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

Legal Information: New Hampshire

Restraining Orders

View all
Updated: 
August 10, 2023

What if I don’t register my protective order?  Will it be more difficult to have it enforced?

While neither federal nor New Hampshire law requires that you register or certify your out-of-state protective order in order to get it enforced, if your order is not entered into the New Hampshire state registry, it may be more difficult for a New Hampshire law enforcement official to determine whether your order is real, which means it could take longer to get your order enforced. In New Hampshire, however, law enforcement officials are required to enforce any order that seems real and true, whether or not it’s registered.1

If you are unsure about whether registering your order is the right decision for you, you may want to contact a local domestic violence organization in your area. An advocate there can help you decide what the safest plan of action is for you in New Hampshire. To see a list of local domestic violence organizations in NH, go to our NH Advocates and Shelters page.

1 N.H. Rev. Stat § 173-B:13