An Illinois order of protection lasts anywhere from 14 days to two years, depending on the type the court issues. An emergency order runs 14 to 21 days, an interim order lasts up to 30 days, and a plenary order entered after a full hearing can last up to two years.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 750 ILCS 60/220 – Duration and Extension of Orders There is no cap on how many times any of these can be renewed, and a plenary extension can be made indefinite when the court finds good cause.
Emergency Orders: 14 to 21 Days
An emergency order is the fastest protection available. A judge can grant one the same day you file, without the other party being present or even notified. This “ex parte” process exists because domestic violence situations often cannot wait for a scheduled hearing where both sides appear.
Emergency orders last between 14 and 21 days.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 750 ILCS 60/220 – Duration and Extension of Orders The judge picks an expiration date that lines up with the next available court date so the case can move forward. During that window, the respondent is served with notice and both parties prepare for the next step.
Because the respondent has not been heard yet, emergency orders cannot include everything a longer order can. Counseling requirements, child custody decisions, financial support, and monetary compensation are off the table at this stage. The focus is immediate safety: keeping the respondent away from you, your home, and your workplace.
Interim Orders: Up to 30 Days
An interim order fills the gap after the respondent has been notified but before the court has held a full hearing. Perhaps one side needs more time to hire an attorney, or the court calendar is packed. An interim order keeps protections in place for up to 30 days while the case moves toward a final determination.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 750 ILCS 60/220 – Duration and Extension of Orders
To issue one, the court requires that the respondent has either made a court appearance, been formally served with the petition, or that the petitioner is actively working to complete service.2Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 750 ILCS 60/218 – 30-Day Interim Order of Protection If the full hearing still cannot happen before the 30 days are up, the judge can renew the interim order for another 30-day period. That can repeat as many times as needed.
Plenary Orders: Up to Two Years
A plenary order is the one most people are really asking about when they want to know how long protection lasts. It comes after a full hearing where both sides present evidence, and it can remain in effect for up to two years.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 750 ILCS 60/220 – Duration and Extension of Orders The judge decides the exact duration based on the severity of past abuse and the ongoing level of risk. Not every plenary order gets the full two years. Some are set for shorter periods like six months or a year.
When a plenary order is entered alongside another civil case, such as a divorce, the timing rules shift. If the order is part of preliminary relief in that case, it stays active until the judge enters a final judgment. If the order gets incorporated into the final divorce decree or other judgment, it remains enforceable until a court specifically vacates or modifies it.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 750 ILCS 60/220 – Duration and Extension of Orders That second scenario can mean protection lasting well beyond two years without any formal extension.
Extending or Renewing the Order
Here is the part that surprises most people: Illinois places no limit on how many times you can extend an order of protection. Emergency, interim, and plenary orders can all be renewed as long as you meet the requirements for that type of order each time.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 750 ILCS 60/220 – Duration and Extension of Orders
For plenary orders, the court can grant an extension “upon good cause shown,” and the renewed order can last until it is vacated or modified, with no fixed end date.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 750 ILCS 60/220 – Duration and Extension of Orders That effectively allows indefinite protection when circumstances warrant it. The initial plenary order caps at two years, but the first extension can remove that ceiling entirely.
Uncontested Extensions
If the respondent does not oppose your extension and you are not asking for any changes to the existing order, the process is streamlined. You can file a motion or affidavit stating that nothing has materially changed since the order was entered and explaining why you still need it. The court can grant the extension based on that paperwork alone, though it still must happen in open court.
Contested Extensions
When the respondent objects, you have to satisfy the same requirements that applied when the original order was granted. For a plenary order, that means a full hearing where both sides present evidence. Gather documentation of any continued threats, contact attempts, or other behavior that shows the risk has not gone away. This is where cases sometimes fall apart because petitioners assume the original order speaks for itself. It does not. You need to show the court why protection is still necessary.
File Before It Expires
Timing matters. File your motion before the current order expires. If you let it lapse, you lose your existing protection and have to start from scratch with a new petition rather than extending the order already in place. Extensions can only be granted in open court, not through the emergency ex parte process.
How Duration Affects Firearm Restrictions
The type of order you have, and therefore how long it lasts, also determines whether federal firearm restrictions kick in. Under federal law, anyone subject to a qualifying protection order cannot ship, transport, receive, or possess any firearm or ammunition.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts The order qualifies if it was issued after a hearing the respondent had notice of and a chance to participate in, and either includes a finding that the respondent poses a credible threat to the physical safety of an intimate partner or child, or explicitly prohibits the use or threatened use of force.
Emergency orders issued without the respondent present generally do not trigger the federal ban because the respondent has not had an opportunity to be heard. Once a plenary order is entered after a full hearing, the firearm restriction applies automatically by operation of federal law. It does not need to be written into the order itself, though Illinois judges can include a specific firearms prohibition as a separate remedy.