What Is a Domestic Abuse Protection Order (DAPO)?
Last updated: 2 November 2026 · Written by the family law paralegal team at Court Help Limited
In short: A domestic abuse protection order (DAPO) is a court order under Part 3 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 that can protect you from every kind of domestic abuse, not just violence. Since 27 November 2024 it's been piloted in a few areas only. You can apply only if the person you need protection from lives in a pilot area.
Key facts | Detail |
|---|---|
What changed | A new domestic abuse protection order (DAPO), and a police domestic abuse protection notice (DAPN), covering every form of domestic abuse |
In force from | Pilot only: 27 November 2024 (Greater Manchester, Croydon, Bromley, Sutton, British Transport Police), 5 March 2025 (Teesside areas), 28 April 2025 (North Wales). Pilot runs to 24 November 2026 |
Where it applies | England and Wales, but only where the person you need protection from lives in a pilot area. National roll-out has been announced, not yet in force |
The law | Domestic Abuse Act 2021, Part 3 (sections 22 to 41 for the main rules); pilot extended by SI 2026/342 |
Who it affects | Anyone aged 16 or over who needs protection from someone personally connected to them, and the person the order is made against |
Source checked | GOV.UK and legislation.gov.uk, 2 November 2026 |
What was the law before?
Before DAPOs, most people who needed protection applied to the family court for a non-molestation order or an occupation order on form FL401, under the Family Law Act 1996. Separately, the police could give a domestic violence protection notice and then ask the magistrates for a short-term domestic violence protection order. Those orders still exist. They just weren't built with every form of abuse, such as coercive control or economic abuse, clearly in mind.
What changed, and when?
Part 3 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 created two new tools: the domestic abuse protection notice (DAPN), given by the police, and the domestic abuse protection order (DAPO), made by a court. Rather than switching them on everywhere at once, the government brought Part 3 into force as a pilot, area by area.
Here's how the pilot has grown, using the dates on GOV.UK:
27 November 2024: Greater Manchester, and the London boroughs of Croydon, Bromley and Sutton. British Transport Police can also use the new powers.
5 March 2025: Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, and Stockton-on-Tees.
28 April 2025: North Wales (Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham).
The pilot was meant to finish in November 2025. It's been extended twice, most recently by SI 2026/342, so the pilot now runs until 24 November 2026. That's only a few weeks away, so the position may change, and it's worth checking GOV.UK before you apply.
What happens after that? The government has said, in GOV.UK announcements in December 2025 and August 2026, that it's rolling DAPOs out across England and Wales. When we checked legislation.gov.uk on 2 November 2026, we couldn't yet see the regulations that would bring the orders in nationally. So, for now, treat national roll-out as announced but not yet in force.
DAPO at a glance | What to know |
|---|---|
1. Check the area | The other person must live in a pilot area. If not, use form FL401 (non-molestation or occupation order) |
2. Forms | DA1 plus a witness statement; DA2 if applying for someone else; C8 to keep your address private |
3. Court fee | None |
4. Service | Don't serve it yourself: form D89 for a court bailiff, then form DA415 |
5. What it can include | No contact, distance from your home, a behaviour change programme, an electronic tag, automatic notification to the police |
6. Breach | A criminal offence: up to 5 years in prison. In danger, call 999 |
What can a domestic abuse protection order do?
A DAPO is more flexible than the orders most people know. Under section 35 of the Act, the court can add any requirements it thinks are necessary to protect you. In practice that can mean:
stopping the person from contacting you
keeping them a set distance away from your home or workplace
deciding who can stay in, or come back to, a shared home
positive steps, such as going on a behaviour change programme
electronic monitoring (a tag) to check they're keeping to the order
There's no minimum or maximum length. The court can make it for a fixed period, until something happens, or until another order is made (section 38). A tag can't be ordered for more than 12 months at a time.
The person the order is made against also has to give the police their name and home address within three days of the order, and tell the police within three days if they move (section 41). That's automatic, which is quite different from a non-molestation order.
Who can apply for a DAPO?
You can apply yourself to the family court if you're the person who needs protection and you're 16 or over. The other person must be someone you're personally connected to, such as a partner, ex-partner or relative, and GOV.UK's police guidance says they must be 18 or over.
Other routes are open too:
The police can apply to the magistrates' court. If they've given a DAPN, they must apply, and the hearing should take place within 48 hours, not counting Sundays and bank holidays. The police don't need your consent to give a DAPN, though they should listen to your views.
Someone on your behalf, such as a relative, friend or social worker, can apply with the court's permission, using form DA2 alongside form DA1.
A court dealing with another case can make a DAPO on its own, for example in family proceedings, or in a criminal case even where the person is acquitted.
To make an order, the court must be satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, that the person has been abusive towards you, and that the order is necessary and proportionate to protect you (section 32).
How do I apply for a domestic abuse protection order?
If you're applying yourself, these are the steps GOV.UK sets out:
Check where the other person lives. It has to be one of the pilot areas listed above.
Fill in form DA1 and a witness statement explaining what has happened. There's a template on form DA1, or you can write your own with the statement of truth, your signature and the date.
If you don't want the other person to know your address or your child's address, leave it off the forms and send form C8 instead.
Send your forms to one of the pilot courts: Manchester, Stockport, Wigan, Croydon, Bromley, Teesside, Caernarfon, Prestatyn or Wrexham. You can email them, post them or hand them in.
Don't serve the papers yourself. If you don't have a solicitor, send form D89 so a court bailiff serves them. Afterwards, form DA415 tells the court who was served and with what.
There are no court fees for applying, or for asking to vary or end the order later on form DA3.
If you're in danger right now, the court can make an order without telling the other person first (section 34). We explain how without notice (ex parte) orders work in a separate guide. The court then fixes another hearing so the other person can give their side.
What does this mean for you?
Start with one question: where does the other person live? If it's outside the pilot areas, the family court can't make a DAPO on your application yet. That doesn't leave you without protection. You can still apply for a non-molestation order, an occupation order, or both, at your local family court on form FL401. Those are also free to apply for.
For example, if a mother in Stockport has left a partner who now lives in Wigan and keeps checking her bank account and messaging her friends, she could apply for a DAPO at a Greater Manchester court and ask for a no-contact condition. If her ex-partner lived in Leeds instead, she could apply for a non-molestation order. The same would apply to a father in the same position.
If a DAPO has been made against you, take it seriously from day one. Diary the three-day deadline to give the police your details. Read every condition, and if you think a condition is wrong or unworkable, apply to vary it on form DA3 rather than ignoring it. It's also worth reading about how protective orders can affect contact with children, because an order like this can affect how and where contact happens.
Is a DAPO the same as a non-molestation order?
No, although they overlap. A non-molestation order protects you or your child from being harmed or threatened by the person who's abused you. A DAPO can do that, and it can also add positive steps, a tag and automatic notification to the police. A court can make both at the same time, as long as the conditions don't clash. The police guidance on GOV.UK says non-molestation orders aren't affected by DAPOs. What DAPOs are meant to replace, if national roll-out goes ahead as announced, are the police's older domestic violence protection notices and orders.
What happens if a DAPO is breached?
Breaking a DAPO without a reasonable excuse is a criminal offence (section 39). The maximum sentence is five years in prison, a fine or both. We explain separately what happens if a non-molestation order is breached. If you're in danger, call 999. GOV.UK points out that alerts from a tag can take until 10am the next day to reach the police, so don't wait for the tag to raise the alarm.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a domestic abuse protection order last?
There's no set limit. The court decides how long you need protection, and the order can last until a further order is made. Electronic monitoring can't last more than 12 months at a time.
Does a DAPO cost anything?
No. GOV.UK says there are no court fees to apply for a DAPO, or to apply to vary or discharge one.
Can I get a DAPO if I live outside the pilot area?
Possibly. What matters is where the other person lives, not where you live. If they live in a pilot area, you can apply, though you may need to travel to a court in a pilot area for a hearing.
Can the police get a DAPO without me?
Yes. The police can apply to the magistrates' court, and they must apply after giving a DAPN. Your consent isn't needed, but your views should be taken into account.
Are DAPOs available everywhere in England and Wales?
Not yet. The pilot runs until 24 November 2026, and the government has announced national roll-out. Unless and until new regulations are made, the orders are only available in the pilot areas, so check GOV.UK first.
Can a DAPO cover coercive control or economic abuse?
Yes. A DAPO protects against domestic abuse as the 2021 Act defines it, which includes controlling or coercive behaviour, economic abuse, and psychological and emotional abuse, as well as violence.
How we can help
Court Help Limited is a family law paralegal firm in England and Wales. We're not solicitors and we don't represent clients in court, but we can help you understand your options, prepare your forms and witness statement, and get your papers ready for a hearing. Many people come to us after a frightening few weeks, and we'll go at your pace. If you're feeling unsafe at home, you can also talk to the Royal Courts of Justice Advice service, which GOV.UK recommends for victims of domestic abuse. We also have a guide on getting a non-molestation order over Christmas. Email us at help@incourt.co.uk or use the contact form on our website. You can read what others say about us in our Google reviews.
Related guides
Sources
Apply for a domestic abuse protection order in a family court, GOV.UK (checked 2 November 2026)
Domestic abuse protection notices (DAPNs) and domestic abuse protection orders (DAPOs), GOV.UK (checked 2 November 2026)
Domestic abuse protection orders and notices: statutory guidance for the police, GOV.UK (checked 2 November 2026)
Domestic Abuse Act 2021, Part 3, legislation.gov.uk (checked 2 November 2026)
The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (Commencement No. 6, 8 and 9 and Saving Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/342), legislation.gov.uk (checked 2 November 2026)
Get an injunction if you've been the victim of domestic abuse, GOV.UK (checked 2 November 2026)
New VAWG strategy will leave offenders with nowhere to hide (17 December 2025), GOV.UK (checked 2 November 2026)
PM accelerates roll out of police rape and sexual offence teams (28 August 2026), GOV.UK (checked 2 November 2026)
This article is general information about the law in England and Wales. It is not legal advice and should not be relied on as legal advice. Every case turns on its own facts, and court fees and procedures change, so check GOV.UK for the latest position. Court Help Limited is a family law paralegal firm, not a firm of solicitors, and does not represent clients in court.
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