Reviewed August 2026
Protective Orders in Ohio
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233. Ohio's civil remedy for domestic violence is the Civil Protection Order. It's governed by Ohio Revised Code Section 3113.31. The order covers family or household members. That means a spouse, former spouse, parent, child, or someone who lives or lived with the respondent. It also includes common-law and cohabiting relationships within the past five years, plus current or former dating partners. A petitioner can request an ex parte hearing the same day they file the petition. The court can enter a temporary protection order if it finds good cause. A full hearing follows within 7 or 10 court days, depending on the type of order. At that hearing, the respondent can appear and be heard. This page covers eligibility, the two-stage process, firearms, and parental rights.
Virdix's document-preparation product currently prepares divorce paperwork for California and Florida cases. This page explains how protective orders works under Ohio law for people researching before they file. It is not legal advice, and Virdix does not prepare or file Ohio paperwork. See how Virdix works for California divorces.
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Who qualifies
Under ORC 3113.31(A), domestic violence means attempting or recklessly causing bodily injury. It also means placing someone in fear of imminent serious physical harm by threat of force. It can also mean committing an act against a child that would make the child an abused child, or committing a sexually oriented offense. The act must be against a family or household member or a current or former dating partner. Family or household member includes a spouse, a person living as a spouse, a former spouse, and a parent, foster parent, or child of the respondent. It also covers anyone who lives or lived with the respondent, including common-law marital relationships or general cohabitation within five years of the incident.
The same-day ex parte hearing
Under ORC 3113.31(D), a petitioner can request an ex parte order. If they do, the court must hold an ex parte hearing the same day the petition is filed. Based on that hearing, and for good cause shown, the court can enter temporary orders it finds necessary to protect the petitioner from domestic violence. It can do this with or without requiring a bond.
The full hearing: 7 or 10 court days
After an ex parte order is issued, Ohio schedules the full hearing quickly. If the ex parte order granted certain forms of relief, the full hearing must be set within 7 court days of the ex parte hearing. For other protection orders authorized under the statute, the full hearing is set within 10 court days. The respondent must get notice of the full hearing, and a chance to be heard there. The court can grant a continuance under specific circumstances defined in the statute.
Firearms
Ohio law requires a specific notice to the respondent, given orally or by form. It states that, because of the order, it may be unlawful under federal law for the respondent to possess or purchase a firearm or ammunition. That federal law is 18 U.S.C. Section 922(g)(8). It applies for as long as the order is in effect. Ohio's statute relies on this federal prohibition, rather than a separate state-run surrender and storage system for every order.
Parental rights and responsibilities
Ohio's term of art for custody is allocation of parental rights and responsibilities. Under ORC 3113.31(E), the court can temporarily allocate those rights, or set temporary parenting time, when a petition involves family or household members. This is only possible if no other court has already determined, or is determining, that allocation. A protection order's parenting provisions end once a divorce, dissolution, or legal separation court, or a juvenile court, issues its own custody or support order in a case brought by either party.
Sources: Ohio Revised Code Section 3113.31, Domestic violence definitions; hearings, Ohio Domestic Violence Network
Not independently confirmed
- Whether Ohio charges or waives a filing fee for a Civil Protection Order petition; the text of ORC 3113.31 reviewed did not include an explicit fee provision, and it may be addressed in a separate court-costs statute not reviewed here
- Ohio Domestic Violence Network's site did not list a specific statewide crisis hotline number; the number 1-800-934-9840 found via automated search should be independently confirmed before publishing if a state-specific number is needed
Protective Orders in Ohio: frequently asked questions
How do I get a Civil Protection Order in Ohio?+
File a petition and request an ex parte hearing. The court must hold it the same day you file. If the judge finds good cause, a temporary order is issued right away. A full hearing follows within 7 or 10 court days, depending on what relief was granted. The respondent can be heard at that hearing.
Who qualifies for a Civil Protection Order in Ohio?+
You need to be a family or household member of the person who hurt you. This includes a spouse, former spouse, parent, child, or someone you live or lived with. It also includes common-law or cohabiting relationships within the past five years, and current or former dating partners.
How long until my full hearing in Ohio?+
It depends on the relief the ex parte order granted. Some orders require a full hearing within 7 court days, others within 10 court days. Both are counted from the date of the ex parte hearing.
Does an Ohio protection order stop someone from having guns?+
The court must notify the respondent about federal law 18 U.S.C. Section 922(g)(8). It may make it illegal for them to possess or purchase a firearm or ammunition while the order is in effect. Ohio's statute leans on this federal prohibition, rather than a separate mandatory state surrender process.
Can I get custody through an Ohio protection order?+
The court can temporarily allocate parental rights and responsibilities, Ohio's legal term for custody, or set temporary parenting time, as part of the protection order. This only applies if no other court is already deciding that issue in a separate case.
What is Ohio's protective order officially called?+
A Civil Protection Order, under Ohio Revised Code Section 3113.31.
This page is general information about protective orders in Ohio, not legal advice for your situation. Laws, fees, and procedures change over time; confirm current details with Ohio's own courts before relying on anything here. Virdix is not a law firm and is not licensed to practice law in Ohio. Virdix does not prepare or file Ohio divorce paperwork. It is not a substitute for an attorney licensed in Ohio.
More Ohio divorce guides
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