Restraining Orders

You are not required to register your order to get it enforced. Colorado state law gives full protection to an out-of-state protection order as long as you or someone else can show the police officer a copy of your protection order and you can truthfully tell him or her that the order is still good.¹

A peace officer can enforce an out-of-state protection order that appears to be an authentic court order that has been provided to the peace officer by you or by any other source. If you do not have a copy of your protection order, the officer can still enforce your order as long as s/he can verify it through the central protection order registry in Colorado, the National Crime Information Center Registry (NCIC), or through communication with appropriate authorities.¹ You can read more about the NCIC under the question What is the National Crime Information Registry (NCIC)? Who has access to it?

¹ Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-110(4)

While neither federal law nor state law requires that you register your protection order in order to get it enforced, if your order is not registered, it may be more difficult for a Colorado law enforcement official to determine whether your order is real. Meaning, it could take longer to get your order enforced.

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