The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (Commencement No. 9 and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2025

Made: 23rd April 2025

The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 86(1) and 90(6), (7) and (8) of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021[^f00001].

Citation, extent and interpretation

1

• (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (Commencement No. 9 and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2025.

• (2) These Regulations extend to England and Wales.

• (3) In these Regulations—

• (a) “the Act” means the Domestic Abuse Act 2021;

• (b) a reference to a section, Part or Schedule by number alone means the section, Part or Schedule so numbered in the Act;

• (c) “the No. 6 Regulations” means the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (Commencement No. 6 and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2024[^f00002];

• (d) “the No. 8 Regulations” means the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (Commencement No. 8 and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2025[^f00003];

• (e) “specified areas” means the counties of the Isle of Anglesey, Gwynedd, Denbighshire and Flintshire and the county boroughs of Conwy and Wrexham;

• (f) “specified period” means the period beginning with 28th April 2025 and ending with 24th November 2026.

Commencement of Part 3

2

In so far as not already in force, Part 3 (powers for dealing with domestic abuse), except section 55 (repeal of provisions about domestic violence protection notices and orders), comes into force on 28th April 2025 for the specified period in relation to the specified areas.

Savings

3

• (1) Where immediately before the end of the specified period—

• (a) a DAPN is in effect,

• (b) an application for leave to apply for a DAPO has been made and is yet to be determined,

• (c) an application for leave to apply for a DAPO has been granted, but an application for a DAPO is yet to be made,

• (d) an application for a DAPO has been made and is yet to be determined,

• (e) proceedings, as specified in section 31, have been issued and are yet to be concluded,

• (f) a DAPO is in effect,

• (g) an application for permission to appeal a decision of a court, on an application for a DAPO or in relation to a DAPO, has been made and is yet to be finally determined,

• (h) an appeal has been made against a decision of a court, on an application for a DAPO or in relation to a DAPO, and is yet to be finally determined,

• (i) following an appeal on an application for a DAPO or in relation to a DAPO, the matter has been referred back to the court with a direction to reconsider and make a new decision, and those proceedings are yet to be determined, or

• (j) an application for a DAPO, or for leave to apply for a DAPO, has been refused, the refusal is not yet subject to appeal, but the time period for taking one of the steps in sub-paragraph (g) or (h) has not yet elapsed,

Part 3, except section 55, continues to have effect in the relevant areas for such of the purposes set out in paragraph (2) as may be relevant.

• (2) The purposes referred to in paragraph (1) are—

• (a) the enforcement of a DAPN,

• (b) an application for leave to apply for a DAPO,

• (c) an application for a DAPO,

• (d) the making of a DAPO,

• (e) the enforcement of a DAPO,

• (f) the variation of a DAPO,

• (g) the discharge of a DAPO,

• (h) an application for permission to appeal a decision of a court, on an application for a DAPO or in relation to a DAPO, and

• (i) an appeal against a decision of a court, on an application for a DAPO or in relation to a DAPO.

• (3) The provisions of the Act specified in regulation 3(2) of the No. 6 Regulations continue to have effect in England and Wales after the specified period in respect of a DAPN or DAPO given or made, or any other decision of a court made on an application for or in relation to a DAPO, under Part 3—

• (a) during the period beginning with 27th November 2024 and ending with 24th November 2026, or

• (b) as it continues to have effect in accordance with the savings provided for in paragraphs (1) and (2).

• (4) In this regulation—

• “DAPN” means a domestic abuse protection notice within the meaning of section 22;

• “DAPO” means a domestic abuse protection order within the meaning of section 27;

• “relevant areas” means—the specified areas;the areas specified in regulation 3(1) of the No. 6 Regulations;the areas specified in regulation 3 of the No. 8 Regulations.

• (5) In paragraphs (1)(g) and (h), an application for permission to appeal or an appeal is finally determined if it is decided and all routes of further appeal have been exhausted.

Omission of savings provision in the No. 6 Regulations and the No. 8 Regulations

4

• (1) In the No. 6 Regulations, omit regulation 4 (savings).

• (2) In the No. 8 Regulations, omit regulation 4 (savings).

Signed

Alex Davies-Jones — Parliamentary Under Secretary of State — Ministry of Justice — 23rd April 2025

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Explanatory Note

These Regulations are the ninth commencement regulations made under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (c. 17) (“the Act”) that extend only to England and Wales. They bring into force Part 3 of the Act (which establishes a new domestic abuse protection notice and domestic abuse protection order), in so far as not already in force, on a piloted basis on 28th April 2025. Regulation 2 brings into force Part 3 of the Act, except section 55 (which repeals domestic violence protection notices and domestic violence protection orders), in the counties of the Isle of Anglesey, Gwynedd, Denbighshire and Flintshire and the county boroughs of Conwy and Wrexham (“the specified areas”) for the period beginning with 28th April 2025 and ending with 26th November 2025.

Regulation 3(1) provides for the provisions of Part 3 to continue to have effect after 26th November 2025 in the specified areas in the cases referred to in accordance with paragraph (2) of that regulation. Regulation 3(1) and (3) also makes provision relating to the commencement made by the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (Commencement No. 6 and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/1191 (C. 76)) and the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (Commencement No. 8 and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/319 (C. 10)) by correcting defects in the savings provisions made in those instruments. Regulation 4 accordingly omits the savings provisions in those instruments.

An impact assessment has not been published for these Regulations as no significant impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen arising from the provisions these Regulations bring into force. An impact assessment has been published in relation to the Act which does consider the impact of DAPOs and copies can be obtained from the Ministry of Justice, 102 Petty France, London SW1H 9AJ, or from this website: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1007463/DA_Act_2021_Impact_Assessment.pdf.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 2021 c. 17.

[^f00002]: S.I. 2024/1191 (C. 76).

[^f00003]: S.I. 2025/319 (C. 10).

Editorial notes

[^key-5442ef1ebbe610cf9d516f43f5f5b9df]: Reg. 1 in force at made date

[^key-8339c41e388c1ed2dd2844d9d8e617ac]: Reg. 2 in force at made date

[^key-bb4ad207774adc00a932ee574d9ac18e]: Reg. 3 in force at made date

[^key-473d831caa7c2df2c0a459298bb58d7c]: Reg. 4 in force at made date

[^key-6dade86f8f0479612b047e33449eb356]: Reg. 3(1) substituted (21.11.2025) by The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (Commencement No. 6, 8 and 9 and Saving Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/1222), regs. 1(2), 4(3)

[^key-4d28b0bf404281d11d88528eea3ad581]: Reg. 3(2) substituted (21.11.2025) by The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (Commencement No. 6, 8 and 9 and Saving Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/1222), regs. 1(2), 4(4)

[^key-6d4d1fd15686ee678037ff3f42d947db]: Words in reg. 3(3) substituted (21.11.2025) by The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (Commencement No. 6, 8 and 9 and Saving Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/1222), regs. 1(2), 4(5)(a)

[^key-368e649ad981b21167736df6c7d90170]: Reg. 3(5) inserted (21.11.2025) by The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (Commencement No. 6, 8 and 9 and Saving Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/1222), regs. 1(2), 4(6)

[^key-f309f97b888f8d9791a6dd556c3e1fd5]: Words in reg. 1(3)(f) substituted (25.3.2026) by The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (Commencement No. 6, 8 and 9 and Saving Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/342), regs. 1(2), 4(2)

[^key-58ffd0724856378b4bbb08ad6bfefe99]: Words in reg. 3(3)(a) substituted (25.3.2026) by The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (Commencement No. 6, 8 and 9 and Saving Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/342), regs. 1(2), 4(3)