WomensLaw serves and supports all survivors, no matter their sex or gender.

Legal Information: California

Restraining Orders

View all
Laws current as of November 7, 2024

Do I have to register my protection order in California to get it enforced?

California state law gives full protection to an out-of-state protection order and allows the courts to enforce the order even if it contains provisions that could not be included in a California DVRO.1

Police officers also have to enforce out-of-state protection orders as long as you can show the officer a copy of the order and can truthfully tell the officer that you believe the order is still in effect. It does not have to be a certified copy, and it can even be an electronic copy.2 The order does not have to be entered into the state or federal registry in order to be enforced by a California police officer, but the officer does need to believe that it is a valid order.3

1 Cal.Fam.Code § 6402(a)
2 Cal.Fam.Code § 6403(a)
3 Cal.Fam.Code § 6403

Legal Information

© 2008–2024 WomensLaw.org is a project of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Inc. All rights reserved. This website is funded in part through a grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse, this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided). NNEDV is a 501©(3) non-profit organization; EIN 52-1973408.