Getting A Personal Protection Order

Personal Protection Orders (PPOs) are court orders instructing an offender to not use violence against a family member. Courts may issue PPOs when they find that violence has been committed or is likely to be committed. A breach of the court order can be a criminal offence.

If the offender admits in court to using violence and consents to giving a PPO, the case does not need to go to trial. If the offender denies using violence or does not consent to the PPO, the survivor will be asked if they wish to proceed with a trial for the PPO. 

Little-known facts about the PPO

• PPOs do not require you to divorce or legally separate
• PPOs do not require you to live separately – but a Domestic Exclusion Order (DEO) would
• PPOs do not require you to have zero communication with each other
• PPOs do not go on any criminal record

The Women’s Charter’s definition of family violence and the powers of the PPO are expected to be expanded by end-2025.

Lawyers are not required. 

If you have a Singpass account, you can submit your application (complaint and details) on the Family Justice Courts’ Integrated Family Application Management System (iFAMS) After submitting the application form, you will still need to go down in-person to either the Courts or a Protection Specialist Centre to swear in your statement.

If you do not have a Singpass account, you can visit the Family Justice Courts or a Protection Specialist Centre. 

Read about the application process and venues at https://www.judiciary.gov.sg/family/apply-personal-protection-order.

The PPO process can be challenging and stressful. You can speak with a social worker or call us at the Women’s Helpline (1800 777 5555) for support. 

Step 1: File the application, select an appointment time, and pay a $1 fee, usually online. If you have difficulties with online forms and payment, you can go in-person to the courts or Protection Specialist Centres. 

Step 2: At the appointment, swear in your statement before the judge, usually in-person. You will usually speak with a social worker or court counsellor before seeing the judge. 

Step 3: The court sends a summons to the other party informing them about the PPO and that they have to appear in court, usually within 1 to 2 weeks. 

Court Mention
Step 4: The other party is informed what the complaint says about their use of violence and will be asked if they admit to the violence and consent to the PPO 

Step 5a: If offender admits and consents, the Courts will issue the PPO and Counselling Orders (Go to Step 9)

Step 5b: If the offender does not admit or does not consent, the Courts will refer both parties to the court family specialist to discuss the PPO. If there is no agreement, the applicant will be asked if they wish to go to trial.

Step 5bi: If the applicant wishes to go to trial, the Courts will inform both parties about deadlines for exchanging evidence and further court mentions (administrative). Courts will also inform both parties that they have the option to hire a lawyer, although individuals can represent themselves. 

Step 5bii: If the applicant does not wish to go to trial, the PPO application will be withdrawn.

Step 6: At the further court mention, the Courts will inform both parties about the trial dates. 

Step 7: At the trial, both parties will conduct or go through cross-examination. The judge will also review the evidence submitted. 

Step 8: At the end of the trial, the judge will decide whether to issue the PPO. 

Step 9: A Counselling Order (CGO) is typically given with a PPO. You will be told which social service agency (usually a Family Service Centre or Protection Specialist Centre) you will need to attend counselling with. The social worker will call you to schedule appointments. 

Step 10: About 6 months after the PPO is issued, the Court Review will consider reports submitted by the social worker on the progress of both parties. The Court will decide whether to extend mandatory counselling, and whether a further court report on progress will need to be submitted.

In the Women’s Charter, Family violence can be any of the following acts by a family member:

You can prepare by writing down the incidents of violence you have experienced according to these categories and arranging them by date.

The application form will require you to describe the most recent incident of violence, as well as individual past incidents, to show how they are within the definition of family violence under the Women’s Charter. 

Besides the description of the violence, the form will also collect administrative information about you and the offender, e.g. birthday, identification numbers, addresses, contact details. If you do not have the offender’s details, you can indicate so in the form.

A Domestic Exclusion Order (DEO) is meant to protect you from violence in cases where the offender lives in the same home as you and maybe even has ownership of it. It prevents the offender from entering the home or a room in the home. 

You can apply for a DEO within the PPO application form. If you are applying for a PPO, you will need to select the ‘DEO’ checkbox option at the start of the form. 

In the regular PPO process, the PPO takes effect only after the court has issued it – usually either after the offender has consented to the PPO or a court trial has concluded. 

For cases with serious risk, the courts may give an EO, a temporary order that takes effect even before the offender has turned up in court. There is no application process for this. It will take effect once the Summons (step 3) have been issued.

If you are under-21, the application requires a parent / guardian to apply on your behalf. Make a call to the Family Courts or a Protection Specialist Centre social worker to discuss your options.

Foreign nationals living in Singapore can also apply for a PPO. It is only effective within Singapore and will not have an effect overseas.

If you have a disability or incapacitation, you may consider applying for a protection order for vulnerable adults, which has wider coverage. This can be done by the individual themselves, a family member over 21 years old, an LPA donee, or MSF.

After a PPO is issued, the offender using violence may be in breach of the court order. 

Make a police report about the incident, and inform the police about your PPO. Provide them with the PPO number. The police will decide whether to investigate the breach of order.

Inform the social worker that you have been assigned about the breach of order. If your counselling sessions have ended, call the National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline (1800 – 777 – 0000) to explore options for protection.