Restraining Orders

If you move within Hawai‘i, your order will still be valid. It may be a good idea to contact your local law enforcement to let them know about the domestic abuse protective order and that you have moved to a new area. You may also want to call the court where you originally received the order to tell them your new address so that they can contact you if necessary. However, if you want your new address to be kept confidential, ask the clerk how to make sure that the abuser cannot find it in the court file.

If you move to another state or territory within the United States, federal law provides what is called “full faith and credit.” This means that once you have a criminal or civil protection order, it’s enforceable throughout the U.S., including U.S. Territories and tribal lands.¹

Different states may have different regulations when enforcing out-of-state protection orders. You may find out about your new state’s policies by visiting our Legal Information page and choosing your new state from the map. You can also try contacting a domestic violence program, the clerk of courts, or an attorney. For information on lawyers or domestic violence programs in the area, please see our Places that Help page and select the new state you’re moving to.

You can also call the National Center on Protection Orders and Full Faith & Credit (1-800-903-0111 x 2) for information on enforcing your order between states.

Note: For information on enforcing a military protective order (MPO) off the military installation, or enforcing a civil protection order (CPO) on a military installation, please see our Military Protective Orders page.

¹ 18 U.S.C. §§ 2265(a); 2266