Where to apply
You must apply at the District Court office for the court area where you or the respondent currently live. If you moved from your usual address because of the respondent’s behaviour, you may still apply in the court area where you would normally live.
Applications in Dublin
If you are applying in Dublin, go to the Civil Office in the Áras Uí Dhálaigh building in the Four Courts complex. You can use our Four Courts virtual tour (opens in a new tab) and select the Áras Uí Dhálaigh tab to see the Civil Office location.
If you are unsure
Contact the court office in advance for help, or get legal advice to understand what’s involved.
If you need urgent help when the office is closed
If you are in immediate danger or you feel you or someone connected to you is not safe, contact the Gardaí immediately by calling 999 or 112. You can also find a local station via the Garda station directory (opens in a new tab) .
You should know
The current fee to make a civil restraining order application is €80.
Civil restraining orders
Civil restraining orders can last up to five years unless a shorter timeframe is stated in the order.
To get a civil restraining order, you must meet certain requirements:
- Proof of harm or threat – you must show that the person has stalked or harassed you. This can include physical harm, violent threats, or repeated unwanted contact.
- Fear for safety – you must show that you fear for your safety and wellbeing and that the respondent’s behaviour has impacted your day-to-day activities.
You can make an application yourself, or the Gardaí may be able to apply on your behalf. All information provided is for guidance only. You can check the relevant legislation for examples of behaviours that meet the requirements for a civil restraining order application.
When making your application, you must provide the details below to the court office.
1. Applicant details
You must provide your name and address. If you are under eighteen years of age, your parent or guardian will make the application on your behalf.
If your application includes any connected persons, you must also provide their names and addresses.
2. Respondent details
You must provide the name and address of the respondent. If the respondent is under eighteen years of age, you must provide the name and address of their parent or guardian.
If your application includes multiple respondents, you must provide details for all respondents.
3. Details about your application
You must provide information about your situation and what you are asking the court for. For example, if you want the respondent to stay away from your place of work or study, you must provide those addresses.
You should know
Cases are regularly adjourned at the first hearing when more details or evidence are needed to make a fair decision.
Attending your court hearing
After you make your civil restraining order application, you will receive a Summons for a Civil Restraining Order from the court office. This will contain the date, time and venue of the court hearing for your application. For any accessibility requests, please contact the relevant court office or [email protected].
You must attend court on the appointed date and time. The respondent is also required to attend this full hearing and they may have legal representation.
Your application will be heard in private. Only a small number of people are allowed in the courtroom. This includes the judge and the court registrar. Your legal representative (solicitor or barrister, or both) and a member of An Garda Síochána may also attend.
Going to court can be a stressful experience. See our preparing for Civil Law court pages for more information on how to prepare.
Both you and the respondent can give evidence to the court. This means you will have to take an oath or affirmation and give relevant information about your application. You and the respondent will be asked questions about your situation. The judge will decide how this will happen. They may only allow questions to be asked by a solicitor or barrister. In some cases, they may allow questions to be asked personally by you or the respondent.
You should consider visiting our legal advice and mediation page to better understand the options available to you.
Outcomes of your hearing
After hearing the evidence the judge will make a decision. They may decide to:
- Grant an order – this means they agree to give you the order that you applied for. It also sets out details of how long it will last and other directions.
- Refuse the order – this means they do not agree to give you the order that you applied for.
- Adjourn the application – this means postponing a decision on an application to a later date. This happens when more details or evidence are needed or if the respondent does not show up to court.
- Strike out the application – this means dismissing or cancelling an application. This can happen if you or your solicitor fail to appear in court. It also means that any related protective orders, such as an ex-parte interim restraining order or an inter-partes interim restraining order, are also cancelled and no longer in place.
After your civil restraining order hearing
If your application is successful and a court order is granted:
- You and the respondent will each receive a copy of the order.
- The court office will send a copy to An Garda Síochána for their records.
The terms of the civil restraining order only apply after the respondent has been notified about the order. If the respondent attended court for your hearing, they are considered notified. If the respondent did not attend court, the judge will decide who will serve the order on the respondent. This will be either the Courts Service or the Gardaí.
It is a criminal offence to breach a civil restraining order. If the order is breached, contact the Gardaí immediately. Please see our if someone breaches a civil restraining order page for more information.
If you are not happy with the court order, you can appeal the decision to the Circuit Court. This means asking the Circuit Court to hear the case again and make a decision. Your appeal documents should be served and filed within fourteen days of the District Court decision.
Please see our appeals page for more information.
