California's crash reporting rules: the SR-1 and financial responsibility

The SR-1: California's crash report

California law requires the driver of a vehicle involved in a collision to file a written report with the DMV within 10 days when the collision involves injury, death, or property damage above the statutory threshold (Vehicle Code §20008). The form is the SR-1, and it is separate from the police report — the SR-1 is the driver's own report to the state, filed whether or not police responded.

The property-damage threshold under DMV guidance is $1,000. Injury or death triggers the requirement regardless of damage amount.

What the SR-1 requires

• The date, time, and location of the collision.
• Vehicles and drivers involved, with license and registration information.
• Insurance information for each driver.
• A description of injuries and property damage.

The form can be filed online or by mail. Late filing is a citable offense — the deadline is 10 days, and the report is a document the claim file keeps.

Financial responsibility: what California requires you to carry

Every driver must maintain proof of financial responsibility (Vehicle Code §16000 et seq.). The minimum liability limits, aligned with Insurance Code §11580.1b and raised by SB 1107 for policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, are $30,000 per person / $60,000 per accident bodily injury, and $15,000 property damage. The claims file carries the structure those limits plug into, including older policies still in force.

Hit-and-run reporting

Leaving the scene of an injury collision is a crime (Vehicle Code §20001) — the driver must stop, identify, and render aid. For the injured party, uninsured motorist coverage exists precisely for the hit-and-run case, and the claims file explains when it applies.