How much does a restraining order cost?
Short answer: Domestic-violence protective orders are generally free to file and serve. Other kinds of orders (for example, civil harassment orders) may have fees in some states. Here is the rule in each state.
The rule in every state
Each answer links to the statute or official page it comes from (43 of 51 jurisdictions verified).
| State | The rule |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Free. No court costs or fees may be charged to file, issue, register, change, enforce, dismiss, withdraw, or serve a protection order, or for witness subpoenas. The judge may order the defendant to pay costs. Ala. Code § 30-5-5(g) |
| Alaska | Free. Filing fees and service-of-process fees may not be charged in a case seeking only protective-order relief. AS 18.66.150(d); AS 18.66.160(c) |
| Arizona | No fee to file a petition for an Order of Protection or to serve it. No fee to file an Injunction Against Harassment petition (service fees for that injunction may be deferred or waived). No fee to request a hearing. A.R.S. §§ 13-3602(D),(L); 12-1809(D) |
| Arkansas | No filing fee or service cost is charged to the petitioner. A judge may assess costs later if the allegations are found false after a hearing. Ark. Code Ann. § 9-15-202 |
| California | Filing for a DVRO is free. The sheriff or marshal serves the papers for free. Asking to renew the order is also free. Judicial Council DV-500-INFO; self-help pages |
| Colorado | No filing fee for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault (sexual violence) or stalking; otherwise the filing fee is $95, and fee waivers are available. Certified copies are free for petitioners under the statute. Public agencies may not charge DV, stalking, or sexual violence victims for service. The judge may make the restrained person pay fees. C.R.S. § 13-14-109; JDF 400 |
| Connecticut | The cost of serving the papers, including mileage, is paid by the Judicial Branch. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-15(h)(1) |
| Florida | No filing fee may be charged for a domestic violence injunction petition. Injunctions are served by the sheriff or law enforcement; the statute provides for clerks to pay law-enforcement service fees from a state reimbursement. Fla. Stat. § 741.30(2)(a) |
| Georgia | Superior courts may not charge fees for filing, issuing, registering or serving a protective order to protect a victim of domestic violence, stalking or sexual assault. O.C.G.A. § 15-6-77(e)(4); GCFV Benchbook § 2.3.4 |
| Idaho | No filing fee, service fee, hearing fee or bond is charged for a petition seeking only protection-order relief. Idaho Code § 39-6305 |
| Illinois | Free. The clerk may not charge to file, amend, vacate, certify or copy petitions or orders, and the sheriff may not charge to serve them. 750 ILCS 60/202(b) |
| Indiana | The court, clerk and sheriff may not charge the petitioner a fee for filing, service of process, witnesses or subpoenas. The court may collect costs from the respondent. Ind. Code § 34-26-5-16 |
| Iowa | The filing fee and court costs are waived for the plaintiff, and the clerk, sheriff and other officers serve papers without charge. The court may order the defendant to pay these fees. Iowa Code § 236.3(3) |
| Kansas | No docket (filing) fee is required for PFA proceedings. No service fee is charged for a motion to extend an order under the extended-order provision. K.S.A. 60-3104(d), 60-3107(e)(2) |
| Kentucky | Free. No costs, fees or bond may be charged to the petitioner for filing, hearing, service, or the order. KRS 403.745(2) |
| Louisiana | You do not have to prepay, and cannot be charged, court costs or the cost of service or subpoenas to file the petition or get a TRO or protective order. The abuser can be ordered to pay costs. If a court finds a petition frivolous, it may order the losing party to pay costs and attorney fees. La. R.S. 46:2134(F)-(G); 46:2136.1 |
| Maine | No filing or service fees for Protection from Abuse cases. A Protection from Harassment complaint may have a filing fee unless it is based on domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, sex trafficking, or sharing of private images; you can ask the judge to waive the fee. PUB-001 Part A.5 and Part B.6 |
| Maryland | Free. The petitioner cannot be charged a filing fee or costs for issuing or serving an interim, temporary or final protective order, or a witness subpoena. Md. Code, Fam. Law §4-504(c) |
| Massachusetts | No filing fee for a 209A or 258E complaint, and no charge to the plaintiff for certified copies of orders. M.G.L. c. 209A, §3; c. 258E, §3(c) |
| Michigan | There is no fee to file the petition. Some police and sheriff's departments serve PPOs free of charge, but some do not. MDHHS VOICES4 PPO FAQ |
| Minnesota | Filing fees for an Order for Protection are waived. The sheriff and other officers serve the papers without charge to the petitioner. (A Harassment Restraining Order may have a filing fee, which can be waived depending on the facts or income.) Minn. Stat. §518B.01, subd. 3a, 9a(d); MN Judicial Branch HRO information |
| Mississippi | Free. There are no filing fees or fees for serving process or subpoenas. The court can order the respondent to pay costs, and a judge may charge court costs to a petitioner who filed for reasons other than protection. Attorney General DAPO brochure; Emergency DAPO Quick Reference Guide |
| Missouri | Free. No filing fees, court costs or bond may be charged to the petitioner. The court may order the respondent to pay court costs. RSMo §455.027; §455.050.3(11) |
| Montana | Free. There is no cost to file a petition or to serve an order of protection, inside or outside the issuing court's area. MCA 40-15-204(8) |
| Nebraska | No fees for filing, issuing or serving a protection order. A court may charge fees only if it finds by clear and convincing evidence that the petition was false and filed in bad faith. At the final hearing, costs may be charged to the respondent. Neb. Rev. Stat. §26-116 |
| Nevada | Costs and fees are deferred for the applicant and are assessed against the adverse party at the end of the case (the court may reduce or waive them). Law enforcement serves the temporary order without charge, and the clerk gives you a certified copy of the order for free. NRS 33.050; NRS 33.060(2) |
| New Hampshire | Free. There is no filing fee or fee for service of process, and you may proceed without a lawyer. RSA 173-B:3, III |
| New Mexico | Free. There are no costs or fees to file, and the local sheriff's office serves the other party for free. NMSA 1978, §40-13-3.1; NM Courts FAQ |
| North Carolina | Free. Clerks provide the paperwork at no charge, and no court costs or attorney fees are charged for filing, issuing, registering or serving a protective order or witness subpoena. N.C.G.S. §50B-2(a); NC Judicial Branch help topic |
| North Dakota | There is no filing fee for a civil protection order petition, and the petitioner is not charged a fee for the sheriff to serve the order. The court generally may not require a bond. N.D.C.C. §§ 14-07.7-02(9), 14-07.7-12(4), 14-07.7-13 |
| Ohio | The court cannot charge any fee, cost or deposit to file the petition or to issue, serve, register, modify or enforce the order, or for a certified copy. R.C. 3113.31; R.C. 2903.214 |
| Oklahoma | No filing fee, service fee or other cost can be charged to the petitioner, whether or not the order is granted. The court may order the respondent to pay costs if an order is granted (and can waive them if the respondent cannot pay). Costs may be charged to a petitioner only if the court finds the petition was filed frivolously. 22 O.S. § 60.2(C) |
| Oregon | There is no filing fee, service fee or hearing fee for a case seeking only FAPA relief, and the clerk gives you the copies needed for service free of charge. ORS 107.718(8)(a), (c) |
| Pennsylvania | There is no cost to file. Petitioners cannot be charged any fees for filing, issuing, serving, modifying or withdrawing a PFA, or for appeals. If an order is granted, fees and costs are assessed against the defendant (unless waived). 23 Pa.C.S. § 6106(b)-(c); UJS Protection Orders page |
| Rhode Island | No filing fee for a Family Court domestic abuse complaint. Family and District Court orders are free; serving a defendant who lives out of state may cost money depending on that state. Superior Court orders have a fee. R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-15-2(c); RICADV Restraining Orders page |
| South Carolina | The clerk cannot charge a fee to file a petition for an order of protection, and there is no charge to the petitioner for mailing or serving the order. S.C. Code §§ 20-4-40(f), 20-4-65, 20-4-80 |
| Tennessee | Victims cannot be charged any court costs, filing fees, litigation taxes, or service or other costs to file, issue, serve, dismiss, appeal or enforce an order of protection. If an order is issued or extended, costs and attorney fees are assessed against the respondent. Costs can be charged to a petitioner only if the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the petitioner is not a victim and knew the allegations were false. Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-3-617(a) |
| Texas | Applicants cannot be charged any fee, cost or expense by the clerk, sheriff, constable or other official for filing, serving or entering a protective order, or for related services such as certified copies, modifying or dismissing the order. Tex. Fam. Code § 81.002 |
| Utah | There is no filing fee or cost for the court forms to ask for a protective order. Utah Courts Protective Orders page |
| Vermont | No filing fee is required for a relief from abuse complaint. 15 V.S.A. § 1103(f) |
| Virginia | No fee is charged for filing or serving a petition or order for a preliminary or full family abuse protective order. The court may assess costs and attorney fees against either party. Va. Code §§ 16.1-253.1(H), 16.1-279.1(E), (J) |
| Washington | No fees for service of process can be charged to petitioners, and courts may not charge fees or surcharges that a petitioner must pay to get relief; petitioners get the needed certified copies and forms. No bond is required. RCW 7.105.105(8)-(9) |
| Wyoming | No filing fee or other court costs or fees can be charged to a petitioner. The court may order the respondent to pay costs and attorney fees. W.S. 35-21-103(d), (h) |
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.