Bihar Police Online Complaint and FIR Registration Guide

Learn how to submit a police complaint in Bihar, what details to provide, when an FIR must be recorded and how the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 protects an informant.

Official Bihar Police complaint services

The Bihar Police official website provides links to citizen services including ERSS Online Complaint, Public Grievance, View FIR, nearest police station and cybercrime reporting. Open the official citizen services page and choose the service matching your issue. The earlier complaint form hosted on the legacy biharpolice.in domain should not be relied upon without checking its current availability through the official website.

Online facilities may cover complaints relating to incidents across Bihar, including Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Nalanda, Bhojpur, Buxar, Begusarai, Rohtas, Saran, Purnea, Katihar, Araria, Arwal, Aurangabad, Banka, Gopalganj, Jamui, Jehanabad, Kaimur, Khagaria, Kishanganj, Lakhisarai, Madhepura, Madhubani, Motihari, Munger, Nawada, Saharsa, Samastipur, Sheikhpura, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Siwan, Supaul, Vaishali and other police districts. Service coverage and form options depend on the current portal.

How to submit a Bihar Police complaint online

1. Visit the official Bihar Police portal and open Citizen Services or the relevant complaint service.
2. Select ERSS Online Complaint or Public Grievance as appropriate. For an allegation of a cognizable offence, make that clear in the complaint and seek FIR registration.
3. Enter the complainant's name, mobile number, email address if available, and full contact address. Choose English or Hindi if the current form offers language selection.
4. Select the incident district and police station, if those fields are provided. Give the location, nearby landmark and date and time of the incident as accurately as possible.
5. Choose the complaint type and subcategory if requested. Write a chronological description of what happened, who was involved, witnesses and any known loss or injury.
6. Upload relevant supporting documents, photographs or other evidence if the portal permits. Keep original evidence safely.
7. Review the details, submit the complaint and save the acknowledgement or reference number. Check the portal or contact the concerned police station for progress and any signature or verification requirement.

The older website form listed fields such as registration date, informant name, gender, mobile and landline numbers, email, district, police station, landmark, address, complaint category, document upload and description. The current portal may arrange or rename these fields differently.

Applicable law: BNSS Section 173

The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 governs the procedure for reporting cognizable offences from 1 July 2024, subject to applicable transitional provisions. The key rules are:

• Section 173(1): Information about a cognizable offence may be given orally or electronically to the officer in charge of a police station irrespective of where the offence occurred. This supports the practice commonly called Zero FIR.
• Section 173(1)(ii): Information furnished electronically is taken on record when signed by the informant within three days. Follow the police instructions for signing or verification.
• Section 173(2): A copy of the information recorded under subsection (1) must be provided promptly and free of cost to the informant or victim.
• Section 173(3): For specified cognizable offences punishable with imprisonment of three years or more but less than seven years, the officer may, with prior permission from an officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police and considering the nature and gravity of the offence, conduct a preliminary enquiry within fourteen days to determine whether a prima facie case exists, or proceed with investigation.
• Section 173(4): If an officer refuses to record information covered by subsection (1), the aggrieved person may send its substance in writing and by post to the Superintendent of Police; further recourse to a Magistrate is provided in the section.

Cognizable offence: An offence for which a police officer may arrest without a warrant in accordance with law. Non-cognizable offence: An offence for which police ordinarily cannot arrest without a warrant; the procedure for information in such cases is addressed in Section 174 BNSS. The nature of the reported facts determines the appropriate legal procedure.

What happens after submitting a complaint?

Keep the submission receipt and any SMS or email acknowledgement. The police may request clarification, evidence or a signed statement. If an FIR is registered, note the FIR number, year and police station. An acknowledgement of an online grievance is different from an FIR, and email confirmation is not guaranteed for every service.

For a copy of a registered FIR, use the Bihar Police View FIR service or read our guide to Bihar Police FIR search and complaint status. Availability of a publicly downloadable copy can be restricted for sensitive cases.

Cybercrime and emergency complaints

For cybercrime, use the Government of India's National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. For suspected cyber financial fraud, promptly call 1930. For urgent police assistance in Bihar, call 112. Do not wait for an online complaint acknowledgement if anyone is in immediate danger.

Frequently asked questions

Can I register an FIR online in Bihar?

You can submit information or a complaint electronically through an available official channel. Whether it is formally registered as an FIR depends on the nature of the offence and statutory requirements, including the three-day signature requirement for electronic information under Section 173(1)(ii).

Can I report an incident outside my police station's jurisdiction?

Yes. Section 173(1) permits information about a cognizable offence to be given irrespective of the place where it occurred. The police can subsequently transfer the matter to the appropriate jurisdiction.

Is an FIR copy free?

Under Section 173(2), the informant or victim is entitled to a free copy of the information recorded under Section 173(1).

What if the police refuse to register my information?

Section 173(4) provides for sending the information in writing by post to the Superintendent of Police and, where necessary, seeking the Magistrate's intervention in accordance with law.

This article is for general legal information. Portal menus and service availability may change. Confirm the latest procedure on official government websites. Updated: 2 November 2026.