A Colorado civil permanent protection order (PPO) does not expire. Once entered, it stays on record indefinitely — affecting housing applications, concealed-carry permits, child-custody evaluations, and routine background checks. Many restrained parties assume the order is a life sentence. It is not. Colorado's statute provides a specific mechanism for modification and dismissal. Here is how it works.
The Two-Year Waiting Period
The Standard a Court Applies
The statute directs the court to consider "all relevant factors," including:
- Whether the restrained person has complied with the order
- Whether the restrained person has been convicted of any crime since the order was issued
- Whether the restrained person has committed any acts that would justify a new protection order
- Whether circumstances have materially changed
- Whether continuing the order is necessary to prevent further abuse
- The respondent's good-faith efforts at rehabilitation (counseling, treatment, sobriety)
The burden is on the restrained party. The protected party has the right to notice and to appear at the hearing.
Preparing a Motion That Actually Gets Granted
Most pro-se modification motions fail. The reason is usually that the motion reads like a request — "I've been good, please let me off." Judges grant motions that read like affirmative evidence:
- Compliance history — no violations, no new arrests, no contempt citations
- Clean criminal record since the order — certified background check
- Completion of any required treatment — DV offender program, substance-abuse treatment, anger management
- Letters of support — employer, clergy, sponsor, medical provider
Partial Modification vs. Full Dismissal
A full-dismissal motion is all-or-nothing. Many restrained parties do better by asking for a modification — for example, narrowing a no-contact order to permit limited written contact about minor children, or lifting the exclusion from a shared school or workplace. Partial relief is often granted where a total lift would be denied.
Criminal Protection Orders Are Different
If the order at issue is a mandatory criminal protection order attached to an open criminal case, C.R.S. § 13-14-108 does not apply. The criminal court modifies those orders through motions filed in the underlying case. That is typically an easier process with fewer hoops, but it only applies while the criminal case is pending — after final disposition, the civil-PPO framework (or the permanent criminal order under § 18-1-1001) controls.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if the protected party agrees to the modification?
Helpful, but not dispositive. The judge still makes the decision and can decline to modify even with the protected party's consent. That said, a supportive or neutral protected party materially improves your chances.
Can I appeal a denial?
Yes. A final order denying modification is appealable to the Colorado Court of Appeals. The notice-of-appeal deadline is either 28, 35, or 49 days from the entry of the order, depending on the type of court that entered the protection order.
Will this restore my firearm rights?
Dismissing the underlying PPO removes the Colorado firearm prohibition tied to the order. If you also have a DV conviction, the federal Lautenberg Amendment firearm ban remains — that requires a separate remedy.
