What NY State Requires for MV-104
The MV-104 is New York’s official Report of Motor Vehicle Accident form. This form is dense and requires comprehensive information about the crash, including names and personal identifying information of everyone involved, the number of people injured, the nature of injuries sustained, property damage sustained, extensive details about the accident, the type of accident and what caused it, insurance information, and more.
The Report A Crash website answers all your questions about what to do after an accident and how to fill out this form and provides a convenient portal for you to start filling out the form online, with the option of saving your work as you go so you don’t have to feel pressured about completing it in one setting. Used in conjunction with the Report A Crash mobile app, you can quickly gather needed information while still at the scene of the crash and easily transfer this information onto the MV-104.
See below for more information about what NY State requires for the MV-104. When you are ready, click the button to Start Your Free Crash Report, or download our mobile app so you’ll be ready if and when a crash does occur. If you need to get in touch with a lawyer for advice regarding a personal injury claim, Report A Crash can easily put you in touch with trusted attorneys in your area.
When Does New York Require You to Complete the MV-104?
By law, the MV-104 Report of Motor Vehicle Accident must be filed after any accident that involves personal injury or death or more than $1,000 in property damage. This includes crashes with other vehicles or a fixed object, as well as collisions with bicyclists or pedestrians. Even a collision with a deer or domestic animal must be reported if the animal is injured or killed or if the crash causes property damage above the $1,000 threshold.
The MV-104 must be completed and filed with the DMV within ten days of the accident. This obligation applies to every driver involved in the crash, regardless of whether or not the police came to the scene and completed their own accident report. Failure to file the form within ten days is a misdemeanor offense, meaning you could face fines, jail time, and a criminal record for failing to comply with the law. Additionally, the DMV will suspend your driver’s license for failure to comply and won’t lift the suspension until you complete and file your accident report as required by law.
What Information Must Be Included on the Motor Vehicle Accident Report?
The extensive and detailed laundry list of information that must be included on the MV-104 includes all of the following:
- Personal identifying information about the person filling out the form (driver of “vehicle 1”)
- Personal identifying information about the other driver or drivers involved
- Personal identifying information about all vehicles and their registrants
- The number of people injured
- The nature of the injuries sustained
- Names of other people involved
- Details about vehicle and property damage
- Details about the accident, including the type of accident, where it occurred and how it happened
- Details about the cause of the accident, including creating a diagram of the accident, describing the damage to both vehicles, and referring to a list of over 100 numeric codes covering aspects of the crash such as traffic control, light conditions, roadway character, roadway surface condition, weather, the direction of travel, “pre-accident vehicle action,” location of first event, and more
- Insurance information, including name of insurance company, name and address of policyholder, permit number and name and address of permit holder if vehicle was operated under permit, self-insured certificate number if applicable, and damage to property other than vehicles
Ready to Report Your Crash?
If you’ve been in an accident that requires you to file a Report of Motor Vehicle Accident MV-104 with the DMV, start now by clicking the Start Your Free Crash Report button on this website or downloading the Report A Crash mobile app. Click here for tips about what to do after an accident, or click here to get legal advice and assistance from a New York accident lawyer in your area.
