Restraining Orders

Your order of protection is valid everywhere in the state. Additionally, federal law provides what is called “full faith and credit,” which means that once you have a criminal or civil protection order, it follows you wherever you go, including U.S. territories and tribal lands. Different states have different rules for enforcing out-of-state protection orders. You can find out about your state’s policies by contacting a domestic violence program, the clerk of courts, or the prosecutor in your area. You may also call the National Center on Protection Orders and Full Faith Credit for information on enforcing your order out of state, phone: 1-800-903-0111. We have general information about enforcing your order in another state on our Moving to Another State with an Order of Protection page.

If you move, you may want to call the clerk’s office at the court where you originally received the order to tell them your new address so that they can contact you if necessary. This may be especially important if your order allows for an automatic renewal so that you can receive the notice of the hearing date if the abuser files an objection to the order being automatically renewed. You can ask to keep your new address confidential from the abuser.

Missouri has a process for registering orders issued by another state, tribe, territory, or possession of the U.S. You can register your order in Missouri although it is not required - a certified foreign order of protection can still be enforced in Missouri. To register an order, you must file a certified copy of the foreign order and a sworn statement (affidavit) that the copy is a true and accurate copy and has not been altered by the circuit court having jurisdiction. You must notify the court if the order gets dismissed (terminated) before the date on the order. There is no fee for filing the order.¹

¹ MO ST § 455.067(2)-(4)