Guide4 min read
Documents and appeals
How to report a crime and check whether it was entered in the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations
After reporting a possible crime, the decisive point is often not the date on your copy but proof of when the authority received it. For Kyiv and the region, this guide explains how to prepare the report, document its acceptance, and track the next 24 hours.
What you should know
- Describe the specific facts, time, place, possible participants, and available evidence; you do not need to establish the legal classification yourself.
- Keep a copy of the report and its attachments, together with proof of exactly when the authority received it: a stamp, ticket, or electronic/postal confirmation.
- Under Article 214 of the CPC, information must be entered in the ERDR immediately and no later than 24 hours; the extract is provided within a separate 24 hours after entry.
- If information has not been entered, the next procedural step is a separate complaint to the investigating judge, not another general appeal.
When this is needed
This guide is for reporting facts that may constitute a criminal offence and keeping a verifiable record of submission. For example, after paying for a nonexistent product in Kyiv, preserve not only the correspondence and payment record but also a copy of the report and proof of when the police received it. If there is an immediate danger to life or health, seek emergency assistance first rather than waiting for a written procedure.
Not every breach of contract is a crime. Separate what you know and can substantiate from assumptions. Authorized officials determine the legal classification and investigative jurisdiction.
Which deadline or procedure applies
Under Article 214 of the CPC, a report of a criminal offence must be accepted and registered; refusal to accept it is not allowed. An investigator, inquiry officer, or prosecutor enters the information in the ERDR immediately and no later than 24 hours after submission. For practical verification, use proof of actual receipt. The 24-hour calculator uses local Europe/Kyiv time and accounts for clock changes.
After entry, the applicant is provided an ERDR extract within a separate 24 hours. The absence of an extract alone does not prove that no entry exists: first establish whether and when the information was entered. During martial law, Article 615 of the CPC provides a special procedure only when technical access to the register is unavailable; the start of the investigation is then formalized by a resolution, and the entry is made at the first opportunity.
Steps to take
Prepare a short timeline: dates, place, participants’ actions, consequences, and witnesses. State which documents, photographs, recordings, or correspondence support each important fact. Attach copies and list them. Do not hand over the only originals without documenting that transfer.
Submit the report through an available official police or prosecutor channel. If you submit it in person in Kyiv or Kyiv Oblast, ask for proof of acceptance on your copy or another registration document showing the date and time. For postal or electronic submission, keep the text, attachments, and proof of delivery and receipt. Check the authority and channel against current official information; do not choose an address solely based on where you live.
Once receipt is confirmed, note when the 24 hours expire. If the authority reports an entry, request an extract and check its key details. If there is no entry, preserve the response or other evidence. Then use the guide to challenging procedural inaction and separately check the complaint deadline under Articles 303–304 of the CPC.
What to check before submitting
Compare the facts and attachments: do they show a possible unlawful event, rather than only a final demand to return money? Include a contact method for receiving the extract and notices. Check that the attachments listed on your copy match the materials actually submitted.
Do not mix a CPC report with an ordinary appeal to the prosecutor’s office. A general complaint or request that does not report a possible crime follows the separate appeal procedure. If you need an existing document from an authority, an information request may be appropriate instead.
When to consult a lawyer
Legal assistance can help when an event involves both criminal and civil issues, the authority does not confirm receipt, information has not been entered, or you need to identify the next procedural step quickly. For Kyiv and the region, a lawyer can review the factual timeline, evidence package, and authority that received the report, without promising a particular investigation outcome.
What to prepare
- The report text with your name, contact details, factual circumstances, place, time, and possible witnesses.
- Copies of photographs, correspondence, payment documents, or other materials with a brief attachment list; keep the originals.
- A copy of the submitted report and acceptance stamp, ticket, incoming number, postal inventory, or electronic confirmation of receipt.
- An ERDR extract or correspondence about its provision, if the information has already been entered.
Common mistakes
- Sending only a general complaint without describing facts that may indicate a criminal offence.
- Handing over original evidence without copies or a list of the materials provided.
- Counting 24 hours from writing or sending the report without proof that it was received.
- Confusing the 24 hours for entering information with the following 24 hours for providing the extract.
- Assuming that martial law by itself automatically suspends the duty to enter information in the ERDR.
Official sources
- Criminal Procedure Code of UkraineArticle 214 governs receipt of reports, entry in the ERDR, and provision of an extract; Articles 303–304 establish a separate challenge procedure; Article 615 provides an exception when technical access to the register is unavailable.
- Prepared
- This material was prepared for the website’s reference section based on official sources.
- Control
- Before publication, the editors check legal statements against the cited official sources and the date they were current.
- Important
- This guide is informational. A decision requires review of the documents, deadlines, and factual circumstances.
Current as of . The material depends on the documents and circumstances of the specific case.
Frequently asked questions
Can the authority refuse to accept a report of a criminal offence?
Article 214 of the CPC prohibits refusing to accept and register a report. If acceptance is disputed, document the date, submission method, and available evidence.
Do I need to cite a specific article of the Criminal Code?
The important points for the applicant are the facts: what happened, where and when, who can confirm it, and what evidence exists. The authorized officials determine the legal classification; you do not need to invent one.
When can I expect an ERDR extract?
The applicant is provided an ERDR extract within 24 hours after the information is entered. This is a separate period and does not extend the first 24 hours for entry.
What should I do if there is no entry in the ERDR?
First check proof that the report was received and the relevant timeline. Failure to enter information after a report may be challenged before an investigating judge under Article 303 of the CPC; check the complaint deadline and scope separately.
Does martial law change the procedure?
Article 615 of the CPC provides a special procedure when technical access to the ERDR is unavailable: the decision to commence an investigation is formalized by a resolution, and the information is entered at the first opportunity. Martial law alone is not enough to reach that conclusion.
Free initial consultation
Need help with: Report of a criminal offence?
Briefly describe the situation. We will check which documents and deadlines are critical in your case.
- a phone number or brief description is enough
- after the first contact, the next step should be clear
- the form uses the same request submission route