If you are filing for a restraining order in California, or helping someone else through the process, Form CLETS-001 is one of the paperwork pieces that quietly matters most for enforcement, even though it is designed to stay out of public view.
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. If you need to talk to someone about abuse at any hour, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available at 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788. Court self-help centers and local domestic violence advocates can also help you understand this form and what it means for your case.
Form CLETS-001, Confidential CLETS Information, is the California Judicial Council form that gives law enforcement the details they need to enforce a restraining order once a judge grants one. This guide explains what it is, why it is kept confidential, and how the information is used. It is general information only, not legal advice, and it does not replace a conversation with a court self-help center or an attorney about your specific situation.
<h2 id="what-is-clets-001">What Is Form CLETS-001?</h2>Form CLETS-001, Confidential CLETS Information, is completed alongside the form that requests a restraining order, such as DV-100 in a domestic violence case or CH-100 in a civil harassment case. It asks for identifying information about the protected person and the restrained person so that, if the judge grants an order, law enforcement has what it needs to enforce it.
Unlike the request and order forms in a case, CLETS-001 is not meant to be read by the public, and the court handles it differently once it is filed.
CLETS-001 collects sensitive identifying details, including physical descriptions, dates of birth, driver's license numbers, and vehicle information, so that law enforcement can positively identify the restrained person if the order needs to be enforced. Because this information could put a protected person at risk if it were made public, and could be misused if it were widely accessible, California Rules of Court, rule 1.51, treats it as confidential and limits who can see it.
Key Takeaway: CLETS-001 exists specifically so that identifying details needed for enforcement do not have to appear in the public case file. The confidentiality protects both parties and keeps sensitive information limited to the people who need it to do their jobs.
Under rule 1.51(b), Forms CLETS-001 and CLETS-002 must not be included in the court file. This means that, unlike DV-100, DV-110, CH-100, or other request and order forms in your case, CLETS-001 does not become part of the record that opposing parties, attorneys, or the general public can review by looking at the case file.
Instead, the court either transmits CLETS-001 directly to a law enforcement agency for entry into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS), or enters the information itself. Once the information has been transmitted or entered, the court is required to destroy the form or delete it from its records rather than retain a copy in the file.
Access to the information itself, once entered, is limited under rule 1.51(c) to authorized court personnel and to law enforcement or California Department of Justice personnel authorized to transmit or receive CLETS information.
<h2 id="how-law-enforcement-uses-it">How Law Enforcement Uses It</h2>When a judge grants a restraining order, the information from CLETS-001 is entered into CLETS, the statewide database law enforcement uses to look up active protective orders. If you provide a date of birth, the information can also be entered into a federal law enforcement database, which helps the order be recognized and enforced outside of California as well as within it.
In practice, this means that if a restrained person is stopped by police, or a protected person calls law enforcement to report a possible violation, officers can check CLETS to confirm the order exists, see its terms, and identify the restrained person quickly. This is part of why the identifying information on CLETS-001, physical description, address, vehicle details, and so on, matters so much. It helps an officer in the field confirm they have the right person and understand what the order requires.
CLETS-001 is generally required whenever you are asking a court for a restraining order that will be entered into CLETS, which includes domestic violence, civil harassment, and elder or dependent adult abuse cases, among others. It is filed along with your request form, such as DV-100 or CH-100, at the same time you start your case.
Because CLETS-001 is meant to travel with a case from filing through enforcement, courts generally ask for it up front rather than later. If you file your request form without it, expect the clerk to ask you to complete one before your case can move forward, since the court needs a way to route the identifying information to law enforcement once an order is granted.
If you are unsure whether your case requires a CLETS-001, or which request form applies to your situation, a court self-help center can help you confirm what to file. Our guides on How to Fill Out Form DV-100 and How to Fill Out Form CH-100 cover the two request forms most people file alongside CLETS-001, and the Restraining Orders by County hub has resources organized by county.
<h2 id="what-information-it-asks-for">What Information It Asks For</h2>CLETS-001 asks for identifying details about the protected person and the restrained person, generally including:
- Full legal name and any known aliases
- Date of birth, sex, height, weight, and hair and eye color
- Driver's license or identification number
- Vehicle make, model, color, and license plate, if known
- Home and work addresses
You are not required to provide every detail if you do not know it or do not have it, but providing as much accurate information as you can helps law enforcement identify the restrained person quickly if the order needs to be enforced.
Key Takeaway: It is common not to know every detail about the restrained person, such as a driver's license number or exact vehicle description. Fill in what you know and leave the rest blank rather than guessing, since inaccurate information can slow down enforcement more than a blank field would.
If details change after you file, such as a new address, a new vehicle, or updated contact information for the restrained person, you can complete a new CLETS-001 and turn it in to the court so the record used by law enforcement stays current. Keeping this information accurate matters for enforcement, since outdated details can slow down or complicate a response.
- Notify the court if your address or the restrained person's known address changes
- Update vehicle information if the restrained person's vehicle changes and you become aware of it
- Turn in a new CLETS-001 rather than trying to amend the original by hand
- Ask your court self-help center if you are unsure how to submit updated information
- Leaving CLETS-001 blank or skipping it entirely when filing a request for a restraining order
- Assuming CLETS-001 becomes part of the public case file, and leaving out details out of privacy concerns when accuracy is what protects you
- Forgetting to update CLETS-001 when an address or other identifying detail changes
- Confusing CLETS-001 with the request form itself, such as DV-100 or CH-100, rather than filing both
Because CLETS-001 works together with your underlying request, it helps to review that form first. If your situation involves someone you have a close relationship with, our guide on How to Fill Out Form DV-100 covers that request in detail. If it does not, our guide on How to Fill Out Form CH-100 explains the civil harassment process instead.
It also helps to remember that CLETS-001 is not a substitute for the notice of hearing you receive in your case, such as DV-109 in a domestic violence matter. CLETS-001 supports enforcement once an order is granted, while the notice of hearing tells both parties when the court will decide whether to grant one. Keeping the two straight, and filing both where required, helps your case move smoothly from request to hearing to enforcement.
<h2 id="faqs">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>What is Form CLETS-001 used for?
Form CLETS-001, Confidential CLETS Information, gives law enforcement the identifying details they need to enforce a restraining order once a judge grants one. It is filed along with the request that starts your case, such as DV-100 or CH-100.
Why is CLETS-001 confidential?
It collects sensitive identifying details, including physical descriptors, dates of birth, and vehicle information. California Rules of Court, rule 1.51, treats this information as confidential and limits access to court personnel and authorized law enforcement, so it is not available to the public.
Is CLETS-001 part of the public case file?
No. Rule 1.51(b) states that Forms CLETS-001 and CLETS-002 must not be included in the court file. The court transmits the information to law enforcement for entry into CLETS, or enters it directly, and then destroys or deletes the form rather than keeping a copy in the case record.
Who can see the information on CLETS-001?
Access is limited to authorized court personnel and law enforcement or California Department of Justice personnel authorized to transmit or receive CLETS information. It is not available to the general public or to parties simply reviewing the case file.
Do I need to file CLETS-001 for every type of restraining order?
CLETS-001 is generally required for restraining order cases that get entered into CLETS, including domestic violence, civil harassment, and elder or dependent adult abuse cases. Check with your court self-help center if you are unsure whether your specific case requires it.
What if my information changes after I file CLETS-001?
You can complete a new CLETS-001 with updated information and turn it in to the court. Keeping details such as addresses and vehicle information current helps law enforcement enforce the order accurately.
Can Virdix help me with CLETS-001?
Virdix is a document preparation service, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice. We can help make sure your CLETS-001 lines up with your request form and stays consistent as your case moves forward, but we encourage anyone with questions about confidentiality or enforcement to speak with a court self-help center or an attorney.
How Virdix Helps
Virdix is a document preparation service, not a law firm, and this article is information, not legal advice. Because CLETS-001 affects how law enforcement can enforce your order, we strongly encourage anyone filing a restraining order request to also speak with a court self-help center, a domestic violence advocate, or an attorney about their specific situation. Virdix can help with the practical side of the paperwork:
- Guided questions, plain language prompts that help you gather the identifying details CLETS-001 asks for
- Consistency checks, so CLETS-001 lines up with your underlying request, such as DV-100 or CH-100
- Organized records, so you can quickly refile CLETS-001 if information changes later
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This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Virdix is a document preparation service, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed California attorney.
Sources: California Courts Self-Help Center (selfhelp.courts.ca.gov), Judicial Council of California, California Rules of Court, rule 1.51