Washington State Protection Orders are court-issued directives designed to protect individuals from abuse, threats, stalking, sexual assault, harassment, and other harms. Washington currently has a single primary civil protection-order law, chapter 7.105 RCW, which covers various types of orders. The Washington courts’ 2025 brochure states that protection orders can safeguard adults, children, and, in certain cases, vulnerable adults. Some orders may also require the surrender of weapons or prohibit a person from entering a home, school, or workplace.
This matters because people often use the wrong term. They may say “restraining order” or “no-contact order” when the appropriate order is a domestic violence protection order, a stalking protection order, or an antiharassment protection order. In 2026, the safest first step is to match the facts to the right order type. The wrong label can slow the case. The right one can help the court act faster.
What is a protection order?
A protection order is a court order that tells someone to stop certain behavior. Depending on the type of order, it may tell the restrained person not to contact you, not to come near you, to move out of a shared home, to stay away from your school or job, or to surrender firearms and dangerous weapons.
It is important to know that a protection order is not the same as every other court order. A civil protection order usually starts with a person filing a petition in court. A criminal no-contact order usually appears in a criminal case after charges are filed. The Washington courts brochure lists both civil and criminal tools, but they do not begin the same way.
The main types of Washington State Protection Orders
Washington’s court brochure lists several order types. Most people will only use one of the main civil orders, but the full list matters for lawyers and court staff.
Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO)
A DVPO is for domestic violence or the threat of violence by an intimate partner or family or household member. The brochure says domestic violence may also include coercive control, which means controlling behavior that harms or frightens someone. A DVPO can also be used when the person needs protection for minor children or vulnerable adults in the household.
Sexual Assault Protection Order (SAPO)
A SAPO protects a person from nonconsensual sexual conduct or penetration, even if it happened only once. The brochure says one incident can be enough grounds to ask for this order.
Antiharassment Protection Order (AHPO)
An AHPO is for behavior that causes major emotional distress and has no real lawful purpose. The brochure says it can involve a pattern of unwanted behavior over time or a single act or threat of violence, as long as it is directed at the protected person and is seriously alarming or harmful.
Stalking Protection Order (SPO)
A stalking protection order is for stalking behavior that causes fear, intimidation, duress, or serious disruption. The brochure says the respondent either knows or should know that the behavior causes those feelings, even if the person says that was not the goal.
Other order types
Washington also has an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO), a Vulnerable Adult Protection Order (VAPO), a process for recognizing protection orders from other U.S. jurisdictions, a process for recognizing Canadian domestic violence protection orders, an Abused Child Restraining Order, and family-law restraining orders used inside family cases.
Who can file for one
Who can file depends on the order type. The brochure gives clear examples. For a DVPO, a person can file if the restrained person is a current or former spouse or domestic partner, a current or former dating partner, someone with whom they have a child, a family or household member, or someone in a parent-child type relationship. The brochure also explains special age rules for dating relationships involving younger teens.
For a SAPO, the person can often file for themselves if old enough, or a parent, guardian, custodian, interested person, law enforcement, or the Department of Children, Youth, and Families may be able to file in some situations. Washington Law Help also says the self-help forms cover domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, anti-harassment, and vulnerable adult cases.
This means the answer to “Can I file?” is not always yes or no in one sentence. It depends on the relationship, the type of harm, and sometimes the age or capacity of the person who needs protection.
What the order can do
Many people think a protection order only says “stay away.” It can do more than that.
For example, the brochure says a DVPO can:
- Ban all contact, including cyber harassment,
- Remove the abuser from a shared home,
- Give temporary custody of the children and set a visitation schedule,
- Award essential items like a vehicle, medicine, or pets,
- Order treatment or counseling,
- And require weapon surrender.
How to File and Enforce a Restraining Order
SAPOs, stalking orders, and antiharassment orders can also block contact and set distance limits around a person, home, workplace, school, or other locations. Some can also include firearm restrictions.
The court does not always grant every request. But the law gives judges a broad set of tools so the order can fit the danger described in the petition.
How the court process works
The usual path is simple, even if the case feels scary.
First, the person asking for protection files a petition. The petition must explain what happened and why protection is needed. Washington law has general filing rules in RCW 7.105.105, and the Washington courts brochure says the petition should describe the acts or threats that support the order.
Second, the court may grant or deny a temporary order. The brochure says a temporary order can last for up to 14 days. If the temporary order is denied, the petitioner may have 14 days to file an amended complaint in some cases.
Third, the respondent must be served. The brochure says the petitioner can ask the clerk to have law enforcement serve the papers or can arrange service through other legal means. In some situations, such as the surrender of a weapon or removal from a shared home, law enforcement must serve the respondent.
Fourth, the court holds a final hearing. The brochure says the hearing may be in person, by phone, or online if requested in time. At the hearing, both sides may speak and present evidence. Then the court either grants or denies the order.
Does it cost money?
For the major civil protection orders described in the Washington courts brochure, the answer is usually simple: No cost. The brochure specifically says there is no cost for a DVPO or SAPO. Washington Law Help also presents protection-order filing as a self-help process with forms and instructions, not as a paid filing system for the petitioner.
That matters because people often delay filing, thinking they cannot afford it.
How long the order lasts, and how renewal works
A final protection order does not always last forever. Some are fixed-term orders. Some may be lifetime orders. The brochure says that if a final order is not a lifetime order, it can often be renewed more than once.
For DVPOs and SAPOs, the protected person must usually file the renewal motion within 90 days before the order expires. The brochure says the order will be renewed unless the respondent proves a substantial change in circumstances and proves the harmful conduct will not resume.
That is why the brochure tells people to set a reminder about 90 days before the expiration date.
What happens if the order is violated
A protection order is not just advice. It is enforceable.
The brochure says that for certain violations, law enforcement must make an arrest if the violation is knowing. A violation can also lead to contempt or criminal charges. If the order includes a weapon surrender rule, having access to or possessing firearms while that order is in effect can lead to arrest and other penalties.
The same brochure tells protected people to keep a certified copy of the order with them and to call 9-1-1 if the order is being violated.
One quick chart
Alt text: Washington State Protection Orders chart showing common order types, what they protect against, and examples of what the court can order.
| Order type | What it protects against | What the court may do |
| Domestic Violence Protection Order | Domestic violence, threats, coercive control by an intimate partner or family/household member | No contact, move-out order, temporary child schedule, item return, treatment, weapon surrender |
| Sexual Assault Protection Order | Nonconsensual sexual conduct or penetration | No contact, stay-away order, location limits, weapon surrender |
| Antiharassment Protection Order | Serious harassment or threats with no lawful purpose | No contact, stay-away order, location limits |
| Stalking Protection Order | Stalking that causes fear, duress, or serious disruption | No contact, stay-away order, location limits, possible weapon restrictions |
| Vulnerable Adult Protection Order | Abuse, neglect, abandonment, or financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult | Safety restrictions, no contact, other protective terms |
What people should do next
If someone is in immediate danger, they should call 9-1-1. A protection order is a court tool, but it is not a substitute for emergency help.
If the danger is ongoing but not an emergency, the next step is usually to:
- Choose the correct order type,
- Fill out the petition,
- Ask the court for a temporary order if needed,
- Make sure the respondent is served, and
- Get ready for the hearing with facts, messages, photos, police reports, or other proof.
Washington Law Help provides self-help instructions for this process, and the Washington courts website also provides the statewide forms.
For lawyers and legal staff, the big 2026 lesson is simple: use the correct order type, check the RCW chapter, and do not rely on the old habit of calling everything a restraining order.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Washington State protection order?
It is a court order meant to protect a person from abuse, threats, stalking, sexual assault, harassment, or similar harm. Washington has several different types, and each one fits a different kind of case.
What is the difference between an anti-harassment order and a restraining order?
An antiharassment protection order is a specific type of civil protection order under chapter 7.105 RCW. “Restraining order” is a broader term people use for different court orders, including some in family-law cases.
How long does a temporary protection order last?
The Washington courts brochure says a temporary order can last up to 14 days before the full hearing.
Does it cost money to file?
For the main civil protection orders described in the brochure, there is generally no filing cost to the petitioner.
Can a protection order include children or pets?
Yes, in some cases. The brochure says a DVPO can include temporary child custody and essential items, including pets.
What should I do if the order is violated?
Call 9-1-1 or local law enforcement. The brochure says some violations require mandatory arrest, and other violations can lead to contempt or criminal charges.
Resources:
- Washington State Courts. (2025). Understanding Washington State Protection Orders & How They Can Help You (Rev. 07/2025). https://www.courts.wa.gov/forms/documents/PO%20Brochure_07_2025.pdf
- Washington State Legislature. (2026). Chapter 7.105 RCW — Civil Protection Orders. https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=7.105
- Washington Law Help. (2026). File for a Protection Order. https://www.washingtonlawhelp.org/en/file-protection-order
- Washington State Legislature. (2026). RCW 7.105.105 — Filing — Provisions governing all petitions. https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=7.105.105
- Washington State Courts. (2026). Court Forms: Protection Orders. https://www.courts.wa.gov/forms/?fa=forms.contribute&formID=142
Disclaimer: The content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice.
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