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Legal Information: Pennsylvania

Restraining Orders

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Updated: 
December 15, 2023

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

If you don’t register your order, it should not be any more difficult to get your order enforced.  Neither federal law1 nor state law2 requires that you register your protection order in order to get it enforced.  Pennsylvania law says that police officers must enforce an out-of-state protective order as if it were issued in Pennsylvania, and that only a court can declare an out-of-state protective order to be invalid.3

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 Pennsylvania.  To see a list of local domestic violence organizations in Pennsylvania, go to our PA Advocates and Shelters page.

1 18 U.S.C. § 2265(d)(2)
2 23 Pa.C.S.A. § 6104(d)(3) & (e)
3 23 Pa.C.S.A. § 6105(h)