Reviewed by Mike Redondo, Founding Attorney, Redondo Law, P.A. • Updated October 2026
If your crash happened on I-95, the Palmetto Expressway or another Miami-Dade highway, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) most likely wrote the report. You can buy an FHP crash report online through the Florida Crash Portal at floridacrashportal.gov, or ask for it in person at the FHP troop station nearest the crash. In Miami-Dade, that is Troop E.
This page explains when FHP takes a crash, how to get the report, how long it takes, and what to do if you disagree with what the trooper wrote. For crashes on city streets or in unincorporated areas, see our main guide on how to get your Miami-Dade crash report.
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When FHP investigates a crash in Miami-Dade
FHP is the state’s highway police. In Miami-Dade, troopers usually handle crashes on the expressways and toll roads, including:
- I-95
- The Palmetto Expressway (SR 826)
- Florida’s Turnpike, including the Homestead Extension
- The Dolphin Expressway (SR 836)
- I-75
- I-195 (Julia Tuttle Causeway)
- I-395
The lines between agencies are not always neat. A crash on an exit ramp or a surface street next to a highway may go to city police or the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office instead. Several of these roads also appear in our look at the most dangerous roads in Miami-Dade.
FHP Troop E covers Miami-Dade
FHP divides Florida into troops. According to FLHSMV, Troop E covers Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. Troop E headquarters is at 1011 NW 111th Avenue in Miami, and FLHSMV lists its main number as 305-470-2500.
If your crash involved a semi-truck or other commercial vehicle, another FHP unit may be part of the picture. FLHSMV says Troop J oversees commercial vehicle enforcement for the southern region, which includes Troop E. Truck crashes often bring extra records, such as driver logs. Learn more on our Miami truck accident lawyer page.
How to get your FHP crash report
- Write down the date, the road, the direction of travel and the nearest exit or mile marker.
- Find the report number if the trooper gave you one at the scene.
- Go to floridacrashportal.gov, the official FLHSMV crash portal, and search for your report.
- If the crash was less than 60 days ago, state which legal exception applies to you (for example, you were a driver) and give your driver license number.
- Pay $10 per report plus a $2 convenience fee per online payment, then download the report. You have 48 hours to download it, so save it right away.
- If the report is not there after 10 days, contact Troop E or ask in person at the troop station nearest the crash.
You can also mail a request to FLHSMV Crash Records, 2900 Apalachee Parkway, MS 28, Tallahassee, FL 32399. Include a request letter, a sworn statement (form HSMV 94010) for each report inside the 60-day period, and a check or money order made out to FLHSMV. FLHSMV says mail requests take 4 to 6 weeks.
How long an FHP report takes
FLHSMV says a crash report can take up to 10 days to appear in the portal. For crashes that need a long-form report, such as crashes with injuries or complaints of pain, a tow, or a commercial vehicle, Florida law gives the officer 10 days after finishing the investigation to file it.
A crash with a death or very serious injuries can take much longer to investigate. In those cases, a first report may be available before the full investigation is done. Ask Troop E whether more is coming.
The 60-day rule for FHP reports
The Florida rule: the first 60 days
Under Fla. Stat. 316.066, crash reports with personal information are confidential for 60 days after they are filed. During that period, the people in the crash, their lawyers, their insurance agents and insurers, and a few other groups listed in the law can get the report. They must show photo ID and sign a sworn statement that it will not be used to solicit crash victims. After 60 days, a wider group may get it.
The same rule applies whether FHP, city police or the Sheriff’s Office wrote the report. If you were in the crash, the rule does not block you. It just adds a sworn statement step.
Disagreeing with the trooper’s fault findings
Troopers work fast on busy highways. They rely on what drivers and witnesses say, plus what they can see. Sometimes they get it wrong.
Start by reading the whole report: the diagram, the narrative, the listed witnesses and any contributing factors the trooper checked. If you spot a factual error, call Troop E and ask whether the trooper can add a supplement. Bring proof, such as photos, dash cam video or a witness’s contact details.
A trooper may not change an opinion about who caused the crash. That opinion does not decide your injury claim.
A ticket is not the same as civil fault
Getting a ticket, or seeing the other driver get one, can feel like the final answer. It is not. Florida law says traffic citations are generally not admissible as evidence at trial (Fla. Stat. 316.650(9)). The crash report, and the statements people give the officer for it, generally cannot be used as trial evidence either (Fla. Stat. 316.066(4)).
In a civil claim, fault turns on the evidence. Florida uses modified comparative fault. If you are found more than 50% at fault, you generally recover nothing. At 50% or less, your recovery is reduced by your share. Take a hypothetical: a trooper tickets you for an unsafe lane change, but highway camera footage shows the other driver was speeding and texting. The ticket alone does not set your share of fault.
If you got a ticket, talk to a lawyer before you decide how to handle it. A traffic case and an injury claim are separate, but they can affect each other.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if FHP worked my crash?
If the crash was on I-95, the Palmetto, the Turnpike, the Dolphin or another expressway, FHP probably handled it. The officer’s uniform and car say Florida Highway Patrol, and any paper you got at the scene should name the agency. If you are unsure, call Troop E with the date and place.
How much does an FHP crash report cost?
Through the Florida Crash Portal, FLHSMV charges $10 per report plus a $2 convenience fee for each online payment. You can buy up to 10 reports in one order. Mail requests use a check or money order made out to FLHSMV.
Can I get an FHP crash report in the first 60 days?
Yes, if you were in the crash or you are a lawyer or insurer for someone who was. You must state your exception, give your driver license number online, or sign the sworn statement form HSMV 94010 for an in-person or mailed request.
Can the trooper change the report?
Troopers can correct factual errors, often by adding a supplement. Contact Troop E with the report number and your proof. Changing an opinion about fault is less likely, but that opinion does not decide your civil claim.
If the other driver got a ticket, will their insurance pay?
Not automatically. A ticket helps show what the trooper thought, but insurers make their own fault decisions, and a ticket is generally not admissible at trial. Your claim still depends on the evidence, your injuries and the insurance available.
If you were hurt in a crash on a Miami-Dade highway, our team can get the FHP report, review it and gather the evidence behind it. Mike Redondo personally oversees every case. Learn more about working with a Miami car accident attorney, or call (305) 908-6778 for a free consultation.
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