How Do I Get a Protective Order in Utah?

Short answer: To get a protective order in Utah against a spouse, partner, relative, or someone you have lived with, you file a free, verified petition in district court. A judge usually reviews it the same day and can issue a temporary (ex parte) order. Utah law then requires a hearing within 21 days to decide whether a longer order is entered.

If you are thinking about a protective order, something has already gone badly wrong, and you probably need answers quickly. This guide explains how a protective order in Utah works from start to finish: who qualifies, how to file, what the hearing looks like, what the order can cover, and how it affects a divorce or custody case. It focuses on cohabitant abuse protective orders, the most common kind in family cases, and on how the process runs in Salt Lake County.

If you are in immediate danger, call 911. The Utah domestic violence LINKline is 1-800-897-5465.

Who can get a protective order in Utah?

A Utah cohabitant abuse protective order is available to a "cohabitant" who has been subjected to abuse or domestic violence, or who faces a substantial likelihood of it, under Utah Code § 78B-7-602.

The term cohabitant is broader than it sounds. Under Utah Code § 78B-7-102, it covers a person 16 or older who is or was a spouse, lived as if a spouse, has a child in common with the other party, is related by blood or marriage within set limits, lives or has lived in the same home, or is or was in a consensual sexual relationship with the other party.

You can file whether or not you have moved out, and whether or not a divorce is already pending. Utah also has separate orders for dating violence, sexual violence, child protection, and stalking, each with its own eligibility rules.

How do I file for a protective order in Utah, and what does it cost?

Filing a Utah protective order petition costs nothing. Utah Code § 78B-7-105 bars court clerks and law enforcement from charging to file the petition, obtain the ex parte order, get copies needed for service, or serve the papers. The petition must be in writing and verified, meaning you sign it under penalty of perjury.

According to the Utah State Courts, you file in the district court for the county where you live, where the respondent lives, or where the abuse happened. You can file electronically through MyCourtCase, in person, by email, or by mail. The standard packet is the Request for Protective Order, a Notice of Hearing, and a Service Assistance Form, and the courts' free MyPaperwork tool walks you through them.

Write the petition with specific dates and incidents. General statements like "he is always threatening me" are much weaker than "On August 14, he texted that he would hurt me if I left."

What happens after I file a protective order petition in Utah?

After you file, a Utah judge usually reviews the petition the same day and decides whether to issue an ex parte protective order, which is a temporary order entered without first hearing from the respondent. Under Utah Code § 78B-7-603, the ex parte order can prohibit contact, order the respondent to stay away from your home, work, school, and place of worship, grant you temporary custody of the children, and address the car and personal belongings.

The court sends the order to the sheriff for service, and it takes effect against the respondent once served. If the judge denies the ex parte request, you can still ask for a hearing within five days of the denial, and the court must set one within 21 days under Utah Code § 78B-7-604.

What happens at a Utah protective order hearing?

At the hearing, a Utah court decides whether to enter a protective order that lasts beyond the temporary one, after both sides have a chance to be heard. Utah Code § 78B-7-604 requires the hearing within 21 days after the ex parte order is issued. The court can extend that window only for limited reasons, such as the respondent not yet being served, and never beyond 180 days.

The speed catches people off guard. In our cases, the hearing on the final order comes up about three weeks after the temporary order, and it is often brief because it sits on a crowded calendar. People arrive ready to tell their whole story and find they have a few minutes. Plan your three or four most important points before you walk in.

If the respondent does not appear after being served, the court can enter the order anyway. If the petitioner does not appear, the temporary order is dismissed. In Salt Lake County and the other districts in Judicial Districts 1 through 4, a court commissioner usually hears the case and makes a recommendation. Either side can object within 14 days, and the assigned judge must hold a hearing within 21 days if one is requested.

What should I bring to a protective order hearing in Utah?

Bring organized, specific evidence and any witnesses in person, because the Utah Courts advise both parties to bring all their evidence and witnesses to the hearing. In our experience, the people who do well at these hearings come prepared: printed text messages and emails with dates showing, photos of injuries or damage, police report numbers, medical records if they exist, and witnesses who saw or heard what happened.

Put your printouts in date order and bring copies for the court and the other side. A stack of loose screenshots on a phone is hard for a commissioner to review in a short hearing.

What can a Utah protective order include?

A Utah protective order can do much more than order no contact. After a hearing, Utah Code § 78B-7-603 lets the court order the respondent to stay away from specific places, decide who stays in the home and who uses the car, award temporary custody, set or deny parent-time (including supervised parent-time), order child or spousal support, protect household pets, and transfer a cell phone number.

The court can also prohibit the respondent from possessing firearms on a finding that the respondent's use or possession of a weapon may pose a serious threat.

Separately, federal law (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8)) bars firearm possession by a person subject to certain final orders protecting an intimate partner or child. In our experience, clients on both sides underestimate how far these orders reach, and the effect lasts: domestic violence is one of the first things a Utah judge must consider in any later custody case.

How long does a protective order last in Utah?

A Utah cohabitant abuse protective order entered after a hearing generally lasts three years, but its civil provisions (such as custody, parent-time, and support) expire after 150 days unless the court finds good cause to extend them, under Utah Code § 78B-7-606. The criminal provisions, like no contact and stay-away terms, are the part that runs for the full three years. A petitioner can ask to extend the order before it expires by showing a current reasonable fear of future harm or a later violation.

	Ex parte (temporary) order	Protective order after a hearing
When it is issued	Usually the day the petition is filed, without the respondent present	At a hearing held within 21 days, after notice to the respondent
Who is heard	The petitioner, on the written petition	Both sides, with evidence and witnesses
How Long it Lasts	Until the hearing; extensions are limited and can never exceed 180 days	Generally three years; civil provisions 150 days unless extended
Firearms	Court may prohibit weapons on a finding of serious threat	Same, and federal restrictions may also apply
Support Orders	No mandatory income withholding	Subject to mandatory income withholding

If you are also going through a divorce or custody case

A Utah protective order and a divorce or custody case can run at the same time, and they affect each other. Under Utah Code § 81-9-204, a judge deciding custody must consider evidence of domestic violence and must treat a cohabitant abuse protective order as evidence of real harm or substantiated potential harm to the child. The judge must also treat the safety of the child and the parent who experienced the violence as primary.

The civil provisions of a protective order, like temporary custody and support, can be modified or dismissed in the pending divorce or custody case if the parties agree or the court finds good cause. That is why the protective order hearing and the family case need a coordinated plan. Our guide to how Utah courts decide custody covers the other factors a judge weighs.

If you have been served with a Utah protective order

If you have been served with a Utah ex parte protective order, follow every term exactly, starting immediately, even if you believe the allegations are false. The order binds you, not the petitioner, so a message from the petitioner does not give you permission to respond. Violating the no-contact terms is a crime and will hurt you at the hearing.

You can file a verified motion to vacate the ex parte order before the hearing date, served on the petitioner at least two days before it is heard, under Utah Code § 78B-7-604. Otherwise, prepare for the hearing the same way a petitioner should: organized evidence, witnesses, and a short list of points. A 2026 law, S.B. 304, will let a respondent file a motion within 60 days after the hearing claiming the petitioner knowingly falsified material information, but it does not take effect until May 5, 2027.

What to expect in Salt Lake County

Salt Lake County protective order cases are filed in the Third District Court, whose main courthouse is the Scott M. Matheson Courthouse at 450 South State Street in Salt Lake City. Whether you live in Sandy, West Valley City, Millcreek, or Herriman, the case goes through the Third District, and a court commissioner will usually hear it first.

Because commissioners handle these hearings in large numbers, the practical points above matter even more here: know your hearing date, arrive early, have your evidence printed and organized, and be ready to be brief. If you disagree with the commissioner's recommendation, calendar the 14-day objection deadline the day of the hearing.

Frequently asked questions about protective orders in Utah

Can I withdraw a protective order petition in Utah if we reconcile?

A Utah protective order petition cannot be withdrawn without the court's approval under Utah Code § 78B-7-602. Once a cohabitant abuse protective order is entered, its criminal provisions generally cannot be dismissed within two years unless the petitioner personally appears and consents or files a verified affidavit agreeing to the dismissal. Only the court can change the order, so contact between the parties does not end it.

Do I need a lawyer to get a protective order in Utah?

You do not need a lawyer to file a Utah protective order petition. Court clerks provide the forms and nonlegal help filling them out, and the Utah courts website lists legal aid organizations. A lawyer can still help a great deal at the hearing, especially when custody, support, or a pending divorce is involved, or when you are the respondent.

What happens if someone violates a Utah protective order?

Violating the criminal provisions of a Utah protective order, such as the no-contact and stay-away terms, is a criminal offense, and police can arrest for it. Violating a civil provision, such as a support or property term, is handled through contempt proceedings in the court that issued the order. Report violations to law enforcement and keep a record of each one.

Is a Utah protective order valid in other states?

A Utah protective order issued after notice and a hearing is enforceable in every state, the District of Columbia, tribal lands, and U.S. territories under the federal Violence Against Women Act, and Utah's order form includes that statement. Keep a certified copy with you if you travel or move, so law enforcement elsewhere can see the order.

What if we were only dating and never lived together?

A person who is or was in a consensual sexual relationship with the other party counts as a cohabitant under Utah law and can seek a cohabitant abuse protective order even without living together. If the relationship was romantic but not sexual, Utah offers a separate dating violence protective order for adults 18 and older, with its own standard.

Talk to a Utah family law attorney

A protective order case moves fast, and what happens at that first hearing can shape custody, the family home, and your divorce for months afterward. Whether you are asking for protection or responding to a petition, having an attorney who knows how Third District commissioners handle these hearings can make a real difference.

Fox Law Utah represents clients in protective order, divorce, and custody matters across Salt Lake, Utah, and Summit Counties. Learn more about our divorce and family law services, or contact Fox Law Utah at 801-251-6124 or through our contact form at https://www.foxlawutah.com/contact-us to schedule a consultation.

About the author

Andrew Fox is a Utah family law attorney and the founder of Fox Law Utah. He represents clients in divorce, custody, support, and protective order matters across Salt Lake, Utah, and Summit Counties.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every family law case is unique. Contact Fox Law Utah for guidance specific to your situation.