
2. A self-addressed, stamped envelope for the police department to send the information back to you.
3. Information about the Incident, including:
   • the victim or reporting person’s name and address,
   • the type of location of the incident,
   • the RD number, which is a report number given by the police when a report is made.

Obtaining a Letter of Clearance

If you need a letter certifying that you have not been convicted of a criminal offense, excluding traffic or minor regulatory ordinances, you can request one in person at the Records Customer Services Section:

Chicago Police Headquarters Records Customer Services Section 3510 S. Michigan Ave., 1st Floor, Room 1043 Chicago, IL 60653

Letters of clearance are not used as character references or identification, but are often needed for passports, immigration, and adoption services. You must request this letter in person, and you can only request one for yourself, not for any other person.

Requesting Your Rap Sheet

You may want to request a list of your criminal offenses, or rap sheet. The first step to requesting expungement of your records is also to get a copy of your record. To request your criminal record, you must report to the Chicago Police Headquarters in person for fingerprinting:

Chicago Police Department Headquarters
3510 S. Michigan Ave., 1st Floor
Public Access Information Room, Room 1043, Window #1
Chicago, IL 606053

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 12 pm for fingerprinting
The office is closed on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays and the hours are strictly enforced.

Identification: You must bring a valid state identification card or a valid state driver’s license.

Payment: You should bring $16 in cash or in the form of a check or money order made out to the “Department of Revenue.” Credit cards are not accepted.

Forms: You should bring a pencil or pen to police headquarters.

• Once at the office, you will be given a “Request for Access and Review” form to complete.
• When you complete the form, you will take it to Window 3 or 4 to pay your fee.
• You will be given a pink copy of the form as your receipt. You must hold on to this pink form.

Fingerprinting: After you pay, you will return to the waiting room. Your name will be called, and you will be fingerprinted to ensure correct identification.

Record Pickup: You may pick up your record two business days after you were fingerprinted, between the hours of 8:30 am and 3:00 pm. You must have your pink receipt form with you to pick up your record. Only the subject of the record may pick it up. You must pick up your criminal record within 30 days after you were fingerprinted, or you will need to complete the process again.

Juvenile Records:

For juvenile records, you should contact Juvenile Records at (312) 433-4941 or in person:

Cook County Juvenile Court
Juvenile Expungement Help Desk
1100 S. Hamilton
Chicago, IL 60612

Hours: Monday through Friday (except for court holidays): 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

If you or a loved one has been hurt in an accident or need assistance obtaining a police report, accident report, or criminal record, contact the attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers for a free case evaluation.