To report domestic violence in California, call 911 if you are in immediate danger, or contact your local police department or county sheriff’s office non-emergency line to report an incident that has already ended. You can also walk into any station. Officers will take a statement, create an official incident report, and, if the danger is current, ask a judge by phone for an Emergency Protective Order on the spot. That report then becomes the foundation for criminal charges, a longer restraining order, and a set of housing, employment, and immigration protections state and federal law give to abuse victims.
A few things done before and after the call make the whole process safer and more useful.
Think Through Safety First
A report can escalate the abuser’s behavior once they learn it exists. If you live with the person, identify where you will go afterward: a friend or family member’s home, or a domestic violence shelter. Pack a small bag with identification, medications, phone chargers, and copies of important documents, and keep it somewhere the abuser will not find it or leave it with someone you trust.
If you suspect the abuser monitors your phone or computer, use a different device. Browsing history, call logs, and text messages can all be checked. The National Domestic Violence Hotline recommends calling rather than using online tools when internet activity may be tracked.1The National Domestic Violence Hotline. Stalking Safety Planning You can reach the hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text “START” to 88788 for confidential help with safety planning.2The National Domestic Violence Hotline. National Domestic Violence Hotline
What to Have Ready for Officers
You do not need any of this to file a report, and you should not delay calling to collect it. But if you have time, bringing the following makes a stronger case:
- The abuser’s full legal name, date of birth, address, physical description, and vehicle details if they left the scene.
- A written timeline of what happened, when, and where, with specific actions. “He grabbed my arm and pushed me into the wall at approximately 9 p.m. in the kitchen” gives officers more to work with than “he got violent.”
- Photos of any injuries, including minor ones. California Penal Code 273.5 covers injuries “whether of a minor or serious nature” inflicted on a spouse, cohabitant, co-parent, or dating partner.3California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 273.5
- Medical records from any treatment you received. Ask for copies before you leave the hospital or clinic.
- Screenshots of threatening texts, voicemails, emails, or social media posts, stored where the abuser cannot reach them.
- Photos of broken phones, damaged walls, or other property damage from the incident.
- Names and phone numbers of witnesses: neighbors who heard yelling, a friend you called right afterward.
- Any records of past incidents: dates of previous police calls, old injury photos, prior protective orders.
If the abuser used force but left no visible injury, the conduct can still be charged as domestic battery under Penal Code 243(e)(1), which requires only unwanted physical contact.4California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 243 Digital evidence and witness statements matter more in those cases.
Making the Report
If It Is Happening Now
Call 911. Stay on the line if you can do so safely. The dispatcher will send officers, who will separate you from the abuser and take statements from everyone present. You do not need organized evidence or a polished account before calling.
If the Incident Has Ended
Call your local police department or county sheriff’s non-emergency line, or walk into any station. A desk officer or detective will interview you about what happened, when, and who was involved, and build a written narrative that lines up with whatever physical or digital evidence exists.
Before you leave the station or end the call, ask for the case number or incident report number. That number is your reference for everything that follows: court filings, restraining order applications, victim services, and insurance claims. The department usually needs a few days to finalize the written report. California crime victims are generally entitled to a copy, and some departments waive the copy fee for victims named in it, so ask when you pick it up.
Emergency Protective Order at the Scene
When a responding officer believes you are in immediate danger, the officer can request an Emergency Protective Order right then. Under Family Code 6250, a judicial officer can issue the order when an officer presents reasonable grounds to believe a person faces immediate danger of domestic violence.5California Legislative Information. California Family Code 6250 The process runs 24 hours a day, including holidays.6California Courts. Emergency Protective Order Bench Guide
The officer calls a judge or commissioner, presents the facts, and if the judge agrees, the order is granted orally and put in writing. The officer then serves it on the abuser. An EPO can require the abuser to leave a shared home and stay a specified distance from you.
The order is deliberately short. It expires at the close of court business on the fifth court day after it was issued, or on the seventh calendar day, whichever comes first.7California Legislative Information. California Family Code 6256 That window gives you time to file for a longer-term restraining order. Do not let the EPO expire without taking that step if you still need protection.
Filing for a Longer Restraining Order
A Domestic Violence Restraining Order can last up to five years and covers far more ground than an EPO. There is no filing fee.8California Courts. File Your Request for a Domestic Violence Restraining Order You file paperwork with the court, a judge decides whether to grant a temporary order right away without the abuser present, the abuser is formally served, and then both sides appear at a hearing where the judge decides on a longer order.9California Courts. The Restraining Order Process for Domestic Violence Cases
Under Family Code 6320, the court can order the abuser to stop contacting you directly or indirectly, stay a specified distance from your home, workplace, and children’s schools, move out of a shared residence, and refrain from destroying your property.10California Legislative Information. California Family Code 6320 The court can also grant temporary custody of children and control of pets. Most county courthouses have self-help centers that will walk you through the forms.
Firearm Surrender Triggered by the Order
A domestic violence restraining order triggers mandatory firearm surrender. Under Family Code 6389, a person subject to a protective order cannot own, possess, purchase, or receive any firearms or ammunition while the order is in effect.11California Legislative Information. California Family Code 6389 On being served, the restrained person must immediately surrender firearms to any officer who requests them, or within 24 hours either turn them over to local law enforcement or sell them to a licensed dealer. Proof of surrender must be filed with the court within 48 hours, and failing to file that proof is itself a violation.
Federal law adds another layer. Under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8), anyone subject to a qualifying domestic violence protective order is federally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts A separate provision, 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9), bans firearm possession for anyone convicted of a qualifying misdemeanor domestic violence offense, with or without a protective order.
If you know the abuser owns firearms, tell the responding officer and note it in your restraining order paperwork. Judges will address relinquishment directly in the order.
What a Police Report or Order Unlocks
Breaking Your Lease
Under Civil Code 1946.7, you can terminate your tenancy early by giving your landlord written notice along with a copy of a protective order, a copy of a police report, documentation from a qualified professional such as a counselor or medical provider, or other documentation that reasonably verifies the abuse occurred.13California Legislative Information. California Civil Code 1946.7 The notice must be given within 180 days of the protective order, police report, or incident. After giving notice, you owe rent for no more than 14 additional calendar days and are released from the rest of the lease without penalty. The landlord cannot forfeit your security deposit over the early termination.
Time Off Work
Under Labor Code 230, any employer must allow you time off to obtain a restraining order or attend other court proceedings related to your safety.14California Department of Industrial Relations. Victims of Domestic Violence Leave Notice If your employer has 25 or more workers, the protection extends to time off for medical treatment, services from a shelter or victim services organization, counseling, and safety planning. Your employer cannot fire or retaliate against you for being a victim, requesting leave, or asking for workplace safety accommodations such as a schedule change, transfer, new phone number, or improved locks.
Reporting as a Noncitizen
Immigration status should not stop you from reporting. California law enforcement agencies generally do not ask about immigration status when responding to domestic violence calls, and federal law offers two specific paths for abuse victims.
Under the Violence Against Women Act, you can file a self-petition using Form I-360 if you were abused by a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse, parent, or adult child. There is no filing fee, and USCIS does not contact the abuser at any point.15USCIS. Green Card for VAWA Self-Petitioner You do not need a police report or a criminal conviction against the abuser to qualify.
The U-Visa is available to victims of certain qualifying crimes, including domestic violence, who have suffered substantial physical or mental abuse and are willing to cooperate with law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution. It requires a certification from a law enforcement agency, prosecutor, or judge confirming your cooperation, and it allows you to remain in the United States and eventually apply for a green card. Both processes have strict deadlines and documentation requirements, so consult an immigration attorney or a legal aid organization that handles these cases.
If You Go to the Hospital First
Medical treatment can start the law enforcement process on its own. Under Penal Code 11160, any health practitioner working in a hospital, clinic, or physician’s office who treats a patient they know or reasonably suspect has injuries from assault or abuse must immediately call the local law enforcement agency where the treatment occurred.16California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 11160 A written report on a standardized form must follow within two working days.
The report includes your name, your location, the nature and extent of your injuries, and the identity of the person you say caused them. This is not optional for the provider; failing to report is a misdemeanor carrying up to six months in county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. In practice, a trip to the emergency room for domestic violence injuries will almost always generate a law enforcement report whether or not you planned to make one yourself. A domestic violence advocate can help you prepare for the contact that follows.
Where to Get Help
- In immediate danger, call 911.
- The National Domestic Violence Hotline takes calls at 1-800-799-7233 and texts to 88788 (text “START”) for confidential support, safety planning, and local referrals.2The National Domestic Violence Hotline. National Domestic Violence Hotline
- Most California courthouses have free self-help centers that assist with restraining order paperwork and explain the court process.9California Courts. The Restraining Order Process for Domestic Violence Cases
- If you cannot afford an attorney, your county legal aid organization may provide free representation in domestic violence restraining order cases.