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Protection Starts Here

Protection orders can be a helpful tool to prevent future harm when someone may be experiencing abuse, assault, stalking, harassment, or other forms of harm. This website includes information about civil protection orders in Washington state. It has been tailored to meet a wide range of needs, with the goal of making the process easier to understand.

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What is a Protection Order?

A protection order is a civil court order designed to safeguard an individual from harm or threats by another person. It is filed by the petitioner (the person seeking protection) against the respondent (the person alleged to have caused harm).

There are six types of civil protection orders available in Washington State that may be appropriate depending on the type of harm experienced and the relationship between the petitioner and respondent. Learn more about each type below. If you’re ready to file, visit our Get Started page.

Domestic Violence Protection Order

Purpose and qualifying abuse:

  • A Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO) is a court order that can prohibit contact or other specific behaviors, such as abuse, threats, stalking or harm, committed by current or former intimate partners, family members, or household members.
  • Abuse includes: physical harm, threats of harm, unlawful harassment, nonconsensual sexual acts, stalking, and coercively controlling behaviors.
    • This includes threats or abusive behaviors that occur online.
  • A single incident may qualify someone to file for a DVPO. Please keep in mind that courts will need enough details to thoroughly evaluate the facts of the case to determine if the legal threshold to issue an order has been met.

What can a DVPO do?

  • Prohibit acts of domestic violence.
  • Exclude the restrained party, and/or prohibit them from knowingly coming within a specific distance, from petitioner’s work place, school, residence, petitioner’s person, etc.
  • Prohibit contact, including cyber harassment.
  • Order the temporary removal of firearms, dangerous weapons, and any concealed pistol license(s).
  • Remove the restrained person from shared residence.
  • Provide protection for minor children, including temporary custody and visitation schedule, as appropriate. (Note: This is not a formal custody order or parenting plan)
  • Grant essential possessions (examples: use of vehicle, medicine, tools of the trade, pets).
  • Order restrained person to engage in treatment or counseling, as appropriate.
  • Other relief.

Criteria:

A DVPO may be filed by a family or household member. The relationship between the person filing a DVPO and the restrained person must be one of the following:

  • Current or former spouses or domestic partners
  • Current or former dating relationship
  • Parents of a child in common (unless child was conceived through sexual assault)
  • Current or former cohabitants as intimate partners
  • Related by blood, marriage, domestic partnership, or adoption
  • People who live or lived together as roommates
  • People with a parent-child relationship, including stepparents and stepchildren, grandparents and grandchildren, or a parent’s intimate partner and children

Sexual Assault Protection Order

Purpose and qualifying abuse:

  • A Sexual Assault Protection Order (SAPO) is a court order that can prohibit contact and specific behaviors from someone who has engaged in any nonconsensual sexual acts and/or penetration.
  • A single incident may qualify someone to file for a SAPO. Please keep in mind that courts will need enough details to thoroughly evaluate the facts of the case to determine if the legal threshold to issue an order has been met.

What can a SAPO do?

  • Prohibit acts of nonconsensual sexual conduct and other forms of abuse or harm.
  • Exclude the restrained party, and/or prohibit them from knowingly coming within a specific distance, from petitioner’s workplace, school, residence, petitioner’s person, etc.
  • Prohibit contact, including cyber harassment.
  • Order the temporary removal of firearms, dangerous weapons, and any concealed pistol license(s).
  • Provide protection for minor children.
  • Grant essential possessions (examples: use of vehicle, medicine, tools of the trade, pets).
  • Order restrained person to engage in treatment or counseling, as appropriate.
  • Other relief.

Criteria:

Though it is an option, this order is not intended for petitioners who have a current or former intimate partner, family or household member relationship with the person you are filing against.

No relationship is required to file an SAPO, however there are certain restrictions. Petitioners must be one of the following:

  • A person age 15 or older filing on behalf of themselves or a minor if they are the parent, guardian, or custodian
  • A person age 15 to 17 filing on behalf of themselves and on behalf of a minor who is a family or household member if chosen to do so by the minor
  • An interested person on behalf of a vulnerable adult
  • An interested person on behalf of an adult who does not qualify as a vulnerable adult, but who cannot file for themselves. Must demonstrate the petitioner is interested in the adult’s wellbeing and the court’s intervention is necessary

Stalking Protection Order

Purpose and qualifying abuse:

  • A Stalking Protection Order (SPO) is a court order that can be filed against someone who is engaging in criminal stalking behavior or cyber harassment.
  • Stalking includes repeated attempts to contact, monitor, and/or track or follow someone’s whereabouts, where those behaviors scare or threaten that individual’s safety.
    • This includes threats or abusive behaviors that occur online.

What can a Stalking Protection Order do?

  • Prohibit contact of any kind, including cyber harassment.
  • Exclude the restrained party, and/or prohibit them from knowingly coming within a specific distance, from petitioner’s work place, school, residence, petitioner’s person, etc.
  • Order the temporary removal of firearms, dangerous weapons, and any concealed pistol license(s).
  • Other relief.

Criteria:

Though it is an option, this order is not intended for petitioners who have a current or former intimate partner, family or household member relationship with the restrained person.

No relationship is required to file an SPO, however there are certain restrictions. Petitioners must be one of the following:

  • A person age 15 or older filing on behalf of themselves or a minor if they are the parent, guardian, or custodian  
  • A person age 15 to 17 filing on behalf of themselves and on behalf of a minor who is a family or household member if chosen to do so by the minor 
  • An interested person on behalf of a vulnerable adult 
  • An interested person on behalf of an adult who does not qualify as a vulnerable adult but who cannot file for themselves. Must demonstrate the petitioner is interested in the adult’s well-being and the court’s intervention is necessary

Vulnerable Adult Protection Order

Purpose and qualifying abuse:

  • A Vulnerable Adult Protection Orders (VAPO) is a court order that can prohibit contact and other specific behaviors from someone who has engaged in abandonment, abuse, financial exploitation, neglect or threats thereof, against a vulnerable adult. It’s important to note that vulnerable adult is a legal determination; see the criteria section for specific definitions.
  • A single incident qualifies someone to file for a VAPO. Please keep in mind that courts will need enough details to thoroughly evaluate the facts of the case to determine if the legal threshold to issue an order has been met.

What can a VAPO do?

  • Prohibit contact of any kind, and be tailored to individual needs.
  • Exclude the restrained party, and/or prohibit them from knowingly coming within a specific distance, from petitioner’s workplace, school, residence, petitioner’s person, etc.
  • Order the temporary removal of firearms, dangerous weapons, and any concealed pistol license(s).
  • Require the respondent to give an accounting of the vulnerable adult’s income or other resources, if the respondent had control of the vulnerable adult’s assets.
  • Other relief.

Criteria:

A vulnerable adult is:

  • Someone over 60 years old without functional, mental, or physical ability to care for themself 
  • Someone 18 years or older who is incapacitated and has a development disability, is living in a licensed facility, or has at home care

To file a VAPO petitioners must be one of the following:

  • The vulnerable adult, or interested person on behalf of a vulnerable adult
  • Guardian, conservator or limited guardian, or conservator of the vulnerable adult
  • An interested person on behalf of the vulnerable adult 
  • Someone working for Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) with consent from the vulnerable adult, unless consent cannot be given due to the vulnerable adult’s disability or lack of capacity

Anti-Harassment Protection Order

Purpose and qualifying abuse:

  • An Anti-Harassment Protection Order (AHPO) is a court order that can prohibit contact and specific behaviors by someone whose behavior alarms, annoys, or harasses and that serve no legitimate purpose.
  • These orders may include the threat of violence, an act of violence, or repeated harassment.
    • This includes threats or abusive behaviors that occur online.
  • Either a single incident or a course of conduct must be demonstrated to qualify someone to file for an AHPO.  Please keep in mind that courts will need enough details to thoroughly evaluate the facts of the case to determine if the legal threshold to issue an order has been met.

What can an AHPO do?

  • Exclude the restrained party, and/or prohibit them from knowingly coming within a specific distance, from petitioner’s workplace, school, residence, petitioner’s person, etc.
  • Prohibit contact, including cyber harassment.
  • Order the temporary removal of firearms, dangerous weapons, and any concealed pistol license(s).
  • Grant essential possessions (examples: use of vehicle, medicine, tools of the trade, pets).
  • Order restrained person to engage in treatment or counseling, as appropriate.
  • Other relief.

Criteria:

Though it is an option, this order is not intended for petitioners who have a current or former intimate partner, family or household member relationship with the restrained person.

No relationship is required to file an AHPO, however there are certain restrictions. Petitioners must be one of the following:

  • A person age 15 or older filing on behalf of themselves or a minor if they are the parent, guardian, or custodian  
  • A person age 15 to 17 filing on behalf of themselves and on behalf of a minor who is a family or household member if chosen to do so by the minor 
  • An interested person on behalf of a vulnerable adult 
  • An interested person on behalf of an adult who does not qualify as a vulnerable adult but who cannot file for themselves. Must demonstrate the petitioner is interested in the adult’s well-being and the court’s intervention is necessary

Extreme Risk Protection Order

Purpose and qualifying abuse:

  • An Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) is a court order that orders the temporary removal and prohibition of firearms and concealed pistol licenses if the court makes a finding that the individual is a significant risk of danger to themselves or others. Family, household members, or law enforcement may petition the court for an ERPO when there is demonstrated evidence that the person poses a significant danger.
  • A person who is subject to an ERPO is prohibited from accessing, possessing, purchasing, receiving, or attempting to purchase or receive, firearms while the order is in place.
  • A single incident qualifies someone to file for an ERPO. Please keep in mind that courts will need enough details to thoroughly evaluate the facts of the case to determine if the legal threshold to issue an order has been met.

What can an ERPO do?

  • Order the temporary removal of firearms and any concealed pistol license.
  • Temporarily prohibit the purchase, control, access, and possession of firearms.

Criteria:

To file for an ERPO, petitioners must be 18+ and connected to the respondent in one of the following ways:

  • Current or former spouses or domestic partners
  • Current or former dating relationship
  • Parents of a child in common
  • Current or former cohabitants as intimate partners
  • Related by blood, marriage, domestic partnership, or adoption
  • People who live or lived together as roommates
  • A biological or legal parent or child of the respondent, including stepparents and stepchildren, and grandparents and grandchildren
  • Law enforcement officers or agencies

Get Started

Looking to get help with a protection order but not sure where to start? Below are some ways to begin exploring content on the website.

Victims & Survivors

If you have experienced harm, threats of harm, or other types of abuse, this page will help guide you through the process of filing for a protection order, including important safety planning tips.

Learn more

Advocates

Advocates or support people may include friends, family members, designated community supports, community or system-based advocates, and other service providers. This page will provide you with information and resources to help support victims and survivors through the protection order process.

Learn more

Law Enforcement

Law Enforcement plays an important role in entering, serving, and enforcing protection orders issued by the court. This page includes important information about law enforcement’s role in the process, how to help victims and survivors, and useful resources and referrals.

Learn more

Respondents

If you have been served with or are restrained by a civil protection order, this page will help you better understand the protection order process.

Learn more

General

For the general public, media, court and legal professionals, or other interested parties, this page will provide general information and data about protection orders.

Learn more

Filing a Protection Order

Whether you are considering if you should file for a protection or have made the decision to file, there are several things to keep in mind. Learn more about safety planning, the filing process, and what to expect.

Learn more

Protection Orders and Firearm Removal

Washington state law allows courts to order the temporary removal of firearms, and establish firearm prohibitions for the restrained party, when entering a protection order. Petitioners can formally request the removal of firearms in their protection order petition or a judge can order the removal of firearms if they believe the restrained person’s access to or ownership of firearms poses an immediate threat to public safety, to an individual, or if other conditions are met.

What is the process for requesting firearm removal?

  • When filling out the form called Petition for Protection Order, indicate in ‘Section 12’ and/or ‘Section O’, your request for surrender/prohibition of weapons. If you have specific information about firearms the restrained person owns or possesses, please complete ‘Attachment E’ of the petition.
  • At the initial hearing for the temporary emergency protection order, the judge may also issue a temporary Order to Surrender & Prohibit Weapons (OTSW), that will remain in effect as long as the temporary protection order is in effect.
  • At the follow-up hearing for the longer-term order (called the “full order”), the judge may again issue an OTSW that will be in effect as long as the full order is in effect.
  • When an OTSW is issued, the respondent may not possess, control, access, purchase, receive, or attempt to purchase or receive firearms, for the duration of the order. They must immediately turn in all firearms (or any other dangerous weapons) and concealed pistol licenses to the police.

What is the process for physical removal of firearms?

  • When an Order to Surrender & Prohibit Weapons (OTSW) is issued, respondents must immediately surrender all firearms and dangerous weapons to the law enforcement officer serving the protection order.
  • At that time, the officer taking possession of firearms, dangerous weapons, and any concealed pistol license will issue a receipt to submit to the court identifying everything that was surrendered and will provide a copy of the receipt to the respondent.
  • The law enforcement agency will file the original receipt with the court within 24 hours after service of the order, electronically whenever electronic filing is available, and will retain a copy of the receipt.
  • Law enforcement will hold and properly store the items while the order is in place.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the different types of protection orders?

There are six types of civil protection orders available in Washington State that may be appropriate depending on the type of harm experienced and the relationship between the petitioner and respondent.

  1. Domestic Violence Protection Order
  2. Sexual Assault Protection Order
  3. Stalking Protection Order
  4. Anti-Harassment Protection Order
  5. Vulnerable Adult Protection Order
  6. Extreme Risk Protection Order

For more information, visit our protection order page.

Will I be able to include my children on the protection order?

Petitioners can ask the court to include their children as protected parties on the order.  In cases where the children are in common with the restrained person, the court can include provisions to protect children and may include temporary custody or visitation considerations but a protection order is not a formal “child custody order” or parenting plan.  For more information, visit our FAQs or talk to a lawyer or advocate.

Can I file a protection order if I am an undocumented immigrant?

Yes, but you may want to talk with an advocate or attorney before filing, if possible, so you can make an informed decision about whether to file or not. The Federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) provides “that all battered immigrant women have full access to protection orders, can report domestic violence crimes, and can have their abusers prosecuted in the same matter as any other battered woman even if they do not have legal immigration status. Speak with a lawyer for more information.

What is an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO)?

An Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) is a court order that temporarily removes and prohibits access to firearms, if a court finds, based on a petition from law enforcement or a family/household member or an intimate partner, that a person poses a significant danger to themselves or others. This type of order is used just to help with firearms; it does not include other kinds of protections or restraints that may be included in other protection orders.

Visit our ERPOs page to learn more.

How do I file a protection order?

Petitioners (person filing the petition for an order) must complete the required forms and submit them to the court. A judicial officer reviews the petition and will decide if the legal criteria has been met for a temporary order (up to 14 days) to be issued. A full hearing, where the petitioner can seek a longer order (often 1 year) is typically scheduled within 14 days of the petition being filed. Visit our filing page for more information about the filing process.

See all FAQs

Resources

National Domestic Violence Help Line

24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, the National Domestic Violence Hotline provides advocates who can help navigate abuse.

Call: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
or visit their website to chat with an advocate.

Visit website

Strong Hearts Native Help Line

StrongHearts Native Helpline is a 24/7 safe, confidential and anonymous domestic and sexual violence helpline for Native Americans and Alaska Natives.

Call 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483)

or visit the website to chat with an advocate.

Visit website

National Sexual Assault Help Line

RAINN is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline which offers confidential support 24/7.

Call 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

or visit the website to chat with an advocate.

Visit website

New Beginnings’ Domestic Violence Helpline

The DV Hopeline is a free, safe and confidential domestic violence helpline for any person, from any community, of any age or gender. Available 24/7, speak with a trained advocated can help with emotional support, safety planning and more. The DV Hopeline also offers resources for housing and shelter needs.

Call 1-206-737-0242

or visit their website to learn more.

Visit website

New Hope Helpline

Available for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and victims of crime 24/7.

Call 1-888-560-6027

or visit their website to learn more.

Visit website

Project DVORA | Jewish Family Services

Available for victims of domestic violence, specifically intimate partner violence.

Call 1-206-861-3159 to leave a voicemail anytime.

DV advocates are available for live phone calls on Tuesdays 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. and Wednesdays from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Visit their website to reach out or learn more.

Visit website

LifeWire

Available for victims of domestic violence.

Call 1-800-799-7233 or text “START” to 88788.

Visit their website to learn more.

Visit website

Emergencies

If you are in immediate danger or experiencing a life-threatening emergency: Call 911

If you are thinking about suicide, have thought about suicide before, or are concerned someone you know might be thinking about suicide, know that help is available.

Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide, 988 can support you in your immediate crisis, and connect you with follow-up resources. Open 24/7, available in English and Spanish.

Call or Text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Visit website

SAMHSA’s National Helpline

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHHSA) provides help for mental and substance use disorders, prevention, and recovery. This is a free, 24-hour, confidential treatment referral and information service. (English & Spanish)

Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or TTY 1-800-487-4889

Visit website

Washington State Department of Health

The Department of Health does not provide crisis services, but has a list of resources, ways to find therapists, and advice from suicide attempt survivors.

Visit website

Washington State 211

211 has a search feature where you can put in your zip code and needs and find specific housing and shelter resources that an individual qualifies for. It’s extensive and typically up to date, and has resources for both DV survivors and the general public.

Visit website

Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WSCADV) Programs

WSCADV provides a list of advocacy programs, helplines, and resources available in Washington state, filtered by county.

Visit website

National Domestic Violence Hotline Local Resources

Search the directory of assistance providers by state with filters for types of services, specific providers, special populations, etc.

Visit website

Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS)

The DSHS Domestic Violence Program provides support for community-based shelters, emergency counseling and legal advocacy for children and families who have experienced domestic violence.

DSHS also sets minimum standards for domestic violence perpetrator programs and certifies provider programs.

Visit website

Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs (WCSAP)

If you or someone you know is the victim of sexual assault in Washington state, use this Program Directory to help you to locate resources and support.

Visit website

Domestic Violence Programs | Washington Information and Referral

If you or someone you know is the victim of domestic violence in Washington state, use this Program Directory to help you to locate resources and support.

Visit website

Create a Personal Safety Plan

A safety plan is a set of actions that can help lower your risk of harm in a domestic violence situation. The National Domestic Violence Hotline has an interactive tool to help you develop a safety plan.

Visit website

If you are experiencing a life threatening emergency:

Call 911 or

Call/Text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

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After using the Exit button, remember to clear your browser history and your cache to ensure your visit remains private. Consider using a public or friend’s computer for safer access.

Internet usage can be monitored and is impossible to erase completely. If you have concerns about internet safety, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800.799.SAFE (7233).