0800 COURTS closes at 3:00pm 24 December 2025, for urgent matters (relating to family matter or bail conditions), please call 0800 253 425. 0800 4 FINES closes at 7:00pm, 24 December 2025. Our Contact Centres will reopen at 8:00am on Monday 5 January 2026. National Office (Aitken Street, Wellington) reception will be closed from 3:00pm on Friday 19 December, reopening at 8:00am on Monday 5 January 2026. For more information, see Court and Tribunal hours
It’s free to apply for a Restraining Order.
If you need help to fill in the forms you can:
Find out more about affidavits and statutory declarations
The court will give the application to the other person, who has a chance to respond. Then you’ll need to go to a hearing at the court, where a judge will decide whether or not to make the Restraining Order. The court will tell you when you need to be there.
If the person wants to ask the court not to make the Restraining Order, they‘ll also be at the hearing.
Find out more about the court hearing for a Restraining Order
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