California SR-1 Report Explained: The 10-Day DMV Rule
By Alex (J.D. candidate, not a lawyer)
California Vehicle Code section 16000 requires a driver involved in certain accidents to report the accident to the DMV within 10 days, and the DMV's form for that report is the SR-1.
This page explains what the statute says, its exceptions, who may file the report, and what the Vehicle Code says happens when a required report is not made. It is general information about the law.
The short version
- Section 16000 sets a 10-day reporting window after the accident.
- Section 16000 covers property damage to any one person over $1,000.
- It also applies when anyone is injured or killed.
- The driver files, personally or through an insurance agent, broker, or legal representative.
- The DMV's form for the report is the SR-1.
What Vehicle Code section 16000 says
What the law says. Section 16000(a) reads:
"The driver of a motor vehicle who is in any manner involved in an accident originating from the operation of the motor vehicle on a street or highway, or is involved in a reportable off-highway accident, as defined in Section 16000.1, that has resulted in damage to the property of any one person in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000), or in bodily injury, or in the death of any person shall report the accident, within 10 days after the accident, either personally or through an insurance agent, broker, or legal representative, on a form approved by the department, to the office of the department at Sacramento, subject to this chapter. The driver shall identify on the form, by name and current residence address, if available, any person involved in the accident complaining of bodily injury."
What it means in general. The statute places the reporting duty on the driver. The report goes to the DMV on a form the DMV approves, and the deadline is 10 days after the accident. The form must also name any person involved who complained of bodily injury.
"Involved in any manner"
What the law says. Section 16000(a) applies to a driver who is "in any manner involved" in the accident. The DMV's form SR 1 (Rev. 6/2025) states: "The law requires the driver to file this SR 1 form with DMV regardless of fault."
What it means in general. The statute's wording reaches any driver involved in a covered accident. The DMV's form says the same duty applies regardless of fault.
The property-damage threshold
What the law says. One trigger in section 16000(a) is "damage to the property of any one person in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000)." Section 16000.1(a)(3) sets the same threshold for off-highway accidents.
What it means in general. The $1,000 property-damage threshold in section 16000 looks at the property of any one person. Bodily injury and death are separate triggers.
When the law requires an SR-1
The law requires a report when all of these conditions in section 16000(a) are met:
| Condition | Statute's wording |
|---|---|
| Who | "The driver of a motor vehicle" |
| Involvement | "in any manner involved in an accident" |
| Where | On "a street or highway," or a "reportable off-highway accident" under section 16000.1 |
| Result | Property damage over the section 16000 threshold for "any one person," or "bodily injury," or "the death of any person" |
| Deadline | "within 10 days after the accident" |
Off-highway accidents (section 16000.1)
What the law says. Under section 16000.1(a), a "reportable off-highway accident" "[o]ccurs off the street or highway," involves a vehicle "subject to registration under this code," and meets the same triggers as section 16000. Section 16000.1(b) excludes an off-highway accident "in which damage occurs only to the property of the driver or owner of the motor vehicle and no bodily injury or death of a person occurs."
What it means in general. Off-road accidents can be reportable. The statute leaves out damage only to the driver's or owner's own property, with no injury or death.
Government vehicles (section 16000(b))
What the law says. "A report is not required under subdivision (a) if the motor vehicle involved in the accident was owned or leased by, or under the direction of, the United States, this state, another state, or a local agency."
What it means in general. The section 16000 duty does not apply when the vehicle belongs to, is leased by, or is directed by a government body listed in the statute.
The one-year rule (section 16000(c))
What the law says. "If none of the parties involved in an accident has reported the accident to the department under this section within one year following the date of the accident, the department is not required to file a report on the accident and the driver's license suspension requirements of Section 16004 or 16070 do not apply."
What it means in general. This subsection describes what the DMV is not required to do once a year passes with no report from anyone involved. The DMV's form SR 1 says the DMV does not accept reports or take action against non-reporting drivers unless the report is received "within one calendar year of the accident date."
Who may file it
What the law says. Section 16000(a) says the driver "shall report the accident ... either personally or through an insurance agent, broker, or legal representative."
What it means in general. The duty belongs to the driver. The statute lets the driver report personally or through one of the representatives it lists.
The SR-1 and other accident reports
The 24-hour report to CHP or city police (section 20008)
What the law says. Under section 20008(a), a driver involved in an accident "resulting in injuries to or death of any person" must make a written report "within 24 hours after the accident" to the California Highway Patrol or, in a city, to the CHP or the city police. Common carrier vehicles follow a separate deadline in section 20008(b).
What it means in general. Section 20008 is a separate duty with its own deadline and recipient. It covers only accidents with injury or death.
The DMV's statement on other reports
What the DMV's form says. The DMV's form SR 1 (Rev. 6/2025) states: "This report must be made in addition to any other report filed with a law enforcement agency, insurance company, or the California Highway Patrol (CHP) as their reports do not satisfy the filing requirement."
What it means in general. According to the DMV's form, a police, CHP, or insurance report does not take the place of the SR-1.
What the statute says happens without a report
What the law says. Section 16004(a): "The department shall suspend the driving privilege of any person who fails, refuses, or neglects to make a report of an accident as required in this chapter." Section 16004(b): "A suspension taken under this section shall remain in effect until terminated by receipt of the report of the accident or upon receipt of evidence that financial responsibility as provided in Section 16021 is in effect."
What it means in general. The statute directs the DMV to suspend the driving privilege of a person who does not make a required report. The suspension ends when the DMV receives the report or evidence of financial responsibility. Subdivision (c) covers a narrower situation tied to a court judgment from the same accident.
"Financial responsibility" is defined in section 16021, which lists several ways to establish it. One of them is being insured under a policy or bond that meets the Vehicle Code's requirements and "covers the driver for the vehicle involved in the accident."
Who can see an SR-1
What the law says. Section 16005(a) says accident reports "shall be without prejudice to the individual so reporting and shall be for the confidential use of the department and any other state department requiring such information." On request, the DMV discloses a short list of facts: names and addresses of those involved, vehicle details, the date, time, and place, any suspension action, and insurer names and addresses. Under section 16005(b), that information may go to "any person having a proper interest therein," such as the drivers involved, anyone injured, owners of damaged property, law enforcement, and courts.
What it means in general. The statute reserves the reports for confidential use by the DMV and other state departments that need the information. It lets the DMV share the listed facts with people who have a proper interest in them.
The official form
The DMV publishes the SR-1 and its filing information on its accident-reporting page.
Sources
- Vehicle Code section 16000 (accident reports to the DMV).
- Vehicle Code section 16000.1 (reportable off-highway accidents).
- Vehicle Code section 16004 (suspension for failure to report).
- Vehicle Code section 16005 (confidentiality of reports).
- Vehicle Code section 16021 (financial responsibility).
- Vehicle Code section 20008 (24-hour report to CHP or city police).
- California DMV, form SR 1 (Rev. 6/2025).
- California DMV, Report of Traffic Accident Occurring in California (SR-1).
SentryHall publishes general legal information for educational purposes. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. The author is a law student, not a lawyer. Laws change and apply differently to different facts. For advice about your situation, talk with a lawyer licensed in California. You can look up a lawyer's license status at calbar.ca.gov.
Official California resources: Self-Help Guide to the California Courts, State Bar attorney license search, and the State Bar list of certified lawyer referral services.