Civil Protection Orders

Disclaimer:  The information on this web page is provided as a service and a convenience by the King County Superior Court Clerk's Office.  It is not intended as legal advice to any person.

The Self-Service Protection Order Forms are available below. No email submissions for Protection Orders will be accepted.

Steps to help you identify which order to file and how to file it with the King County Superior Court Clerk's Office:

Use this flowchart to help you determine what forms you must fill out:

The virtual office cannot accept virtual or other forms of payments. You'll need to come to our office in person to pay any antiharassment filing fees. 

Virtual Office Hours
Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (closed 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.)

Please note: Once you log in to our virtual office, you will be placed in a waiting room until a customer representative allows you into the office.  If you exit the waiting room while waiting for the customer service staff to let you in, you will lose your place in line.

Important message for our virtual customers:

All virtual customers who want their protection order case heard by the Court on the same day are required to have all of the following completed no later than 2:15 p.m.

1. Accurately complete all require protection order documents; and
2. Have the documents reviewed by the Clerk for accuracy and completeness; and 
3. Upload the completed forms to the link provided by the Clerk.

Between 2:15 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.: Customers who are not able to complete the above steps by 4:00 p.m. will be asked to re-visit the Clerk the next business day.

Please feel free to use our LiveChat system for all other customer-service-related questions. Click here.

The King County Superior Court is currently not taking in-person walk-ins for Ex Parte Protection Orders. All hearings are currently being done telephonically. The Clerk's Office will provide you the information needed to have a telephonic hearing.

For helpful instructions on how to join the virtual office via computer or mobile device:

King County Clerk's Office Virtual Protection Order Office Zoom Instructions (English)

Oficina virtual de órdenes de protección de la Oficina del Secretario del Condado de King Instrucciones para la conexión por Zoom (Spanish - Español)

King County 书记员办公室虚拟保护令办公室  Zoom 使用说明 (Simplified Chinese - 简体中文 )

King County 書記官辦公室之保護令虛擬辦公室 Zoom 操作說明 (Traditional Chinese - 繁體中文)

Xafiiska Amarka Ilaalinta Khadka Tooska ah ee Karaaniga Degmada King County Tilmaamaha Zoom  (Somali – af Soomaali)

Офис окружного клерка - округ Кинг Виртуальный офис по вопросам охранных ордеров Инструкции по установке и использованию приложения Zoom (Russian – Русский )

Hướng Dẫn Sử Dụng Zoom của Văn Phòng Ảo về Lệnh Bảo Vệ củaThư Ký King County (Vietnamese - Tiếng Việt)

Zoom requirements:  website.

Types of Ex-Parte Protection Orders

Petitioners choose which type of protection order is most appropriate for them to pursue.  However, protection orders do not cover everyone's needs; there may be other legal remedies that are appropriate.

• For those in intimate partner relationships seeking assistance in obtaining a protection order, please contact the King County Order Advocacy Program: protectionorder.org, Seattle 206-477-1103 or Kent 206-477-3758
• Contact an attorney for legal advice: King County Bar Association, www.kcba.org

Other types of orders

The vast majority of people come to the Clerk after an incident where a police officer advised them to go to court to get a “no contact” or “restraining” order. No contact and restraining orders can also order a person not to contact or harm someone, but they are not protection orders and are used in different situations.

No-contact orders: Requested by the prosecuting attorney in a criminal case to protect the victim or witness of the crime.  For information about obtaining or terminating a criminal “no-contact” order, contact the King County Prosecuting Attorney.    

Restraining orders: Requested by the parties as part of an existing domestic cases such as a divorce or a case to determine paternity, custody, child support or visitation.  To read about restraining orders, visit: www.washingtonlawhelp.org/WA and kcll.org/forms/protection-orders. To download domestic restraining order forms, visit Washington Pattern Forms: www.courts.wa.gov/forms