To get a no contact order in Utah, you file a petition for a protective order or stalking injunction in district court, at no cost, and a judge reviews it the same day. If the judge finds enough evidence of danger, you leave with a temporary order that stays in place until a full hearing, usually held within 21 days. Utah does not use the label “no contact order” for civil filings the way some states do; the civil equivalents are protective orders and civil stalking injunctions, and which one you file depends on your relationship to the person you need protection from.
Choose the Right Type of Order
Utah sorts these orders by relationship, and filing under the wrong category forces you to start over. Pick from these before you touch a form:
- Cohabitant abuse protective order. For current or former spouses, people who live or lived together, and parents of the same child.1Utah Legislature. Utah Code 78B-7-601 – Definitions
- Dating violence protective order. For a romantic or intimate relationship where you never lived together and are not “intimate partners” under the statute. The court looks at how long you were together, how often you communicated, and whether you presented the relationship to others. If the person qualifies as a cohabitant, you cannot use this form.2Utah Legislature. Utah Code 78B-7-102 – Definitions3Utah Legislature. Utah Code 78B-7-403 – Abuse or Danger of Abuse, Dating Violence Protective Orders
- Sexual violence protective order. For victims of a sexual offense, attempted sexual offense, or sex trafficking committed by someone who is not a cohabitant or dating partner.4Utah Legislature. Utah Code Title 78B, Chapter 7, Part 5 – Sexual Violence Protective Orders
- Civil stalking injunction. For anyone who does not fit the categories above. You must show a pattern (at least two separate acts) that would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety or suffer serious emotional distress.5Utah Courts. Civil Stalking Injunction
- Child protective order. Filed by any interested person for a child in imminent danger of abuse. Before filing, you must first make a referral to the Division of Child and Family Services.6Utah Legislature. Utah Code Title 78B, Chapter 7, Part 2 – Child Protective Orders
If you are unsure which one applies, the Utah Courts self-help page lists every type and links to the matching forms.7Utah Courts. Protective Orders
Complete the Petition and Write a Detailed Sworn Statement
Utah Courts offers a self-help tool called MyPaperwork that walks you through the questions and generates the forms.8Utah Courts. Online Court Assistance Program (OCAP) You can also pick up blank forms at any district court clerk’s office. The core documents are the petition itself, a sworn statement, and a request for a hearing date.
The sworn statement is where most petitions succeed or fail. A judge reviews it without the respondent present, so it has to stand alone. Write a chronological account of specific incidents: dates, times, locations, and exactly what was said or done. “He threatened me multiple times” is vague enough that a judge may deny the temporary order. “On March 12, 2026, at approximately 8 p.m., he said he would hurt me if I left the apartment” gives the judge something to evaluate. Reference and attach police reports, medical records, screenshots, or photos if you have them.
Include as much identifying information about the respondent as you can: full name, physical description, home address, workplace, and vehicle. Gaps in this section delay service, and an unserved order has no legal effect.
Keep Your Address Off the Filings
Utah’s Safe at Home Program gives victims of domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, human trafficking, and child abuse a substitute mailing address to use on court documents and government records.9Utah Courts. Safe At Home Program
You enroll by meeting with a certified Safe at Home assistant and completing an application. Once enrolled, you use the substitute address on all paperwork and present your authorization card (front and back) plus a county residence letter to court staff. If you already have an open case, you can email or visit the court with your card and request an address change; the court has three days to update its records and remove your real address from filings made after the redaction date.9Utah Courts. Safe At Home Program
File the Petition and the Ex Parte Review
You can file in person at the district court clerk’s office, by email, by mail, or electronically through MyCourtCase. There is no filing fee for any protective order or stalking injunction in Utah.7Utah Courts. Protective Orders
The judge then conducts an “ex parte” review, meaning the respondent is neither notified nor present. If the judge finds sufficient evidence of abuse or danger, they sign a temporary order the same day and set a full hearing. For cohabitant abuse, dating violence, sexual violence, and child protective orders, the hearing is set within 21 days.7Utah Courts. Protective Orders
Civil stalking injunctions work differently. After a judge grants the ex parte injunction, the respondent has 10 days after being served to request a hearing in writing. If no request comes in, the temporary injunction automatically converts into a full civil stalking injunction lasting three years, with no additional court appearance required.10Utah Legislature. Utah Code Title 78B, Chapter 7, Part 7 – Civil Stalking Injunctions
Have the Respondent Served
A protective order has no legal force until the respondent has been personally served. The respondent cannot be arrested for violating an order they never received. Service is usually handled by a county sheriff or constable, and the packet includes the temporary order, your petition, and notice of the hearing.
If the sheriff cannot locate the respondent, you may need to hire a private process server. Private server fees generally run from $20 to $100 per job. Once service is complete, the server files proof of service with the court, and the order enters Utah’s statewide law enforcement network. For courts connected to the state computer system, the order must be on the network within 24 hours of being signed; for courts outside that system, the deadline is 72 hours.11Utah Legislature. HB0100 – Sexual Violence Protective Orders
Attend the Hearing
At the full hearing, both sides can present evidence, call witnesses, and testify. The judge applies the “preponderance of the evidence” standard, meaning it is more likely than not that the abuse or stalking occurred. As the petitioner, you carry that burden. Bring everything you referenced in your petition: printed messages, photographs, police reports, medical records, and any witnesses who can back up your account.
The respondent has the right to attend, testify, and present evidence. If the respondent does not appear, the judge can still issue a final order based on your evidence alone.
If attending in person creates a safety concern, you can ask to appear remotely by video, or by phone with court approval. Send a written request to the court with your case number and copy the other party. The court must grant remote attendance unless it has a specific reason to deny; safety is one of the factors the court weighs.12Utah Courts. Asking to Change How You Attend Your Hearing
How Long the Order Lasts
These orders are not permanent, even where court forms use that word.
- Cohabitant abuse protective order: Expires three years after entry. The civil provisions, such as temporary custody, property use, or financial support, expire after 150 days unless the judge extends them for good cause. The provisions barring contact and abuse run the full three years.13Utah Legislature. Utah Code 78B-7-606 – Duration of Cohabitant Abuse Protective Order
- Civil stalking injunction: Expires three years from the date the ex parte injunction was served on the respondent.10Utah Legislature. Utah Code Title 78B, Chapter 7, Part 7 – Civil Stalking Injunctions
Dating violence and sexual violence orders follow similar frameworks under Parts 4 and 5 of Chapter 7, with hearings set within 21 days. If you need continued protection when an order expires, you file a new petition showing the threat persists.
What Happens If the Other Person Violates the Order
Violating a protective order or stalking injunction is a criminal offense in Utah, not just a contempt matter. Law enforcement is required to arrest someone who violates a protective order, so calling the police after a violation should produce an immediate arrest, not just a report.14Utah Legislature. Utah Code 77-36-2.4 – Violation of Protective Order
For civil stalking injunctions, a violation is prosecuted as the crime of stalking. A first violation is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to 364 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,500.15Utah Legislature. Utah Code 76-5-106.5 – Stalking16Utah Courts. Criminal Penalties The charge escalates to a third-degree felony (up to five years in prison) if the respondent has a prior stalking conviction, a prior felony conviction involving the same victim, or is a cohabitant of the victim.17Utah Legislature. Utah Code 76-3-203 – Felony Conviction, Indeterminate Term of Imprisonment It becomes a second-degree felony when the respondent used a dangerous weapon or has two or more prior stalking convictions.
Firearms Consequences for the Respondent
A final protective order triggers a federal firearms ban. Utah’s protective order form warns respondents that once a final order is issued, federal law makes it a crime to possess, transport, or receive any firearm or ammunition, including hunting weapons.18Utah Courts. Protective Order
The restriction comes from 18 U.S.C. ยง 922(g)(8), which bars anyone subject to a qualifying protective order from possessing firearms or ammunition. The order qualifies if it was issued after a hearing where the respondent had notice and an opportunity to participate, and it either includes a finding that the respondent is a credible threat to the physical safety of an intimate partner or child, or explicitly prohibits the use of physical force against them.19Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts Temporary ex parte orders issued before a hearing generally do not trigger the federal ban; the final order entered after the hearing does.
The court may also order the respondent to surrender specific weapons to law enforcement, a non-cohabiting family member (who must submit a sworn affidavit), or another designated party.
Changing or Ending the Order Later
Once the order is in place, neither party can simply ignore it, even if you reconcile. The order remains enforceable until the court modifies or dismisses it.
If you are the petitioner and want to drop the order, you need a court order to do so. In a pending divorce, both parties can stipulate in writing or on the record to dismiss. Outside that context, the court can dismiss an order that has been in effect for at least two years if it determines you no longer have a reasonable fear of future harm.20Utah Legislature. Utah Code 78B-7-115 – Dismissal of Protective Order, Expiration
The criminal provisions (the no-contact and stay-away requirements) cannot be vacated within the first two years unless you are personally served with notice of the hearing and either appear in court to give specific consent or submit a verified affidavit agreeing to dismissal. That process exists because abuse victims are frequently pressured to withdraw orders.