Restraining Orders

To register your protection order in Virginia, you will need to fill out the appropriate forms at the family courthouse in your county or online on the Virginia Judicial System website.

You will need to attach a certified copy of your order to the form, and take it to any juvenile and domestic relations district court in Virginia.  See our VA Courthouse Locations page to find a court near you.  The court staff will index your protection order in their system, issue a certificate of filing, and forward a copy to the local law enforcement agency, which will put your protection order into the Virginia Crime Information Network (VCIN), which is a statewide registry that keeps records of all protective orders issued in (or registered in) Virginia.¹

Your order may also be entered into the National Crime Information Center Registry (NCIC), which is a nationwide database of criminal records and protection orders.

If you need help registering your protection order, you can contact a local domestic violence organization in Virginia for assistance. You can find contact information for organizations in your area here on our VA Advocates and Shelters page.

¹Virginia Judicial System website