Injunction for Protection (Restraining Order) in Indian River County, Florida

If you are in immediate danger, call 911. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233. Florida's statewide hotline is 1-800-500-1119. In Indian River County, you file an injunction for protection petition at the Indian River County Courthouse, 2000 16th Avenue, Vero Beach, through the Domestic Relations division.

The clerk's website groups injunctions under the same Domestic Relations umbrella as divorce filings, not a separately branded self-help center. Look for Domestic Relations or Court Services on the clerk's site instead of a page called 'self-help.' Courthouse staff can still tell you in person which of the five approved forms fits your situation.

Filing is free, the same rule that applies across Florida. Indian River County cannot charge a filing fee for domestic violence, repeat violence, dating violence, sexual violence, or stalking protection, and the sheriff serves the respondent at no cost to you.

This page does not name Indian River County's certified domestic violence provider, because no official source lists one current provider. Call 211 or the statewide domestic violence hotline at 1-800-500-1119 for an immediate referral to shelter or advocacy services.

How an injunction for protection works in Florida

An injunction for protection against domestic violence (Fla. Stat. 741.30) is for someone you have a close relationship with, such as a spouse or former spouse, someone you live with or used to live with as a family, a co-parent, or a close relative. Florida has related injunctions for repeat violence, dating violence, sexual violence, and stalking that may apply instead if the relationship does not fit the domestic violence category.Florida uses the same statewide forms in every county, including Indian River County, FL. The basic steps are:

1. File a Petition for Injunction for Protection Against Domestic Violence (Florida Supreme Court approved family law form 12.980(a)) at the courthouse. There is no filing fee.
2. A judge reviews your petition, often the same day, and can grant a temporary injunction that lasts until your hearing.
3. The other person is served with the paperwork and can respond.
4. You attend a full hearing, generally within about 15 days of a temporary injunction.
5. If the judge grants a final injunction, it can last a fixed term or until further order of the court, and can be extended.

An injunction for protection can do more than order someone to stay away. It can set temporary time-sharing with children, require the other person to leave a shared home, and require them to surrender firearms. Local domestic violence advocates and the clerk's office can help you fill out the forms, often at no cost.

Where to file in Indian River County, FL

Injunction requests in Indian River County, FL are filed with the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Indian River County. Because courthouse locations, hours, and local domestic violence resources change over time, confirm current details using the Florida court clerk directory:

Find the Indian River County, FL Clerk of Court (Florida court clerk directory)

Local notes for Indian River County, FL

Bring photo ID and any information you have about the respondent's location to the courthouse. That helps with service. Domestic Relations staff can point you to the right injunction form, but they cannot give legal advice or predict how a judge will rule on your petition.

Once a judge grants a temporary injunction and it's served, Florida law requires the return hearing be scheduled within 15 days. This statewide rule applies in Indian River County the same as everywhere else in Florida.

Florida Rural Legal Services generally serves Indian River County for income-qualified family law matters that can come up alongside an injunction case, such as a custody dispute. No specific local domestic violence center is confirmed here, so 211 is a reliable starting point for a current referral.

Indian River County's Domestic Relations division handles all five injunction types Florida law recognizes: domestic violence for spouses, former spouses, relatives, or people living together as family; repeat violence for two incidents against someone outside that circle; and dating violence, sexual violence, and stalking, each covering a distinct situation. Filing and service carry no cost no matter which form applies, and the return hearing is set within 15 days by statute. Violating an active injunction is a separate criminal offense, so call 911 rather than heading back to the courthouse.

Official injunction resources in Indian River County, FL

Indian River County Courthouse handles restraining-orders filings, located at 2000 16th Avenue, Vero Beach 32960.

The filing fee is Free. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Florida Courts E-Filing Portal; injunctions are filed in person at the courthouse in Vero Beach for same-day judicial review.

Indian River County Clerk Domestic Relations (https://indianriverclerk.com/court-services/domestic-relations/divorce/) can help with procedure and paperwork. Clerk's Divorce page under Domestic Relations court services; no separately branded self-help center page for injunctions was located.

• Indian River County Clerk - Domestic Relations
• Florida Rural Legal Services
• Nineteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida
• Fla. Stat. 741.30 (injunction statute)

Local details reviewed August 2026. Offices and locations can change, so confirm with the official sites above before you file.

Indian River County, FL Injunction for Protection FAQs