Domestic Abuse Protection Notices (DAPNs) Explained: Emergency Police Protection
A Domestic Abuse Protection Notice, usually called a DAPN, is an emergency notice that police can issue to help protect someone who is experiencing domestic abuse or is at risk of further abuse. It can impose immediate restrictions on the alleged perpetrator, including preventing contact with the person at risk, preventing them from approaching a home, or requiring them to leave a shared property.
The notice is intended to provide immediate protection at a critical time. The period after a domestic-abuse incident, police attendance or separation can be particularly dangerous. A DAPN gives the police a way to establish urgent boundaries while they apply to the magistrates’ court for a longer-term Domestic Abuse Protection Order, known as a DAPO.
A DAPN is not a criminal conviction. It is also not a substitute for a criminal investigation. If the police have evidence of offences such as assault, stalking, harassment, criminal damage, threats or controlling or coercive behaviour, they should investigate those offences and consider whether a charge is appropriate. A DAPN can operate alongside an investigation where immediate protective action is required.
The DAPN and DAPO framework was introduced by the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. It is still being rolled out through pilot areas, rather than being available automatically throughout England and Wales. Anyone seeking urgent protection should therefore obtain advice based on the current position in their local area.
By: Tom Atkinson
Legally reviewed by: Iblal Iqbal, Director, Kabir Family Law
Last reviewed: 25th August 2026
What can a Domestic Abuse Protection Notice (DAPN) do?
A Domestic Abuse Protection Notice must be tailored to the risk and be necessary and proportionate. Its purpose is to stop further abuse while the court process begins.
The Domestic Abuse Protection Notice can prohibit direct or indirect contact with the protected person. That may mean no calls, messages, emails, social-media contact or contact through another person. It may also prohibit the alleged perpetrator from going near a home where the protected person lives.
Where the people involved share a property, the DAPN can provide more immediate practical protection. It may prevent the alleged perpetrator from entering the home, require them to leave it, or prohibit them from evicting or excluding the protected person. This can be particularly important where the person at risk would otherwise feel that they must leave their own home to avoid further abuse.
The precise wording matters. A person protected by a DAPN should receive and safely retain a copy, if possible, and should make sure they understand exactly what the alleged perpetrator is prohibited from doing. If a term is unclear, the police officer dealing with the case or an independent domestic-abuse adviser should be asked to explain it.
What happens after police issue a Domestic Abuse Protection Notice (DAPN)?
The DAPN is temporary. Once police serve it, the chief officer of police must apply to the magistrates’ court for a Domestic Abuse Protection Order. The first court hearing should normally take place within 48 hours of the notice being given, excluding Sundays and bank holidays.
The Domestic Abuse Protection Notice remains in force until the court determines the DAPO application or it is withdrawn. This is what makes the notice an emergency bridge rather than a complete, long-term legal solution.
At the hearing, the magistrates’ court decides whether a DAPO is necessary to protect the person from domestic abuse or the risk of it. A DAPO is more flexible than a DAPN and can remain in place for as long as the court considers necessary. It may prohibit contact, attendance at a home, workplace or school, or attendance within a specified area. In appropriate circumstances, it can include positive requirements, such as attending a behaviour-change programme. Electronic monitoring may also be imposed where the legal requirements are met.
A breach of a Domestic Abuse Protection Notice is a criminal offence. It can result in imprisonment for up to five years, a fine, or both. A suspected breach should always be reported to the police immediately, particularly where there is an immediate safety risk.
For the current pilot arrangements, detailed eligibility and geographic coverage, see the official Government guidance on Domestic Abuse Protection Notices and Domestic Abuse Protection Orders.gov
Is a Domestic Abuse Protection Notice the same as a no-contact order?
No. “No-contact order” is a phrase often used informally, but it can describe several different legal measures. A Domestic Abuse Protection Notice is an emergency notice issued by police and followed by a police application to the magistrates’ court for a DAPO.
A Family Court order may be more appropriate in other circumstances. For example, a non-molestation order can prevent a current or former partner or certain family members from using or threatening violence, harassing the applicant, or contacting them. An occupation order can address who can live in, return to or enter the family home. The correct remedy depends on the immediate risk, the nature of the relationship, whether criminal proceedings are underway, whether children are involved and whether urgent housing protection is needed.
For a wider explanation of urgent protection where domestic abuse has created an immediate risk, read our guide to emergency no-contact orders in domestic-violence cases. If you need protection from harassment, threats or unwanted contact through the Family Court, our guide to non-molestation orders explains how that order works.
Are DAPNs available everywhere?
No. The DAPN and DAPO system is being introduced through a pilot programme. It is not currently a standard police power in every part of England and Wales.
Published government guidance identifies pilot coverage in Greater Manchester; the London boroughs of Croydon, Sutton and Bromley; Hartlepool; Middlesbrough; Redcar and Cleveland; Stockton-On-Tees; and North Wales. In the pilot, the alleged perpetrator’s residence is an important factor in deciding whether the DAPN and DAPO route is available. The person who needs protection may live elsewhere.
The pilot is developing, so locations and operational arrangements may change. It is sensible to check the latest official position rather than assume that a Domestic Abuse Protection Notice will be available in a particular police-force area.
Where a DAPN is unavailable, that does not mean that protection is unavailable. Depending on the facts, police action, criminal bail conditions, a non-molestation order, an occupation order, a restraining order or another civil or criminal protective measure may be appropriate. Early legal advice can help identify the quickest and safest route.
What should you do if a Domestic Abuse Protection Notice is issued?
If you are the person protected by a Domestic Abuse Protection Notice, prioritise safety. Keep the notice somewhere secure if you can do so safely, ensure you understand the restrictions it contains and report any suspected breach to the police straight away. Do not agree to meet the alleged perpetrator to “sort things out”, even if they say the notice was a misunderstanding or ask someone else to contact you on their behalf.
If you are in immediate danger, call 999. If it is unsafe to speak on a mobile call, dial 999 and press 55 when prompted. The police can respond to an emergency and assess what immediate protection is needed.
Where it is safe, preserve relevant evidence such as messages, call logs, photographs, medical evidence and police incident references. Do not take risks to gather evidence, particularly if a device, account or location sharing is being monitored. Specialist domestic-abuse services and family law specialists can provide safe, confidential advice on the next steps.
How Kabir Family Law can help
We provide confidential, practical and tailored advice together with clear options when you need need safety. Contact Kabir Family Law today on 0330 094 5880 to arrange your free consultation or book a time that suits you. Our family lawyers provide immediate assessment and strategic assistance when your safety is at risk and you require advice and assistance on urgent protection orders available.
Our family lawyers in York as well across Coventry, Nottingham, Cardiff, Newcastle, Northampton, Oxford, Worcester & London work around the clock and will be able to provide you with the advice and assistance you need.
“A DAPN is designed for the immediate period of heightened risk after domestic abuse has been reported or identified. It can create essential, short-term boundaries while the police bring the matter before the magistrates’ court for consideration of a longer-term DAPO. The practical priority is always safety, but the legal route should be considered carefully. A DAPN may be appropriate in a pilot area, while a non-molestation order, occupation order, police bail condition or another protective measure may be more suitable in a different case. Early specialist advice helps ensure that protection is not only urgent, but properly tailored to the person, the children and the risks they face.”
— Family Law Specialist, Kabir Family Law
