Colorado Restraining Order Laws (2026): How to Get a Protective Order
Colorado Restraining Order Laws (2026): How to Get a Protective Order
In Colorado, a Civil Protection Order is available to any person who has experienced physical violence, threatened physical violence, unlawful sexual conduct, or stalking, regardless of any relationship with the respondent. A permanent civil protection order lasts for the life of the respondent unless modified by the court.
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For confidential help 24/7, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (text START to 88788).
Types of restraining orders in Colorado
Colorado's protective-order system is broader than many states because the Civil Protection Order does not require any domestic or intimate relationship between the parties.
The Temporary Civil Protection Order is the initial ex parte order issued the same day the petitioner files. It lasts up to 14 days and is intended to provide immediate protection until a return hearing can be held. A judge may extend the temporary order by up to 14 additional days if either party requests more time for good cause, such as difficulty completing service on the respondent.
The Permanent Civil Protection Order is issued after the return hearing, at which the respondent has notice and an opportunity to appear and respond. Despite the name, a permanent CPO is not truly permanent in the sense of being irrevocable: it lasts for the life of the respondent, but either party can petition the court to modify or dissolve it. Under CRS section 13-14-108, parties may seek modification no more than once every two years unless there is a substantial change in circumstances.
The Emergency Protection Order (EPO) is a police-issued order available after hours, on weekends, and on holidays when the courts are closed. It provides short-term protection until the petitioner can access the court during business hours to file for a civil protection order.
The Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) is a separate tool focused on firearm removal. It allows a judge to order a person who poses a significant risk of causing harm to themselves or others to surrender their firearms. As of 2026, SB26-004 expanded the list of who may petition for an ERPO to include health-care facilities, schools, and higher-education institutions, in addition to law enforcement officers, household members, and medical providers.
Who can get a restraining order in Colorado?
Colorado's Civil Protection Order statute is notably inclusive. Under CRS sections 13-14-104.5 and 13-14-106, any person who has been subjected to:
- unlawful sexual conduct,
- physical violence or threatened physical violence,
- stalking, or
- any other behavior that causes a reasonable person to be in fear of imminent serious bodily injury
may petition for a Civil Protection Order. There is no requirement that the petitioner be in a romantic relationship, share a household, or have any prior connection to the respondent. Neighbors, coworkers, strangers, and acquaintances are all eligible petitioners.
Where a domestic relationship does exist (current or former intimate partners, spouses, co-parents, or household members), the relationship is relevant primarily because it triggers mandatory firearm relinquishment and can affect the penalty level for a violation. But the absence of a domestic relationship does not disqualify a petitioner.
Colorado also has a criminal stalking statute (CRS section 18-3-602) and a criminal harassment statute (CRS section 18-9-111) that prosecutors can use alongside or in lieu of civil protection orders in appropriate cases.
How to file for a restraining order in Colorado
Petitions for a Civil Protection Order are filed in County Court or District Court in any county where an act underlying the petition occurred. HB24-1122 (enacted 2024) clarified venue rules and confirmed that petitioners are not limited to filing in the county where the respondent lives.
Filing is free. Colorado courts cannot charge a filing fee for domestic-violence protective orders under the federal Violence Against Women Act. The Colorado Judicial Branch provides standardized forms, including the JDF 401 (Request for Civil Protection Order), at the court clerk's office and at courts.state.co.us.
After filing, a judge reviews the petition the same day. If the judge finds that immediate protection is needed, a Temporary Civil Protection Order is issued without the respondent being present. The court then schedules a return hearing within 14 days and arranges for the respondent to be served with the temporary order and a notice of the hearing.
Court self-help centers, available at most Colorado courthouses and online, provide free assistance completing the forms. Local domestic-violence organizations also have legal advocates who can help you prepare for the hearing, arrange safety planning, and connect you with shelter and other resources.
Temporary vs. final orders: how long they last
| Order type | Who issues it | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency Protection Order (EPO) | Law enforcement (after hours) | Until the court opens; typically 1-3 days |
| Temporary Civil Protection Order | County or District Court judge (ex parte) | Up to 14 days; extendable up to 14 additional days |
| Permanent Civil Protection Order | County or District Court judge (after hearing) | Life of the respondent, subject to modification every 2 years |
The temporary order provides immediate protection from the day of filing until the return hearing. Petitioners should use that time to gather any additional evidence, arrange for the presence of witnesses, and consider whether to work with a domestic-violence advocate or attorney.
The permanent order, once issued, does not require annual renewals. It remains in effect unless a party files a motion to modify or dissolve it and the court grants that motion. The two-year minimum between modification requests is intended to prevent harassment through repeated filings.
Firearms and a Colorado protective order
Colorado has mandatory firearms relinquishment rules tied to Civil Protection Orders involving domestic violence.
Under CRS section 13-14-105.5, when a Civil Protection Order involves domestic violence that includes threatened or actual physical force, the respondent is required to relinquish all firearms and ammunition. This is not discretionary: failure to comply is contempt of court, which can result in jail time and fines.
When the order does not involve a domestic-violence component, the court has discretion to include a firearms prohibition, but it is not automatic. Petitioners in non-domestic cases should ask the court to include a firearms prohibition if they believe the respondent poses a danger while armed.
Separately, any qualifying final Civil Protection Order also activates the federal firearm ban under 18 U.S.C. section 922(g)(8). A qualifying order is one that was issued after notice and a hearing, restrains the respondent from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or the intimate partner's child, and includes an explicit finding that the respondent represents a credible threat or an explicit prohibition on use or threatened use of physical force. Federal law applies nationwide: a person under such a Colorado order may not possess firearms or ammunition anywhere in the United States.
Colorado's ERPO is an additional firearm-removal tool. A court can order firearm surrender under the ERPO even in the absence of a civil protection order proceeding, based solely on evidence of significant risk of harm.
What happens if someone violates the order?
Violating a Colorado Civil Protection Order is a crime under CRS section 18-6-803.5.
A standard first violation is a class 2 misdemeanor punishable by up to 120 days in jail and a fine of up to $750.
The charge escalates to a class 1 misdemeanor (up to 364 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000) if any of the following apply: the respondent has a prior conviction for violation of a protection order; the order being violated arose out of a stalking situation; or the order involves an intimate-partner relationship.
Colorado law enforcement officers have authority to arrest a person without a warrant when they have probable cause to believe a protection order has been violated. If the respondent violates any provision of the order, including coming within the prohibited distance of your home or sending unwanted messages, call 911 and report the violation. Keep a record of every incident, including dates, times, any witnesses, and any communications, because documented violations support both criminal prosecution and any future motion to strengthen the terms of the order.
This article is general legal information, not legal advice, and it is not a safety plan. Protective-order rules vary by state and change. If you are in danger, call 911. For help with your specific situation, contact your local court's self-help center, a domestic-violence advocate, or a licensed attorney.
More Colorado Laws
- Colorado AI Meeting Recording Laws
- Colorado Alimony Laws
- Colorado At-Will Employment Laws
- Colorado Car Accident Laws
- Colorado Car Seat Laws
- Colorado Child Custody Laws
- Colorado Child Support Laws
- Colorado Common Law Marriage Laws
- Colorado Data Privacy Laws
- Colorado Divorce Laws
- Colorado Dog Bite Laws
- Colorado Emancipation Laws
- Colorado Expungement Laws
- Colorado Hit and Run Laws
- Colorado Landlord-Tenant Laws
- Colorado Lemon Laws
Sources
- Colorado Revised Statutes sections 13-14-100.2 through 13-14-111 (Civil Protection Orders): https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2024-title-13.pdf
- CRS section 18-6-803.5 (Violation of Protective Order): https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2024-title-18.pdf
- Colorado Judicial Branch, Protection Orders information and forms: https://www.courts.state.co.us/Self_Help/protection/
- HB24-1122 (2024, venue clarification for protection orders): https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1122
For a complete guide to how restraining orders work across all 50 states, see our hub: Restraining Order Laws by State.
Related pages that may be useful: Colorado Recording Laws (recording conversations to document harassment or threats); Colorado Self-Defense Laws (castle doctrine and use-of-force rules in Colorado).