Quick answer: Yes — California requires an SR-1 report to the DMV within 10 days if anyone was injured or killed, or if property damage exceeds $1,000, no matter who was at fault. It's required even if police took a report or insurance is handling the claim. Failure can lead to license suspension.
What the law says
California Vehicle Code section 16000 requires every driver involved in a crash to file form SR-1 (Report of Traffic Accident Occurring in California) with the DMV within 10 days when anyone was injured (however slightly) or killed, or property damage exceeds $1,000. It applies no matter who caused the accident, whether it happened on a street or private property, and whether or not the police wrote a report — the SR-1 is a separate legal obligation that neither a police report nor an insurance claim satisfies. Your insurer or attorney can file it for you, but the duty is yours, so confirm it actually got filed.
Why it bites more often than you'd think
Two realities make this rule catch people out. First, the $1,000 threshold was set years ago and repair costs have run far past it: at today's parts and labor prices, a scraped bumper with a sensor behind it clears $1,000 easily, so assume almost any visible damage triggers the requirement. Second, the penalty lands on your license — the DMV can suspend your driving privilege for failing to file, and if you were uninsured at the time, suspension is essentially automatic regardless of fault.
How to file
The SR-1 asks for date, location, the parties' license, insurance, and vehicle information, and whether there was injury or property damage. You can file online through the DMV's virtual office or mail the paper form. You'll want the other driver's details — one more reason to photograph their license, insurance card, and plate at the scene.
Where your body shop fits in: a written repair estimate documents whether damage exceeded the $1,000 threshold, and your final invoice becomes part of your claim record. Spark Collision Center in Fremont provides free written estimates the same day you stop by, which settles the “do I need to file?” question with a number instead of a guess. When in doubt, file — there's no penalty for reporting an accident that turns out to be under the threshold, and a big one for skipping a report you owed.