How to File an MV-104 NY Accident Report

MV-104 is New York State’s official accident reporting form. For many collisions, you’re required to fill one out. It contains important information about a crash, which may be relevant to any insurance claims you may file.

O’Brien & Ford PC helps people who have suffered injuries in auto accidents in NY. Our car accident attorneys could assist you with seeking compensation if you or someone you love was hurt. Get started by learning more about accident reporting and the role it might play in your injury claim.

When should you report a crash?

According to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), the law requires that you file an MV-104 after any auto accident resulting in injury, death, or over $1,000 in damage to any person’s property, including yours. And, according to the New York City Police Department (NYPD), an additional state law mandates that you stay at the scene and report any accidents involving the following (a failure to do so could result in penalties for leaving the scene or failing to report):

• Injury or death to a person
• Injury or death to a horse, dog, cat, or cattle
• Damage to a parked vehicle or any other personal property (when you can’t locate the owner)

Even though you don’t legally have to report most crashes where no one was injured, and the property damages are below $1,000, it’s still a good idea to do so. First, you can’t really know the cost of the harm done to your vehicle until you get an estimate. Second, your insurance company may request an accident report or other documentation when evaluating a property damage claim.

At the very least, you should get the other driver’s license, insurance, and vehicle registration information for insurance purposes.

How long do you have to report?

The NYPD also states that you have 10 days from when a crash occurred to complete and file an MV-104 with the DMV. If you don’t, it could lead to the suspension of your driver’s license.

How to file an MV-104

There are two ways to file an MV-104 in NY. You can:

File online

You can complete and submit form MV-104 online through NY’s online submission portal. If you already have a NY.gov ID, you’ll use this username and password to log in. If you don’t have an existing ID, you’ll need to sign up for one, which you can also do through the online portal. Once you have an NY.gov ID, you can fill out the crash report.

File by mail

If you’d rather submit MV-104 by mail, you can print a PDF copy from the DMV website. You’ll fill it out and mail it to the address listed on the form.

What information do you need to fill out form MV-104?

MV-104 NY asks for a lot of information about your accident and the people involved. You’ll need to fill in the following:

• The name, contact information, date of birth, and driver’s license number for yourself and the other driver
• The county, city, road, or intersection where the accident occurred
• A brief description of the collision
• The names of any passengers or others involved in the accident, as well as their age, sex, a description of their injury, their position in the vehicle, and whether they were using safety equipment (such as a seatbelt, car seat, or motorcycle helmet)

Completing MV-104 can be confusing, and the form contains some complex instructions. Our lawyers could make the process easier by offering you guidance.

What role does a crash report play in a car accident claim?

Form MV-104 contains your personal account of your car accident, and insurance companies will likely use the details you provide when evaluating and processing your claim. The report will also be on your record and the other driver’s record.

If you called a law enforcement officer to the scene, the accident report they make may also contain information relevant to your claims, as it should include the officer’s observations. This is an entirely separate report from the MV-104.

You can get copies of both your MV-104 and the police report through the DMV. There are fees you’ll need to pay. Our lawyers can answer any questions you may have about obtaining these documents.

Why should you hire our injury attorneys to help with your case?

New York’s no-fault car insurance system can be challenging to navigate. After an accident, you may be entitled to compensation from the applicable no-fault insurer, as well as from an at-fault driver, meaning you could have multiple claims with multiple insurance companies to deal with.

Our car accident lawyers can take this burden off of you. We can help you report your accident and file claims. We’ll also handle case-building and negotiations so you can focus on healing. We’ll gather evidence, such as photos, records, and eyewitness statements, and communicate with the insurance companies and others on your behalf. If the insurers won’t offer you fair payment, we’re prepared to fight, including taking your case to civil court if needed.

When you work with us, your needs are at the center of everything we do, and in addition to aggressively pursuing your losses, we’re here to support you every step of the way. Our personalized approach and legal experience have yielded dozens of seven- and eight-figure settlements and verdicts for our clients. We assist with car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, bus accidents, and pedestrian and bicycle collisions.

Call O’Brien & Ford PC today

O’Brien & Ford PC has fought for injured people in Western New York since 2012, and our team has over 80 years of combined legal experience. We’re dedicated to getting the best possible outcome for you after a car accident, and you can trust us to be there for you when you need us. We can take your call 24/7. You’ll speak with a lawyer within two minutes.

To learn more, contact us today. We take cases on a contingency-fee basis, meaning you don’t pay attorney fees unless and until we win your case.