Types of Restraining Orders in California
California has several kinds of restraining orders. Each one is for a different situation, uses different court forms, and has its own rules about who can ask for it. This guide explains each type in plain English so you can figure out which one fits your situation.
If you are in danger right now, call 911. For confidential support 24/7, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org.
1. Which One Do I Need?
The type of order depends mostly on your relationship with the other person and who is asking. Use this table as a starting point, then read the section for that order below.
| Situation | Order type | Who can ask | Main forms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abuse by a spouse, ex, dating partner, co-parent, someone you live with, or close relative | Domestic violence restraining order (DVRO) | The person being abused (or a parent/guardian for a child) | DV-100, DV-109, DV-110, DV-130 |
| Police respond to an emergency, often at night or on a weekend | Emergency protective order (EPO) | A law enforcement officer asks a judicial officer | EPO-001 |
| Harassment or threats by a neighbor, coworker, non-partner roommate, or extended relative | Civil harassment restraining order (CHRO) | The person being harassed | CH-100, CH-109, CH-110, CH-130 |
| Abuse of a person 65 or older, or of a dependent adult | Elder or dependent adult abuse restraining order | The elder or dependent adult, or certain representatives | EA-100, EA-109, EA-110, EA-130 |
| Violence or threats against employees at work | Workplace violence restraining order | The employer (not the individual employee) | WV-100, WV-109, WV-110, WV-130 |
| Threats against a college or university student | School violence restraining order (postsecondary) | The school's chief administrative officer, with the student's consent | SV-100 series |
| Someone may be a danger to themselves or others with a gun | Gun violence restraining order (GVRO) | Family members, law enforcement, and others listed in Pen. Code § 18170 | GV-100, GV-109, GV-110, GV-130 |
| Repeat retail theft-type offenses at a business | Retail crime restraining order | Prosecutors, city attorneys, county counsel, or the business's attorney | RT-100 series |
Pick carefully. If you file for the wrong type of restraining order, you will usually have to start over with the correct forms. (Judicial Council of California, Self-Help Guide, “Types of restraining orders”)
2. The Types of Restraining Orders
Tap a type to read more.
A DVRO protects you from abuse by someone you have (or had) a close relationship with. It comes from the Domestic Violence Prevention Act. (Fam. Code § 6200 et seq.)
Who it covers
- A spouse or former spouse
- Someone you live with or used to live with
- Someone you are dating or engaged to, or used to date or be engaged to
- The other parent of your child
- A child of either person
- Certain close relatives, related by blood or marriage within the second degree (for example, a parent, sibling, grandparent, or in-law)
(Fam. Code § 6211)
What counts as “abuse”
Abuse is not limited to physical injury. It includes intentionally or recklessly causing or trying to cause bodily injury, sexual assault, making someone reasonably afraid of immediate serious bodily injury, and behavior the court can order stopped under Family Code section 6320, such as harassing, contacting, or stalking. (Fam. Code §§ 6203, 6320)
What you need to show
The court may issue an order based on “reasonable proof of a past act or acts of abuse.” The judge can rely on your own written declaration or testimony. (Fam. Code § 6300)
How long it lasts
An order after hearing can last up to 5 years. It can be renewed for 5 or more years, or permanently, without proof of new abuse. Ask for a renewal within the 3 months before the order expires. (Fam. Code § 6345)
Forms and fees
Main forms: DV-100 (Request for Domestic Violence Restraining Order), DV-109 (Notice of Court Hearing), DV-110 (Temporary Restraining Order), and DV-130 (Restraining Order After Hearing). There is no filing fee. (Fam. Code § 6222)
A court clerk may not reject an emergency (ex parte) request that is on the required Judicial Council forms and identifies the parties. (Fam. Code § 6300(c), effective January 1, 2025)
An EPO is asked for by a law enforcement officer, not by you. A judicial officer issues it, often at night or on a weekend when the court is closed. (Fam. Code § 6250 et seq.)
An EPO is short. It ends at the close of court business on the 5th court day, or on the 7th calendar day, whichever comes first. (Fam. Code § 6256) The purpose is to protect you long enough to file for a DVRO or another restraining order.
Form: EPO-001. For a gun-related emergency order, see the gun violence section below.
A CHRO is for people who do not have the close relationship a DVRO requires, such as a neighbor, coworker, a roommate who is not a partner, or an extended relative like an aunt, uncle, or cousin. (Code Civ. Proc. § 527.6)
“Harassment” means unlawful violence, a credible threat of violence, or a knowing and willful course of conduct that seriously alarms, annoys, or harasses you, serves no legitimate purpose, and causes you substantial emotional distress.
The hearing is held within 21 days of filing (or 25 days if the court finds good cause). A temporary order, if granted, lasts until the hearing. An order after hearing can last up to 5 years and can be renewed for up to 5 more years without new harassment. Ask for a renewal within the 3 months before it expires. (Code Civ. Proc. § 527.6)
Forms: CH-100, CH-109, CH-110, CH-130. A filing fee applies unless the court waives it. You can ask for a fee waiver with form FW-001.
This order protects an elder (age 65 or older) or a dependent adult (age 18 to 64 with certain physical or mental limitations) who has suffered abuse, including physical abuse, neglect, or financial abuse. (Welf. & Inst. Code § 15657.03)
The elder or dependent adult can ask for it. A conservator, trustee, attorney-in-fact, guardian ad litem, or county adult protective services representative can also ask on their behalf.
Orders after hearing can last up to 5 years and can be renewed for 5 years or permanently. Ask for a renewal within the 3 months before it expires. There is no court fee. Forms: EA-100, EA-109, EA-110, EA-130.
Only an employer (or a collective bargaining representative) can ask for this order, on behalf of an employee. An individual employee cannot file it themself. An employee would use a CHRO or DVRO instead, depending on the relationship. (Code Civ. Proc. § 527.8)
Orders can last up to 3 years and can be renewed for up to 3 more years. A corporation or LLC generally must have a lawyer file for it. Forms: WV-100, WV-109, WV-110, WV-130.
This is not an order that self-represented family law litigants usually file.
Only the chief administrative officer of a college or university (or someone they choose) can ask for this order, and only with the student's written consent. Orders can last up to 3 years and can be renewed. Forms: SV-100 series. (Code Civ. Proc. § 527.85)
A GVRO stops a person from owning, possessing, buying, or receiving guns and ammunition. It is not a stay-away order. (Pen. Code § 18100 et seq.)
More people can ask for a GVRO than many expect, including immediate family members, law enforcement, and certain others. See Penal Code section 18170 for the full list of who may ask.
A judge decides an emergency (ex parte) GVRO request the same day it is filed. (Pen. Code § 18155) An order after hearing lasts from 1 to 5 years. (Pen. Code § 18175) Ask for a renewal within the 3 months before it expires. (Pen. Code § 18190)
Forms: GV-100, GV-109, GV-110, GV-130. Law enforcement can also ask a judicial officer for a short-term gun violence emergency protective order (form EPO-002), which can last up to 21 days.
This newer order (effective July 1, 2025) can only be filed by a prosecutor, city attorney, county counsel, or a business's attorney, after the person has 2 or more arrests or citations for certain retail-related offenses. It can last up to 2 years. Forms: RT-100 series. This order is not for family law cases. (Pen. Code § 490.8(e))
A CPO is issued by a criminal court in a criminal case. (e.g., Pen. Code § 136.2) Forms: CR-160 (domestic violence cases) and CR-161 (other cases).
You do not “file” for a CPO the way you file a DVRO. Instead, tell the prosecutor or the victim advocate assigned to the case that you want protection. Some CPOs end when the criminal case ends. A CPO issued after a conviction can last up to 10 years.
If you already have a divorce (dissolution), annulment (nullity), or legal separation case, you can ask for domestic violence restraining orders inside that case. (Fam. Code § 6221; see also Fam. Code § 2045)
A DV-100 filed on its own starts a new, separate restraining order case. A request filed inside your existing family law case uses that case's number and stays connected to your divorce or separation. Learn more in the DVRO guide.
3. Can I Have More Than One Order?
Yes, sometimes. For example, a person can have a criminal protective order from a criminal case and a civil restraining order (like a DVRO) at the same time. An emergency protective order from the police is often followed by a DVRO request, because the EPO only lasts a few days.
If more than one order is in place, tell each court about the other orders. If you are unsure how your orders work together, ask your court's self-help center or family law facilitator.
4. Firearms and Restraining Orders
Domestic violence orders: A person who is served with a domestic violence protective order must give up (relinquish) their firearms and ammunition. (Fam. Code § 6389) Violating this rule is punishable under Penal Code section 29825.
Other civil orders: Firearm relinquishment rules also apply to people subject to a temporary or longer-term order for civil harassment, workplace violence, or school violence, a criminal protective order under Penal Code section 136.2, and an elder or dependent adult abuse order. (Code Civ. Proc. § 527.9)
Gun violence restraining orders are only about firearms and ammunition. See the GVRO section above.
5. Service, Enforcement, and Violations
After you file, the other person usually must be formally given copies of the papers (this is called service). Each order type has its own service rules, which are explained in its forms and instructions. Read the Service guide.
Once an order is in place, law enforcement can enforce it. If the restrained person violates the order, call 911 if you are in danger, and report the violation to the police. Violating a restraining order can lead to serious consequences for the restrained person, including arrest. Keep a copy of your order with you.
6. Helpful Links
Important Disclaimer
This page provides general legal information, not legal advice. U Do It Legal is not a law firm. Laws and court forms change, so always check the current version of a form at courts.ca.gov before you file.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Representing yourself in a Domestic Violence Restraining Order (DVRO) case?
Use guided interviews to prepare your DVRO forms online, or get in-person help at the DVRO Clinic in Torrance.