How to obey orders prohibiting firearms and ammunition
If you have or own any firearms (including guns), firearm parts, or ammunition, you must follow the steps below.
If you don’t own any prohibited items, don’t try to buy or get any until the orders against you end.
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⚠️ If you don’t follow these orders, you could be arrested for violating the restraining order or charged with a state or federal crime. You could also be fined.
Before you start
You will need a copy of the restraining order. It should be on one of these forms:
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Decide what you want to do with your firearms and ammunition
If you have or own firearms, firearm parts, or ammunition, you must do one of the following within 24 hours of being served with the restraining order:
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Turn them in to local law enforcement (police or sheriff)
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Sell them to a licensed gun dealer
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Transfer your ammunition to a licensed ammunition vendor
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Store them with local law enforcement or a licensed gun dealer (you will likely have to pay a storage fee)
⚠️ Body armor
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You aren’t allowed to have body armor while a restraining order is in place.
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If you have body armor, you must give it up.
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Only your local sheriff or police department can approve an exception if you want to keep it.
What if you need a firearm or ammunition for work?
If your job requires a firearm or ammunition, you can ask a judge for permission to have a specific firearm or ammunition for work.
You can ask:
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At your court date, or
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In writing using form DV-120.
When a judge can give permission
A judge can only give permission if all of these are true:
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Your job requires a specific firearm or ammunition.
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Your employer can’t move you to a job without firearms or ammunition.
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You’re not banned from having firearms or ammunition under state or federal law.
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Having access doesn’t put a protected person or the public at risk.
Extra rules based on your job
If you’re a sworn peace officer
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You must show your personal safety depends on carrying a specific firearm or ammunition outside of work.
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You must complete a psychological evaluation by a licensed mental health professional with domestic violence experience.
If you’re not a peace officer
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You may only have the firearm or ammunition during work hours.
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You can’t have firearms or ammunition outside of work.
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The judge may require a psychological evaluation.
💬 Talk to a lawyer or your local self-help center for help.
📌 You can’t carry or possess firearms or ammunition — even for work — until a judge signs a court order.
📌 You can’t carry body armor unless your local sheriff or police department approves an exception.
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Have local law enforcement or a licensed gun dealer complete required form
You must prove to the judge that you turned in, sold, or stored all firearms, firearm parts, and ammunition you own or have.
To do this, use Receipt for Firearms, Firearm Parts, and Ammunition (form DV-800).
How to fill it out
- Fill out items 1, 2, and 7, and the case number
- Have law enforcement or licensed gun dealer complete item 4 or 5, and item 6
- Sign and date the form on page 3
Before you file a form other than form DV-800, check with your court about how to file it. The court may ask you to:
- Attach the document to form MC-030, or
- Attach it to another form that gives the case number, name, and other required case information.
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File the form with the court clerk
Once the form is complete:
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Make a copy
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File it with the court clerk right away
⚠️ You must file it within 48 hours of being served with the restraining order.
💵 There’s no fee to file this form.
How to file
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Go to the courthouse listed on your court papers (for example, page 1 of DV-109)
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Give the clerk the original and your copy
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The clerk will keep the original and return a stamped copy to you
📌 Keep the copy for your records.
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Domestic violence restraining order
Explore other steps
Get information about different steps in the restraining order process for the restrained person.