Colorado CHP Guide

Colorado Concealed Carry Permit Basics

Issuing Authority

Concealed Handgun Permits (CHP) are issued by the Sheriff of the county in which the applicant resides. [C.R.S. 18-12-203]

Permit Type

Colorado issues a statewide concealed handgun permit. The law enabling statewide permits took effect May 18, 2003.

Age Requirement

Applicants must be 21 years of age at the time of application.

Residency Requirement

• Applicants must be a resident of the State of Colorado to apply for a CHP.
• Applications must be submitted in the county of residence.
• If an applicant has a permit from another county and moves, they must renew in their new county of residence.
• Active-duty military stationed in Colorado on duty orders may apply without a Colorado Driver's License by providing current state ID, duty orders, and proof of address (utility bill, lease, etc.).
• Applicants who maintain a secondary residence or own/lease real property used in a business in another county may be eligible to apply there.

Required Documents for New Permit Application

• Completed new permit application form
• Colorado Driver's License (digital copies not accepted; address must be current)
• Proof of firearms training/competence (see Training Requirements below)
• Addresses for the past 10 years

Training Requirements (Effective July 1, 2025 - per HB24-1174)

New Permit Applicants

Applicants must demonstrate competence with a handgun through one of the following:

1. Completion of an initial concealed handgun training class within 1 year before submitting the application. The class must:

   • Be taught in person by a verified instructor (verified by a county sheriff) or be a law enforcement training firearms safety course
   • Include at least 8 hours of instruction, including live-fire exercise and written exam
   • Cover the following topics:
     • Knowledge and safe handling of firearms and ammunition
     • Safe storage of firearms and child safety
     • Safe shooting fundamentals
     • Federal and state laws pertaining to lawful purchase, ownership, transportation, use, and possession of firearms
     • State law pertaining to the use of deadly force for self-defense
     • Best practices for safely interacting with law enforcement responding to an emergency
     • Techniques for avoiding a criminal attack and managing a violent confrontation, including conflict resolution and judgmental use of lethal force
   • Require a passing score on both a written concealed handgun competency exam and a live-fire exercise
   • Online classes are not acceptable

2. Honorable discharge from a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces within 3 years preceding the application

3. Honorable discharge from a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces with pistol qualifications obtained within 10 years preceding the application

4. Current certification as a peace officer (pursuant to Article 2.5 of Title 16)

5. Evidence of being a verified instructor at the time of application

6. Evidence of experience with a firearm through participation in organized shooting competitions or current military service

7. Certificate showing retirement from a Colorado Law Enforcement Agency with pistol qualifications within 10 years preceding the application

Renewal Applicants (Effective July 1, 2025)

Beginning July 1, 2025, renewal applicants must also demonstrate competence with a handgun through one of the following:

1. Completion of a concealed handgun refresher class within 6 months before submitting the renewal application. The refresher class must:

   • Be held in person
   • Be taught by a verified instructor
   • Include instruction on changes to laws related to firearms
   • Require a passing score on a live-fire exercise and written exam
   • Provide at least 2 hours of instruction (including live-fire and written exam)
   • Alternatively, an 8-hour initial training class completed within 6 months is also acceptable for renewal

2. Participation in organized shooting competitions

3. Current military service

4. Current certification as a peace officer

5. Being a verified instructor for firearms safety courses

6. Honorable discharge from a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces with pistol qualifications within 10 years prior to submitting the renewal

7. Retirement from a Colorado law enforcement agency with pistol qualifications within 10 years prior to submitting the renewal

Verified Instructor Requirements (per HB24-1174)

County sheriffs must verify training instructors whose principal place of business for firearms training is in the sheriff's county. To be verified, a person must:

• Hold a valid concealed carry permit
• Be certified as a firearms instructor by a law enforcement agency, college or university, nationally recognized organization that customarily offers firearms training, or firearms training school
• Denial, suspension, or revocation of instructor verification is subject to judicial review
• It is a deceptive trade practice to claim to be a verified instructor without sheriff verification

Disqualifying Factors

• Persons with state or federal prohibitions on firearm possession are ineligible
• Per HB24-1174, a person is prohibited from being issued a permit if convicted of certain misdemeanor offenses within 5 years before submitting the application
• Must not have any state or federal prohibitions to own a firearm [C.R.S. referenced via CBI state and federal firearm prohibitors]

Fees (Example: Arapahoe County)

Note: Fees may vary by county. Consult your local Sheriff's Department for specific fee schedules. The Colorado Department of Public Safety directs applicants to the CBI website for current CHP fees.

Processing Time

By law, the sheriff has 90 days from receipt of the application to perform a background check and either approve or deny the request for a concealed handgun permit.

Permit Duration & Renewal

• Renewal applications may be submitted no more than 120 days prior to the expiration date
• No permit shall be renewed 6 months or more after its expiration date; the permit is deemed permanently expired after that point
• Renewals after July 1, 2025 are subject to the new training requirements per HB24-1174 with no grace period

Carry Requirements

• The permit and a valid photo identification must be carried with the handgun at all times [C.R.S. 18-12-203]
• A permit is not required when a handgun is carried in a private automobile or other private transportation - the handgun is not considered concealed in this context [C.R.S. 18-12-105(2)]

Additional Key Provisions

• Colorado does not require firearm registration [C.R.S. 29-11.7-102]
• Colorado allows a person to carry a firearm in a vehicle for lawful protection of person or property [C.R.S. 18-12-105(2)]
• A person may possess a handgun in a dwelling, place of business, or automobile; however, when carried into a home, business, hotel room, etc., it must be in plain view [C.R.S. 18-12-105.6]
• Local jurisdictions may not enact laws that restrict a person's ability to travel with a weapon [C.R.S. 18-12-105.6]
• Open carry is regulated by local county and municipal authorities
• Large-capacity magazine sale, transfer, and possession is prohibited [HB 13-1224]; unlawful sale, transfer, or possession is a class 1 misdemeanor (as amended by SB25-003)

Recent Legislative Changes

HB24-1174 - Concealed Carry Permits & Training

• Signed by Governor: June 4, 2024
• Portions effective: August 7, 2024
• Portions effective: July 1, 2025
• Establishes new minimum standards for concealed handgun training classes
• Reduces training certificate validity from 10 years to 1 year for new applications
• Requires renewal applicants to demonstrate competence (previously not required)
• Establishes the verified instructor system through county sheriffs
• Adds disqualification for certain misdemeanor convictions within 5 years

SB25-003 - Semiautomatic Firearms & Rapid-Fire Devices

• Signed by Governor: April 10, 2025
• Effective: April 10, 2025 (with prohibition on specified semiautomatic firearms effective August 1, 2026)
• Prohibits manufacture, distribution, transfer, sale, and purchase of specified semiautomatic firearms (with exceptions including completion of required firearms safety courses)
• Classifies rapid-fire devices as dangerous weapons
• Makes unlawful sale/transfer/possession of large-capacity magazines a class 1 misdemeanor

Constitutional Carry in Colorado

Current Status: Colorado Does NOT Have Constitutional Carry

Colorado does not have constitutional carry (also known as permitless carry). A concealed carry permit is required to legally carry a concealed handgun in the state. Under C.R.S. § 18-12-105, carrying a concealed firearm on or about one's person without a valid permit is a Class 1 misdemeanor (reclassified from Class 2 by SB 24-131, eff. July 1, 2024).

Statutory Framework

Under C.R.S. § 18-12-105(1)(b), a person commits a Class 1 misdemeanor (reclassified from Class 2 by SB 24-131, eff. July 1, 2024) if they knowingly and unlawfully carry a firearm concealed on or about their person.

Exceptions to the concealed carry prohibition (where it is not an offense) include:

• C.R.S. § 18-12-105(2)(a): A person in their own dwelling, place of business, or on property owned or under their control
• C.R.S. § 18-12-105(2)(b): A person in a private automobile or other private means of conveyance carrying a weapon for lawful protection of their person or property while traveling
• C.R.S. § 18-12-105(2)(c): A person who holds a valid permit to carry a concealed handgun or a temporary emergency permit issued pursuant to Part 2 of Article 12
• C.R.S. § 18-12-105(2)(d): Peace officers carrying in conformance with employing agency policy
• C.R.S. § 18-12-105(2)(f): United States probation officers or pretrial services officers while on duty in Colorado

Failed Legislative Attempts to Enact Constitutional Carry

Multiple attempts have been made in the Colorado General Assembly to pass constitutional carry legislation. All have failed:

SB18-097 - Concealed Handgun Carry With No Permit (2018 Regular Session)

• Prime Sponsors: Senator Tim Neville, Representative Kevin Van Winkle
• Summary: Would have allowed a person who legally possesses a handgun under state and federal law to carry a concealed handgun in Colorado without a permit. Carriers would have had the same rights and limitations as permit holders, including the prohibition on carrying on public school grounds.
• Status: Lost. Passed the Senate Third Reading (18-17) on March 8, 2018, but was postponed indefinitely by the House Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs on March 21, 2018 (vote 6-3).

HB22-1033 - Constitutional Carry Of A Handgun (2022 Regular Session)

• Prime Sponsor: Representative Ron Hanks
• Summary: Would have granted persons at least 21 years old who are permitted to possess a handgun the same authority to carry concealed as permit holders. Would have also converted existing permits to lifetime permits, repealed permit renewal provisions, repealed temporary emergency permits, and repealed local government authority to regulate open or concealed carry.
• Status: Lost. Postponed indefinitely by the House Committee on Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services on February 8, 2022 (vote 8-5).

HB25-1164 - Constitutional Carry of Handgun (2025 Regular Session)

• Prime Sponsor: Representative Ron Weinberg
• Summary: Would have granted persons at least 18 years of age who are permitted to possess a handgun the same authority to carry concealed as permit holders. Would have lowered the minimum age for permits and out-of-state permit recognition to 18, converted existing permits to lifetime permits, repealed renewal provisions and temporary emergency permits, and repealed local government authority to regulate open or concealed carry.
• Status: Lost. Postponed indefinitely by the House Committee on State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs on February 24, 2025 (vote 8-3).

Key Takeaways

• A concealed handgun permit (CHP) is required to carry a concealed handgun in Colorado, except in the specific circumstances outlined in C.R.S. § 18-12-105(2).
• Carrying in a private vehicle for lawful protection is permitted without a permit under C.R.S. § 18-12-105(2)(b).
• Carrying on one's own property, dwelling, or place of business is permitted without a permit under C.R.S. § 18-12-105(2)(a).
• Constitutional carry legislation has been introduced multiple times (2018, 2022, 2025) but has been defeated each time, typically in committee.
• As of 2025, Colorado remains a permit-required state for concealed carry of handguns in public.

Colorado Concealed Carry Laws

Overview

Colorado is a shall-issue state for concealed handgun permits (CHPs). A permit is required to carry a concealed handgun on one's person in public. The concealed carry permit system is governed primarily by C.R.S. Title 18, Article 12, Part 2 (sections 18-12-201 through 18-12-214).

Permit Requirement

Carrying a concealed firearm without a valid permit is a criminal offense under C.R.S. 18-12-105. As amended by recent legislation, unlawfully carrying a concealed weapon is a class 1 misdemeanor.

When a Permit Is NOT Required

Under C.R.S. 18-12-105(2), it is not an offense to carry a concealed weapon if the person is:

• In his or her own dwelling or place of business, or on property owned or under his or her control
• In a private automobile or other private means of conveyance carrying a weapon for lawful protection of such person's or another's person or property while traveling [C.R.S. 18-12-105(2)(b)]
• A peace officer as described in C.R.S. 16-2.5-101, carrying in conformance with employing agency policy
• A United States probation officer or pretrial services officer while on duty in Colorado
• A holder of a valid concealed handgun permit or temporary emergency permit issued pursuant to Part 2 of Article 12

Key Note: A permit is not required and a handgun is not considered concealed when a person is in a private automobile or other private transportation. [C.R.S. 18-12-105(2)]

Issuing Authority

Concealed handgun permits are issued by the Sheriff of the county in which the applicant:

• Resides, OR
• Maintains a secondary residence, OR
• Owns or leases real property used by the applicant in a business, OR
• Previously received a permit from that Sheriff

[C.R.S. 18-12-203]

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must meet the requirements specified in C.R.S. 18-12-203(1). The application form requires disclosure of the following disqualifying factors:

1. Treatment for alcoholism within the past ten years or involuntary commitment as an alcoholic
2. Two or more alcohol-related convictions within the past ten years
3. Conviction of perjury under C.R.S. 18-8-503
4. Currently subject to a criminal or civil restraining order
5. Under indictment or information for a felony or any crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment
6. Conviction of a felony, attempt or conspiracy to commit a felony, or any crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment
7. Being a fugitive from justice
8. Unlawful use of or addiction to marijuana or any controlled substance
9. Adjudication as mentally defective or commitment to a mental institution
10. Conviction of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence (as defined in federal regulations)
11. Adjudication as a juvenile for a crime that would constitute a felony if committed by an adult
12. Dishonorable discharge from the Armed Forces
13. Renunciation of United States citizenship
14. Alien or non-citizen status (supplemental form required)

Residency Requirement

• Applicants must be Colorado residents with a Colorado driver's license or identification card to establish residency
• A home in Colorado with an out-of-state driver's license does not qualify
• Business owners may apply in the county where they own a business (with proof of ownership)
• Non-residents of Colorado generally cannot obtain a Colorado CHP (Pennsylvania's reciprocity document confirms Colorado does not allow non-resident applications)

Application Process

1. Complete the application - must be printed in ink or typed and completed in full
2. Submit in person to the Sheriff's office - the applicant must sign the completed application under sworn oath that the information is true and correct
3. Provide required documents:
   • Completed application form
   • Proof of residency (Colorado Driver's License, Colorado ID Card, or Military ID Card with Duty Orders)
   • Documentary evidence of handgun competence per C.R.S. 18-12-203(1)(h)
   • Two completed fingerprint cards (fingerprints typically taken at time of application)
   • Color photograph (typically taken by the Sheriff's office)
   • Processing fee

Training Requirements

HB 24-1174 (Effective July 1, 2025)

House Bill 24-1174 established new standardized training requirements for concealed handgun permits. Key provisions:

• Establishes standards for concealed handgun training classes
• Requires an 8-hour Concealed Handgun Safety class
• Creates a Verified Instructor program - each county Sheriff's office maintains a list of verified instructors authorized to teach CHP courses
• Applies to all new and renewal applicants - there is no grace period or exception
• Original training certificate or documentation must be submitted with the application

Training must demonstrate competence with a handgun as specified in C.R.S. 18-12-203(1)(h).

Fees

Fees vary by county. Example from Morgan County:

• New applications: $152.50
• Renewals: $38.00
• Payment methods accepted vary by county (cash, cashier's check, check, money order, credit card with service fee)
• Fees cover forms, ID cards, local criminal history checks, state and national criminal history checks (fingerprints), NICS check, and other administrative costs

The Colorado Department of Public Safety directs applicants to the CBI website for current statewide CHP fee schedules.

Permit Duration and Renewal

• Permits are renewable through the issuing Sheriff's office
• Renewal applicants must comply with the new training requirements under HB 24-1174 (effective July 1, 2025)
• Renewal applications require a reduced fee compared to new applications

Carrying Restrictions - Where Concealed Carry Is Prohibited

Under C.R.S. 18-12-214, a concealed handgun permit does not authorize carrying in the following locations:

Prohibited Locations

1. Public elementary, middle, junior high, or high schools - on the real property or in any improvements thereon [C.R.S. 18-12-214(3)]
2. Licensed child care centers - as defined in C.R.S. 26.5-5-303(3) (does not include family child care homes)
3. Public or private colleges, universities, or seminaries - if prohibited by the governing board, or in violation of C.R.S. 18-12-105.5
4. Parking areas of licensed child care centers or public/private colleges, universities, or seminaries
5. Government buildings - in violation of C.R.S. 18-12-105.3
6. Polling locations, drop boxes, or central count facilities - in violation of C.R.S. 1-13-724
7. General Assembly buildings - carrying firearms without legal authority in buildings housing chambers, galleries, or offices of the general assembly [C.R.S. 18-12-105(1)(c)]
8. Places prohibited by federal law

Exceptions to Prohibited Locations

• Security personnel employed or retained by a licensed child care center or college/university/seminary may carry while engaged in official duties
• If a licensed child care center shares real estate with another building open to the public, carrying is permitted on areas not designated as the child care center
• Educational programs approved by a school (including weapon repair/maintenance courses)

Polling Location Restrictions (C.R.S. 1-13-724)

• It is unlawful to openly carry a firearm within any polling location, within 100 feet of a drop box, or within 100 feet of any building containing a polling location on election day or during voting periods
• Same restrictions apply to central count facilities during active election administration
• Signs must be posted notifying persons of the 100-foot no open carry zone

Carrying in Vehicles

Colorado law allows a person to carry a firearm in a vehicle if its use is for lawful protection of such person's or another's person or property. [C.R.S. 18-12-105(2)]

• A handgun is not considered concealed when carried in a private automobile or other private transportation
• Local jurisdictions may not enact laws that restrict a person's ability to travel with a weapon [C.R.S. 18-12-105.6]
• When carrying a weapon into a home, business, or hotel room, it must be in plain view

Open Carry

Open carry of firearms is regulated by local county and municipal authorities. There is no statewide preemption for open carry. Individuals should check local municipal codes for specific restrictions.

Permit Carry Requirements

When carrying concealed with a permit:

• The permit and valid photo identification must be carried with the handgun at all times [C.R.S. 18-12-203; Colorado State Patrol guidance]

Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA)

The federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act permits nationwide carrying of concealed handguns by qualified current and retired law enforcement officers, exempting them from state and local concealed carry prohibitions. Colorado has specific application processes for retired/separated law enforcement officers.

Perjury and False Statements

An applicant who knowingly and intentionally makes a false or misleading statement on a permit application or deliberately omits material information commits perjury under C.R.S. 18-8-503. Upon conviction:

• Punishment as provided in C.R.S. 18-1.3-501
• Denial of the right to obtain or possess a permit
• Revocation of any previously issued permit

Magazine Restrictions

House Bill 13-1224 prohibits the sale, transfer, and possession of "large-capacity ammunition magazines" in Colorado. This applies to concealed carry permit holders as well.

Firearms in National Forests and National Parks

• National Forests: Firearms may be carried while visiting National Forests in Colorado, subject to state laws and federal regulations (36 CFR 261.10(d)) restricting discharge within 150 yards of residences, campsites, developed recreation sites, across roads, or into caves
• National Parks: Per 16 USC 1a-7b, a person may possess a firearm in a national park if possession complies with Colorado state law. Firearms are prohibited in federal facilities (visitor centers, administrative offices) per 18 USC 930

Reciprocity

Colorado has reciprocity agreements with certain states. Ohio's Attorney General office lists a Colorado Concealed Carry Reciprocity Agreement. Pennsylvania's reciprocity summary indicates that Colorado does not allow Pennsylvania residents to apply for a Colorado CHP (residents-only state). Permit holders should verify current reciprocity status with specific states before traveling.

Recent and Notable Legislation

HB 24-1174 (Effective July 1, 2025)

• Establishes new standardized training requirements for concealed handgun permits
• Creates verified instructor programs at the county level
• Applies to all new and renewal applicants with no grace period

2024 Legislation (Effective July 1, 2024)

• Reclassified unlawful concealed carry from a class 2 misdemeanor to a class 1 misdemeanor
• Expanded prohibited locations to include licensed child care centers, private colleges/universities/seminaries
• Added government building restrictions (C.R.S. 18-12-105.3)
• Added polling location/drop box/central count facility restrictions
• Added parking area restrictions at child care centers and colleges/universities

SB 18-097 (2018 Session - Did Not Pass)

• Proposed allowing concealed carry without a permit (constitutional carry)
• Would have preserved restrictions on carrying at public schools
• This bill was introduced but did not become law

HCR 23-1003 (2023 Session - Resolution)

• Proposed constitutional amendment for constitutional concealed carry
• Would have amended Section 13 of Article II of the Colorado Constitution
• This resolution was introduced but did not advance

Key Statutes Reference

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Federal context

N.Y. State Rifle & Pistol Ass'n v. Bruen (2022). Bruen, 597 U.S. 1 (2022), eliminated "proper cause" / "good cause" discretionary CCW frameworks and required states to apply objective issuance criteria. The decision converted formerly may-issue states to shall-issue. States that were already shall-issue or permitless before Bruen experience the case primarily through its broader historical-tradition test for evaluating subsequent Second Amendment claims.

Open Carry Laws in Colorado

General Legal Status

Colorado is generally an open carry state at the state level. There is no state statute that broadly prohibits the open carrying of firearms. To lawfully possess a firearm in Colorado, a person must be at least 18 years old and must not have any state or federal prohibitions [C.R.S. 18-12-108.5; see also Colorado Department of Public Safety firearms FAQ].

However, open carry is significantly regulated by local authorities and restricted in certain sensitive locations by state law.

Local Regulation of Open Carry

According to the Colorado Department of Public Safety:

"The actual open carrying of firearms is regulated by local county and municipal authorities. Confirmation of open carry municipal code restrictions would have to be done with those local authorities."

This means that individual cities and counties may enact their own restrictions or prohibitions on open carry. Most city municipal codes are posted online for public review. Persons wishing to open carry should verify the specific rules of the municipality or county they are in.

Notable local restrictions include:

• City and County of Denver - Has historically prohibited the open carry of firearms within city limits.
• City of Brighton - Municipal Code Sec. 9-32-10 makes it "unlawful for any person to open or openly carry any firearm in or upon any public building or specific area within the City." "Public building" is defined as any structure, facility, site, or enclosed area owned, operated, or leased by the City. "Specific area" includes all recreational facilities, sports complexes, swimming pools, tennis courts, skate parks, basketball courts, pedestrian and bicycle paths, public trails, picnic facilities, lawns, gardens, parks, and open space owned, operated, or leased by the City. Brighton also defines a "concealed handgun" as one "carried in such a manner so as to be completely concealed from the view of another," meaning any handgun visible "in whole or in part and for any length of time" is deemed openly carried.

Local governments that prohibit open carry of firearms in a building or specific area must post signs at public entrances informing persons that open carry is prohibited [C.R.S. 29-11.7-104(1)].

State Preemption Limitations

Colorado's preemption framework for firearms regulation is nuanced:

• C.R.S. 29-11.7-102 - Prohibits gun registration by the state or any political subdivision.
• C.R.S. 29-11.7-103 - Restricts local regulation of the type of firearm a person may possess.
• C.R.S. 29-11.7-104 - Allows local governments to enact ordinances prohibiting open carry of firearms in buildings or specific areas within their jurisdiction, provided signs are posted at public entrances.
• C.R.S. 18-12-105.6 - Provides that local jurisdictions may not enact laws that restrict a person's ability to travel with a weapon. This preemption applies specifically to traveling with firearms and does not prevent local governments from regulating the open carrying of firearms in their jurisdictions.

Local-government authority over open carry is set by C.R.S. 29-11.7-104 and the preemption provisions above. Because the sensitive-space rules were amended by SB 24-131 (2024) and the polling-place statute (C.R.S. 1-13-724) was further amended in 2026 by HB 1113, verify the current text of any local ordinance and the state statute before relying on a specific restriction.

Sensitive Spaces - Prohibited Locations (SB24-131)

Effective July 1, 2024, SB24-131 ("Prohibiting Carrying Firearms in Sensitive Spaces," Session Laws Ch. 301) significantly expanded the locations where carrying firearms is prohibited. For government buildings and educational facilities, the act prohibits carrying firearms both openly and concealed, and violations are a class 1 misdemeanor. The act also amended the existing polling location restrictions under C.R.S. 1-13-724, though those restrictions remain limited to open carry (see below).

Government Buildings (including adjacent parking areas):

• State legislative buildings, including buildings where offices of elected members are located
• Local government governing body buildings, including buildings where offices of elected members or the chief executive officer are located
• Courthouses or other buildings used for court proceedings

Exceptions for government buildings include:

• Law enforcement officers
• Members of the U.S. armed forces or Colorado National Guard
• Security personnel as described in C.R.S. 24-33.5-216.7(5)
• Persons carrying as part of lawful and common practices of a legal proceeding
• Concealed carry permit holders carrying a concealed handgun in an adjacent parking area only
• A local government may enact a law permitting carrying at its own local government building

Educational Facilities:

• Licensed child care centers (other than family child care homes, as defined in C.R.S. 26.5-5-303(7)) operating with stated educational purposes, licensed by the Department of Early Childhood or exempt from licensing under C.R.S. 26.5-5-304(1)(b)
• Public or private elementary, middle, junior high, high, or vocational schools
• Public or private colleges, universities, or seminaries

Note: Separate from SB24-131, C.R.S. 18-12-105.5 also addresses unlawful carrying and possession of weapons on school, college, or university grounds.

Exceptions for educational facilities include:

• Existing exceptions in law for carrying on public K-12 school property [per C.R.S. 18-12-214(3)]
• Concealed carry permit holders carrying in the parking area of a licensed child care center or higher education institution
• Security personnel employed or retained by a licensed child care center or higher education institution, while engaged in official duties
• Licensed child care centers co-located with other buildings open to the public - carrying is permitted on areas of real estate or improvements not designated as the child care center
• Persons possessing a weapon for use in an educational program approved by a school (including courses designed for repair or maintenance of weapons)

Polling Locations and Election Facilities:

• Any polling location or central count facility
• Within 100 feet of a ballot drop box or any building containing a polling location or central count facility while an election or related election administration activity is in progress
• The designated election official must visibly place signs notifying persons of the 100-foot no open carry zone

Important: The prohibition at polling locations and election facilities under C.R.S. 1-13-724 (originally enacted by HB22-1086, the "Vote Without Fear Act") applies specifically to openly carrying a firearm. Unlike the government buildings and educational facilities provisions above, this section was not expanded to cover concealed carry. SB24-131's amendments to C.R.S. 1-13-724 added security personnel described in C.R.S. 24-33.5-216.7(5) to the list of exceptions and updated legislative declaration language, but retained the "openly carry" scope of the prohibition in subsections (3)(a) and (3)(b).

Penalties for violations at polling locations (per HB22-1086 as amended):

• First offense: Fine not exceeding $250, imprisonment not exceeding 120 days, or both
• Subsequent offenses: Fine not exceeding $1,000, imprisonment not exceeding 364 days, or both

Exceptions at polling locations include:

• A person who owns private property within the 100-foot buffer zone, while on their property or traveling directly between their property and a place outside the buffer zone
• Uniformed security guards employed by a contract security agency (as defined in C.R.S. 24-33.5-415.4) acting within the scope of their contractual duties
• Security personnel described in C.R.S. 24-33.5-216.7(5) while engaged in official duties

Federal Constitutional Context (NYSRPA v. Bruen, 2022)

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen, 597 U.S. ___ (2022), affirmed that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to carry firearms in public for self-defense. The Court held that firearms regulations must be consistent with the historical tradition of firearm regulation in America.

Significantly, the Court noted a historical consensus that States could not altogether prohibit the public carry of arms. The Court observed that antebellum courts consistently held that concealed-carry prohibitions were constitutional only if they did not similarly prohibit open carry. As the Court stated: "[T]hese antebellum state-court decisions evince a consensus view that States could not altogether prohibit the public carry of 'arms' protected by the Second Amendment." This historical analysis supports the view that open carry enjoys strong constitutional protection, even as concealed carry may be regulated.

Carrying Firearms in Vehicles

Colorado law allows a person to carry a firearm in a vehicle if its use is for lawful protection of such person or another's person or property [C.R.S. 18-12-105(2)]. A handgun is not considered concealed when a person is in a private automobile or other private transportation [C.R.S. 18-12-105(2)].

Under Title 33 (wildlife laws), it is unlawful to possess any firearm other than a pistol or revolver in or on a motor vehicle unless the chamber is unloaded [C.R.S. 33-6-125].

Carrying in National Forests

Open carry is permitted in Colorado National Forests, subject to both state laws and federal regulations. A firearm may not be discharged in the following areas:

• Within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site, or occupied area
• Across or on a Forest Development road or adjacent body of water, or in any manner whereby any person or property is exposed to injury or damage
• Into or within any cave [36 CFR 261.10(d)]

Some forests or districts have additional restrictions on discharging a firearm. Check with local forest authorities before visiting.

Carrying in National Parks

Per 16 USC 1a-7b, a person may possess a firearm in any national park if such possession complies with the laws of the state in which the park is located. Colorado's state laws therefore apply in Colorado national parks.

However, firearms are prohibited in federal facilities - defined as buildings or parts thereof owned or leased by the Federal Government where federal employees are regularly present for official duties. In national parks, such facilities may include visitor centers, administrative offices, and maintenance buildings, and will be clearly marked with signs at all public entrances [18 USC 930].

No State Registration Requirement

Colorado prohibits gun registration [C.R.S. 29-11.7-102].

Related Firearms Regulations Affecting Open Carry

Several additional Colorado statutes may affect persons who open carry:

• C.R.S. 18-12-106 - Prohibited use of weapons: Establishes offenses related to the use of firearms, including reckless or illegal discharge.
• C.R.S. 18-12-108 - Possession by previous offenders: Prohibits firearm possession by convicted felons and certain other prohibited persons.
• C.R.S. 18-12-108.5 - Possession by juveniles: Prohibits firearm possession by juveniles with specified exceptions.
• C.R.S. 18-12-113 - Failure to report lost or stolen firearm: Requires reporting of lost or stolen firearms.
• C.R.S. 18-12-114 - Secure firearm storage: Requires secure storage of firearms under specified circumstances.
• C.R.S. 18-12-115 - Waiting period for firearm sales: Establishes a waiting period for firearm purchases.
• HB 13-1224 - Large-capacity magazines: Prohibits the sale, transfer, and possession of large-capacity ammunition magazines.

Recent Legislation

SB25-003 ("Semiautomatic Firearms & Rapid-Fire Devices"), signed by the Governor on April 10, 2025, prohibits the manufacture, distribution, transfer, sale, and purchase of specified semiautomatic firearms on or after August 1, 2026, with certain exceptions including completion of required firearms safety courses. This law does not directly change open carry rules but affects the types of firearms that may be lawfully acquired going forward.

Key Statutes

Colorado Training Requirements: CHP and the New Firearms Safety Program

Colorado now has two separate firearms training systems, and completing one does not satisfy the other:

1. Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP) training - the 8-hour class required to get a concealed handgun permit (C.R.S. 18-12-202.5, as amended by HB24-1174, effective July 1, 2025).
2. Firearms Safety Program (FSP) training - the state-run course system required to purchase a specified semiautomatic firearm (SSF) on or after August 1, 2026 under SB25-003 (C.R.S. 18-12-116).

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) states this directly: all background checks and courses taken for a concealed carry permit are not reciprocal for the Firearms Safety Program. Your CHP class does not qualify you to buy an SSF, and an FSP course does not qualify you for a CHP.

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Part 1: Concealed Handgun Permit Training

Overview

Effective July 1, 2025, Colorado House Bill 24-1174 (HB24-1174) significantly changed the training requirements for concealed handgun permits (CHP). All training must now be conducted by a verified firearms instructor - an instructor verified by a Colorado county sheriff's office. Training certificates submitted for a CHP must be completed through a verified instructor.

Governing Statutes: C.R.S. 18-12-201 through 18-12-215; C.R.S. 18-12-202.5 (training class requirements); C.R.S. 18-12-202.7 (instructor verification)

What Counts as a Concealed Handgun Training Class

C.R.S. 18-12-202.5(1) defines the class itself. A concealed handgun training class is either:

1. A law enforcement training firearms safety course; or
2. A firearms safety course taught by a verified instructor and offered by a law enforcement agency, an institution of higher education, or a public or private institution, organization, or firearms training school, that is open to the general public.

The open-to-the-general-public element matters if you teach. A course offered only to a closed group, to one employer's staff, or to a private membership does not fit the second category on its face. If you run CHP classes as a business, keep enrollment open to the public.

New Applicant Training Requirements

Minimum 8-Hour Concealed Handgun Training Class

The class must be held in person with the instructor at the same location as the students. No part of the class may be conducted via the internet. The eight hours of instruction do not need to be consecutive.

Online courses and Hunter Education certificates are NOT accepted.

Required Curriculum Elements

The 8-hour training class must include the following elements:

1. Knowledge and safe handling of firearms and ammunition
2. Safe storage of firearms and child safety
3. Safe firearms shooting fundamentals
4. Federal and state laws pertaining to the lawful purchase, ownership, transportation, use, and possession of firearms, including instruction on:
   • Extreme Risk Protection Orders (Article 14.5 of Title 13)
   • Requirements for reporting lost or stolen firearms (C.R.S. 18-12-113)
   • Secure firearms storage requirements (C.R.S. 18-12-114)
   • Any other state law enacted within five years before the class pertaining to firearms
5. State law pertaining to the use of deadly force for self-defense
6. Best practices for safely interacting with law enforcement personnel responding to an emergency
7. Techniques for avoiding a criminal attack and managing a violent confrontation, including conflict resolution and judgmental use of lethal force

Testing Requirements (New Applicants)

• Live-Fire Shooting Exercise: Minimum 70% accuracy score as determined by the instructor, conducted on a range, requiring discharge of at least 50 rounds of ammunition. Does not need to be conducted in a single day.
• Written Concealed Handgun Competency Exam: Minimum passing score of 80%, testing knowledge of the curriculum subjects listed above. The exam must be administered as an open book exam.

Training Certificate Validity

• Original training certificate must be dated within one (1) year of the application appointment date.
• Must include the printed name and original signature of the class instructor.
• Photocopies or digital versions are not accepted - the original certificate is required.
• The certificate must clearly indicate whether the student completed a concealed handgun training class or a refresher class.
• County divergence on the one-year window: the statute sets one year for a new application, but handgunlaw.us reports that the El Paso County Sheriff applies a 6-month window instead. Check with the sheriff you plan to apply to before you schedule a class.

Renewal Applicant Training Requirements (Refresher Class)

Minimum 2-Hour Concealed Handgun Refresher Class

The refresher class must be held in person with the instructor at the same location as the students. No part of the class may be conducted via the internet.

Required Refresher Curriculum Elements

• Instruction on changes to federal and state laws related to firearms enacted within five years before the refresher class
• A live-fire shooting exercise conducted on a range, requiring discharge of at least 50 rounds of ammunition
• A written concealed handgun competency exam testing knowledge of the same subjects required for new applicants

Testing Requirements (Renewal Applicants)

• Live-Fire Shooting Exercise: Minimum 70% accuracy score as determined by the instructor
• Written Concealed Handgun Competency Exam: Minimum passing score of 80%, administered as an open book exam

Refresher Training Certificate Validity

• Original training certificate must be dated within six (6) months of the renewal application appointment/submittal date.
• Must include the printed name and original signature of the verified instructor.
• Photocopies or digital versions are not accepted.

Renewal Timing

• Renewal applications may be submitted up to 120 days before the permit expiration date (per C.R.S. 18-12-211(1)(a)).
• Expired permits have a 6-month grace period in which to renew.
• Applications renewed after July 1, 2025 are subject to the new training requirements regardless of when the original permit was issued - there is no grace period for the new training requirements.
• Applications beyond the 6-month grace period will not be accepted.

Alternative Qualifications (New and Renewal Applicants)

In lieu of the standard training class, the following may satisfy the training requirement:

For New Applicants:

1. Evidence of experience with a firearm through participation in organized shooting competitions, current military service, or current certification as a peace officer pursuant to Article 2.5 of Title 16
2. Proof of honorable discharge from a branch of the United States Armed Forces within three (3) years preceding submittal of the application
3. Proof of honorable discharge from a branch of the United States Armed Forces that reflects pistol qualifications obtained within ten (10) years preceding submittal of the application
4. Evidence that the applicant is a certified firearms instructor at the time of application
5. A certificate showing retirement from a Colorado law enforcement agency that reflects pistol qualifications obtained within ten (10) years preceding submittal of the application

For Renewal Applicants:

1. Evidence of experience with a firearm through participation in organized shooting competitions, current military service, or current certification as a peace officer pursuant to Article 2.5 of Title 16
2. Proof of honorable discharge from a branch of the United States Armed Forces that reflects pistol qualifications obtained within ten (10) years preceding submittal of the application
3. Evidence that the applicant is a certified firearms instructor at the time of application
4. A certificate showing retirement from a Colorado law enforcement agency that reflects pistol qualifications obtained within ten (10) years preceding submittal of the application

Verified Firearms Instructor Program

Per C.R.S. 18-12-202.7, each sheriff shall verify as a firearms instructor a person whose principal place to conduct firearms training is in the sheriff's county.

Statutory Eligibility (C.R.S. 18-12-202.7(2))

Two requirements come straight from the statute:

1. You must hold a valid Colorado permit to carry a concealed handgun issued under Part 2, and it must not be a temporary emergency permit issued under C.R.S. 18-12-209.
2. You must be certified as a firearms instructor by one of four entity categories, each of which must itself have instructors certified by a nationally recognized organization that customarily offers firearms training:
   • A federal, state, county, or municipal law enforcement agency
   • A college or university
   • A nationally recognized organization that customarily offers firearms training
   • A firearms training school

Revocation is mandatory when eligibility lapses. Under C.R.S. 18-12-202.7(4)(a) a sheriff shall revoke a verification if the verified instructor ceases to meet the requirements for verification. Suspension for teaching a class that fails the statutory requirements is the separate, discretionary track under (4)(b).

Instructor Verification Requirements:

• Valid Colorado Driver's License or ID
• Valid Colorado Concealed Handgun Permit
• Proof of certification as a firearms instructor (e.g., NRA instructor certificate or Colorado POST instructor certificate)
• Class training location must be within the verifying county
• Concealed handgun training class syllabus/lesson plan
• Completed Verified CHP Firearms Instructor Application

Verification Details:

• Verification is valid for 10 years and may be renewed at any time before expiration (C.R.S. 18-12-202.7(3)(a)), provided the instructor's proof of firearms training certification remains valid
• Verification is issued by the sheriff of the county where the instructor's principal place to conduct firearms training is located (C.R.S. 18-12-202.7(1)). An instructor whose principal training location is in a different county applies to that county's sheriff instead.
• The statute does not require a student to train with an instructor verified by the same sheriff the student applies to. C.R.S. 18-12-203(1)(h)(VI) requires an original training certificate carrying the printed name and original signature of a verified instructor, and states that the applicant has discretion in selecting which concealed handgun training class to complete.
• Verified instructors are listed publicly on the verifying sheriff's website, along with the expiration date of each verification (C.R.S. 18-12-202.7(3)(c))
• Instructors must notify the sheriff's office of certification renewals. Per sheriff guidance (Boulder County Sheriff's Office), there is no grace period for expired instructor certifications, and letting a certification lapse results in suspension of verified status and removal from the public list.
• Per sheriff guidance (Boulder County Sheriff's Office), if the instructor's principal place of business changes location, the instructor must notify the CHP unit within 30 days of the new business address
• A sheriff may suspend a verification if the instructor issues a training certificate for a class that failed to meet the statutory class requirements. A person suspended on that ground may apply for reinstatement no earlier than 30 days after the suspension (C.R.S. 18-12-202.7(4)(b)).

County Application Mechanics (For Example, Boulder County)

The statute leaves the paperwork and the fee to each sheriff. Boulder County publishes its process in full, and it is a useful model for what to expect elsewhere. Confirm the details with your own county before you rely on them.

1. Pay the verification fee. Boulder County charges $100 for a first-time verification and $50 for a renewal. Cash, check, and credit card are accepted; credit card payments run through a third-party vendor that adds a $0.75 base charge plus 2.25%.
2. Submit the forms. Boulder County uses a Verified CHP Firearms Instructor Application and an Instructor Certification of Compliance Form, sent by email with a copy of your Colorado driver's license or ID, your valid Colorado CHP, and proof of instructor certification.
3. Wait for processing. Boulder County says the process may take up to 30 days. An application missing any required document will not be processed.
4. Get listed. Once the fee, application, and documentation clear review, the sheriff issues a verified instructor certificate and adds your name and verification expiration date to the county's public list.

Two class-level rules from the same county guidance are worth building into your operation:

• ADA compliance. Classes must meet the requirements of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
• Certificate formatting. The certificate you hand a student must carry the instructor's printed or typed name and original signature, the student's printed name, and the date the student completed the class, and it must state clearly whether the class was a new training class or a refresher. Digital or electronic signatures, stamps, and cursive fonts are not acceptable.

Deceptive Trade Practice (C.R.S. 6-1-707)

It is a deceptive trade practice to claim to be a verified instructor for a firearms safety course that satisfies CHP training requirements unless the person is actually verified by a sheriff pursuant to C.R.S. 18-12-202.7.

Judicial Review of Instructor Verification Denial

Per C.R.S. 18-12-207(4)(a), if a sheriff denies a person's application for verification as a firearms instructor, or suspends or revokes a person's firearms instructor verification, the person may seek judicial review of the sheriff's decision. The sheriff must first notify the person in writing, stating the grounds and informing the person of the right to seek judicial review (C.R.S. 18-12-202.7(4)(c)).

Under C.R.S. 18-12-207(4)(b), the sheriff has the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that the person does not meet the requirements to be verified as a firearms instructor, or that the person satisfies the criteria for suspension or revocation of a verification. The procedure and timelines follow rule 106(a)(4) and (b) of the Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure (C.R.S. 18-12-207(2), (4)(a)).

General Applicant Eligibility Requirements

• Must be 21 years of age or older (C.R.S. 18-12-203(1)(b))
• Must be a legal resident of the state of Colorado (C.R.S. 18-12-203(1)(a)). A member of the armed forces stationed at a Colorado military installation under permanent duty station orders, and members of that person's immediate family living in Colorado, are deemed legal residents for this purpose.
• Must provide a valid Colorado Driver's License or Colorado ID
• Must submit proof of required firearms training
• Must successfully complete a background investigation (fingerprints sent to CBI and FBI, Criminal History Review through CBI's InstaCheck System)
• Must not be an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance as defined in C.R.S. 18-18-102(5), per C.R.S. 18-12-203(1)(f) - this includes medical or recreational marijuana users. Whether an applicant is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance is determined as provided in federal law and regulations.

Where you apply: the permit application is submitted in person to the sheriff of the county or city and county where you reside, or to the sheriff of the county or city and county where you maintain a secondary residence or own or lease real property used by you in a business (C.R.S. 18-12-205(2)(a)). Residency in the county is not itself an eligibility criterion; the statutory requirement is legal residency in Colorado.

CHP Fees (Vary by County)

Note: Fees vary by county. Some counties (e.g., Elbert County) offer free training classes for county residents.

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Part 2: Firearms Safety Program Training for Buying Semiautomatic Firearms (SB25-003)

Since August 1, 2026, you cannot buy a "specified semiautomatic firearm" in Colorado unless you have completed the state's Firearms Safety Program pathway (C.R.S. 18-12-116, enacted as SB25-003 and signed April 10, 2025). The statute is captioned as enforcement of the large-capacity magazine ban, and the definition tracks that purpose: a specified semiautomatic firearm (SSF) means a semiautomatic rifle or semiautomatic shotgun with a detachable magazine, or a gas-operated semiautomatic handgun with a detachable magazine, with certain firearm types and specific models excluded. Rimfire firearms, manually operated actions, firearms with a permanently fixed magazine that cannot accept more than fifteen rounds, recoil-operated semiautomatic handguns, a list of named models as configured on April 10, 2025, permanently inoperable firearms, and antiques and curios and relics all fall outside the definition.

Simply owning an SSF you already had does not require you to take training. What triggers the requirement is a transfer, sale, or purchase on or after August 1, 2026, and some of those transactions involve firearms you already own. See the pawn and consignment note below.

This training requirement is administered by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), not by CHP instructors as such, and it uses its own application system, its own eligibility card, and its own courses.

Who Is Covered

C.R.S. 18-12-116(2) makes it unlawful for any person to knowingly manufacture, distribute, transfer, sell, or purchase an SSF on or after August 1, 2026. This is not a dealer-only rule, and the section is not limited to retail sales.

• Private-party sales and gifts are covered. The exemption that makes an ordinary transfer lawful, C.R.S. 18-12-116(3)(e)(I), runs through the person receiving the firearm. If you give an AR-pattern rifle to your adult child, that is a transfer, and your child is the one who needs the firearms safety course eligibility card and the completed course. Your own training does not carry over to them.
• Out-of-state buyers and licensed dealers are carved out of subsection (2) itself. A person may sell or transfer an SSF to an individual residing in another state or to a federally licensed firearm dealer.
• Inheritance and operation of law are exempt. C.R.S. 18-12-116(3)(f) excludes a transfer that occurs by operation of law, or because of the death of a person for whom the prospective transferor is an executor or administrator of an estate or a trustee of a trust created in a will.

Pawn Redemptions and Consignment Returns

The Firearms Dealer Division addressed this directly in Bulletin 26-02, issued July 24, 2026. Transfers by dealers, including pawn brokers, are governed by C.R.S. 18-12-112.5, under which "transfer" carries the meaning set out in C.R.S. 24-33.5-424(1)(d). That definition expressly includes redemption of a pawned firearm by any person who is not a federally licensed dealer. The Division also treats the return of a consigned firearm to the consignor as a transfer, because the return is a delivery of the firearm from the dealer to the consignor.

The consequence is concrete: if you redeem a pawned SSF, or take back an SSF you left on consignment, on or after August 1, 2026, the training requirements of C.R.S. 18-12-116(3)(e) apply to you, regardless of when the firearm was originally pawned or consigned. The Division encourages pawn brokers and consignment dealers to raise this with customers before writing the agreement. Questions go to the Firearms Dealer Division at dor_fdd@state.co.us.

Qualifying Pathways

Under C.R.S. 18-12-116(3)(e)(I), a transfer, sale, or purchase of an SSF is lawful when the person receiving or purchasing it:

• Completed a hunter education course certified by CPW and, within 5 years before the purchase, completed a basic firearms safety course; or
• Within 5 years before the purchase, completed an extended firearms safety course; or
• Completed an extended firearms safety course more than 5 years before the purchase and completed a basic firearms safety course within 5 years before the purchase.

Per CPW: a hunter education course alone does not qualify you. Out-of-state hunter education must be verified in CPW's records; bring your hunter education card or record to a CPW office. Completion of any other firearm safety course (including CHP/CCW training) does not satisfy the SSF purchase requirement.

Separately, Colorado raised the minimum age to purchase a firearm to 21 under SB23-169, with limited exceptions. That age floor applies on top of the SSF training pathway.

Step-by-Step Process (per CPW)

1. Apply through the Firearms Safety System (FSS) at coloradofss.com. Create an account and complete the application. If you have hunter education, add it during this step. Your application goes to your county sheriff's queue.
2. Complete the sheriff's office requirements. Provide a name-based background check and government-issued photo ID to your county sheriff. Fees are collected at this step: the $52 CPW firearms training and safety course record fee plus a processing fee each sheriff sets. Fees are charged whether or not the application is approved.
3. Receive your firearms course eligibility card. The sheriff reviews the documentation, determines eligibility, and issues an eligibility card valid for 5 years. You receive an automated email either way; if denied, your sheriff's office contacts you. A sheriff must issue the card unless you cannot lawfully possess a firearm under state or federal law or cannot be positively identified, and may deny or revoke based on a reasonable belief, from documented previous behavior, that you would present a danger to yourself or others. Denials and revocations are subject to judicial review.
4. Take the course from a verified FSP instructor. With a valid eligibility card you can enroll in the Basic course (4 hours) or the Extended course (12 hours, delivered over at least 2 different days) anywhere in the state. Courses are in-person only. You must pass the final exam and a hands-on practical with a score of 90% or better. The instructor enters your result into the CPW database (within 3 business days per CPW), and you receive an email confirmation.
5. Purchase. The dealer confirms your course completion and eligibility in the FSS before the sale. Passing the course gives you a 5-year window to purchase SSFs; after 5 years you must start over from step 1.

Which Sheriff Do You Apply To?

This is an open question and worth raising with your local office before you file. C.R.S. 18-12-116(5)(b) says only that "each sheriff shall issue firearms safety course eligibility cards" and that the applicant submits the application "to the sheriff." Unlike the CHP statute, which spells out residence and business-property options in C.R.S. 18-12-205(2)(a), the Firearms Safety Program statute names no venue rule.

CPW's guidance fills the gap in practice rather than in law: the FSS routes a submitted application to your county sheriff's queue, and CPW tells applicants to contact their county sheriff's office for the name-based background check and document submission. CPW also warns that some counties did not begin reviewing applications until August 1, 2026 and that others are not accepting applications at all. Call your sheriff's office before you pay anything, because the fee is not refundable if the application is denied.

What the Eligibility Card Application Requires

Under C.R.S. 18-12-116(5)(b)(II), the application form is created by CPW and requires your full name and date of birth plus three attestations:

1. You do not have a state or federal conviction that would prohibit you from purchasing or possessing a firearm.
2. You will not violate relevant state law related to the purchase, possession, storage, and lawful use of firearms.
3. You will only transfer a firearm pursuant to C.R.S. 18-12-112 and 18-12-116, and you will not allow another person who you believe would be a danger to themselves or others to access a firearm in your possession.

Under C.R.S. 18-12-116(5)(b)(III) you must also submit:

• Government-issued photographic identification issued to you; and
• The results of a completed name-based background check of national and Colorado public criminal history and judicial databases, performed by a third-party vendor that conducts those checks as a normal part of its business, plus an attestation from the vendor that it performed the check.

The attestations have teeth. Under C.R.S. 18-12-116(5)(b)(IV), knowingly making a false or misleading statement on the application, or deliberately omitting material information the application asks for, is perjury in the second degree under C.R.S. 18-8-503. On top of any criminal penalty, if you are convicted of perjury on that application the sheriff shall revoke a card issued before the conviction.

If Your Eligibility Card Is Denied or Revoked

A sheriff shall deny an application if you cannot lawfully possess a firearm under state or federal law, or if the sheriff cannot positively identify you. A sheriff may deny or revoke based on a reasonable belief that documented previous behavior makes it likely you would present a danger to yourself or others. Either way the sheriff must notify you in writing, state the grounds, and tell you about the right to seek judicial review.

C.R.S. 18-12-116(5)(b)(X) sets out that review:

• Procedure: rule 106(a)(4) and (b) of the Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure govern the timelines for the complaint, the answer, and briefing.
• Burden: the sheriff carries it, not you. The default standard is preponderance of the evidence that you are ineligible for a card.
• Higher standard for the dangerousness ground: if the denial or revocation rests on the sheriff's determination that you would present a danger to yourself or others, the sheriff must prove that determination by clear and convincing evidence.
• Fees: following completion of the review, the court may award attorney fees to the prevailing party.

What the Course Costs

Colorado does not regulate what an instructor may charge for a basic or extended firearms safety course. CPW says only that "a cost may be associated with this step" and confirms that the $52 firearms training and safety course record fee is separate from any fee assessed by the sheriff and from any fee charged by a private firearms instructor for conducting the class. No source in this corpus states a dollar amount for the course itself, so treat course pricing as an open market question and ask the instructor directly.

Course Content

CPW states the courses cover safe handling of semiautomatic firearms and ammunition magazines, child safety and safe storage of firearms, firearm deaths associated with mental illness, extreme risk protection orders, and victim awareness and empathy, along with other firearms safety topics. CPW establishes the course requirements for both the basic and extended courses under the act.

A Note on the 90% Score

The statute and the agency guidance do not line up exactly here. C.R.S. 18-12-116(5)(a)(V) requires the instructor to administer an exam at the conclusion of a basic or extended course, testing knowledge of the subjects taught and requiring the student to demonstrate safe handling and mastery of gun safety. But the statute states the 90% threshold expressly only for the basic course: to complete a basic firearms safety course, a student must achieve a score of at least ninety percent on the exam. The statute sets no numeric score for the extended course.

CPW's guidance applies 90% to both. It lists "students must pass the course with a minimum score of 90% on their final exam" as a general course requirement, and repeats the same 90% figure in its description of the extended course. Plan on 90% for either course, because that is the threshold the instructor will apply and enter into the CPW system. The gap here is between statute and agency guidance, not a conflict about what happens in the classroom.

For Instructors: Teaching FSP Courses

To teach Firearms Safety Program courses you must first be a sheriff-verified firearms instructor under C.R.S. 18-12-202.7 (the same verification used for CHP training), and then complete CPW's FSP Train the Trainer program, which covers the curriculum, teaching and testing guidelines, and the Firearms Safety System (student registration and score entry). CPW offers these trainings free of charge, virtually and in person, with a 50-attendee cap per class, first come first served. This is a distinct business line from CHP classes: FSP course completions must be entered in CPW's system, and instructors verify each student's eligibility card through the FSS before enrollment. Statute puts that verification on the instructor. Under C.R.S. 18-12-116(5)(a)(II), before allowing a student to attend, the instructor shall verify that the student holds a valid eligibility card by requesting information from the firearms training and safety course record system created in C.R.S. 33-9-115.

Once you are through Train the Trainer, CPW lists you on its public roster of verified FSP instructors, which is how students find you. To reach the program directly, CPW publishes a Firearms Safety Program phone line at 303-291-7143 and an email address at dnr_cpw_firearmsafety@state.co.us.

Penalties and Enforcement

• Unlawful manufacture, distribution, transfer, sale, or purchase of an SSF is a class 2 misdemeanor; a second or subsequent offense is a class 6 felony.
• A felony conviction under this section prohibits the person from possessing firearms and certain other weapons; the Colorado Bureau of Investigation must deny a firearm transfer to a person convicted of the misdemeanor within the previous 5 years.
• The Department of Revenue must revoke the state firearms dealer permit of a dealer who unlawfully manufactures, distributes, transfers, sells, or purchases an SSF.
• Exemptions exist for specified transactions involving law enforcement agencies and peace officers, the Department of Corrections and other detention institutions, armored vehicle businesses, military forces, gunsmiths, accredited gunsmithing courses and approved educational programs, historical societies and museums holding permanently inoperable firearms, forensic laboratories, transfers by operation of law or death, film props capable of firing only blanks, and transfers to out-of-state residents or federally licensed dealers.

The Law Enforcement and Military Exemptions Are Narrower Than People Assume

This is the most commonly overstated part of the statute. Read C.R.S. 18-12-116(3)(a)(II) and (3)(b) closely:

• Peace officers. The exemption reaches a peace officer described in C.R.S. 16-2.5-101 who is certified by the POST board, and only if the agency that employs the officer requires or permits the officer to carry an SSF for use in the officer's official capacity. A separate provision, C.R.S. 18-12-116(3)(a)(I), covers a law enforcement agency acquiring SSFs to equip its own officers.
• Armed services. The exemption reaches members of the armed services or reserve forces of the United States, or of the Colorado National Guard, in the performance of their official duties.

Neither provision exempts a personal purchase. An officer or a service member buying an SSF for personal use, outside the official-capacity and official-duties limits, stands in the same position as any other Colorado buyer and needs the eligibility card and the course. The exemption attaches to the official role and the agency's requirements, not to the person's occupation.

Legal Challenge

SB25-003 is being challenged in federal court. Del Toro v. Polis, No. 1:25-cv-02725 (D. Colo.), was filed September 2, 2025 by six individual plaintiffs and the Colorado State Shooting Association against state and local officials including Governor Jared Polis, raising civil rights claims under 42 U.S.C. 1983. Plaintiffs filed a first amended complaint on December 22, 2025, which superseded the original complaint and mooted the first round of dismissal briefing. The state defendants' renewed motion to dismiss has been fully briefed since May 1, 2026 and remains undecided as of August 11, 2026; District Attorney Allen withdrew his own motion and answered the complaint on May 8, 2026.

No injunction has issued. The law took effect August 1, 2026 as scheduled and is enforceable now. Plan around the statute as written. If the case later produces an injunction or a ruling on the merits, that would change the picture, but nothing in the docket to date has paused any part of the Firearms Safety Program.

Which Firearms Are Covered

The Firearms Dealer Division publishes a Specified Semiautomatic Firearms Guidance document listing specific models the law applies to. The list is not all-inclusive and is reviewed on an ongoing basis, and new firearms are added after research and industry and public feedback. If you need to determine whether a specific firearm is an SSF, you may petition the Firearms Dealer Division for a statement of position.

Timing note from CPW: the FSS application link opened July 20, 2026, some counties did not begin reviewing applications until August 1, 2026, and others are not accepting applications at all. Check with your local sheriff's office first. See "Which Sheriff Do You Apply To?" above.

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Key Statutory References

• C.R.S. 18-12-201 through 18-12-215 - Concealed Handgun Permit statutes
• C.R.S. 18-12-202.5 - CHP training class requirements
• C.R.S. 18-12-202.7 - Verified firearms instructor requirements
• C.R.S. 18-12-203 - Permit eligibility criteria
• C.R.S. 18-12-205 - Sheriff, application, procedure, background check (where and how to apply)
• C.R.S. 18-12-207 - Judicial review of permit denial, suspension, or revocation, and of denial, suspension, or revocation of instructor verification
• C.R.S. 18-12-211 - Permit renewal provisions
• C.R.S. 18-12-215 - Immunity provisions
• C.R.S. 18-12-116 - Specified semiautomatic firearms: purchase prohibition, firearms safety courses, eligibility cards, penalties (SB25-003, effective August 1, 2026)
• HB24-1174 - House Bill establishing new CHP training requirements (signed 2024, effective July 1, 2025)
• SB25-003 - Senate Bill creating the Firearms Safety Program purchase-training requirement (signed April 10, 2025; purchase prohibition effective August 1, 2026)
• SB23-169 - Senate Bill raising the minimum age to purchase a firearm to 21, with limited exceptions
• C.R.S. 6-1-707 - Deceptive trade practice regarding false claims of instructor verification
• C.R.S. 18-12-112.5 - Firearm transfers by dealers; adopts the definition of "transfer" used in C.R.S. 24-33.5-424(1)(d)
• C.R.S. 24-33.5-424(1)(d) - Definition of "transfer," which expressly includes redemption of a pawned firearm
• C.R.S. 18-12-209 - Temporary emergency permits, which do not satisfy the instructor eligibility requirement
• C.R.S. 18-8-503 - Perjury in the second degree, the penalty for a false statement on an eligibility card application
• C.R.S. 33-9-115 - Firearms training and safety course record system and record fee
• C.R.S. 16-2.5-101 - Definition of peace officer, referenced by the SSF peace officer exemption

Agency Guidance and Litigation

• Firearms Dealer Division Bulletin 26-02 (July 24, 2026) - Pawn redemption and consignment sales of specified semiautomatic firearms
• CPW Specified Semiautomatic Firearms guidance - Customer journey, fees, course requirements, verified instructor roster, and Train the Trainer schedule
• Del Toro v. Polis, No. 1:25-cv-02725 (D. Colo., filed September 2, 2025; first amended complaint December 22, 2025) - Federal constitutional challenge to SB25-003. No injunction has issued.

Application Process for Colorado Concealed Handgun Permits

Overview

Colorado Concealed Handgun Permits (CHP) are governed by Colorado Revised Statutes Title 18, Article 12, Part 2 (C.R.S. 18-12-201 through 18-12-216), as amended by Colorado House Bill 24-1174. Applications must be submitted to the County Sheriff's Office where the applicant resides, owns property, or owns a business.

Effective Date of New Requirements: July 1, 2025

Application Methods

Online Application System

• All applications (new, renewal, address changes, name changes, and replacements) must be submitted through Permitium, the online CHP application software used by Colorado Sheriff's Offices
• No walk-in appointments are available
• Applications typically take less than 10 minutes to complete online
• Computer terminals are available at Sheriff's Office lobbies for applicants without computer access

Accessibility

Applicants who cannot complete the online process due to disability or special circumstances may contact their County Sheriff's Office for assistance.

New Concealed Handgun Permit Applications

Eligibility Requirements

• Minimum Age: 21 years old at time of application
• Residency: Must apply in the county where applicant resides, owns property, or owns a business
• Valid Identification: Colorado Driver's License or State-issued Identification Card required

Training Requirements (Effective July 1, 2025)

8-Hour Concealed Handgun Training Class

General Requirements:

• Must be taught in-person by a Verified Concealed Handgun Instructor certified by a Colorado Sheriff's Office
• No portion of the class may be held online
• Classes must meet requirements of the federal "Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990"
• Training certificate must be dated within one (1) year of application submission date
• Original certificate required - copies will NOT be accepted
• Certificate must include printed name and original signature of verified instructor

Required Course Elements per C.R.S. 18-12-202.5:

1. Duration: Minimum 8 hours (does not need to be consecutive)
2. Instructor-led Education: Topics defined in C.R.S. 18-12-202.5
3. Live-Fire Exercise:
   • Minimum 50 rounds discharged on a range
   • Minimum accuracy score: 70%
   • Does not need to be conducted in a single day
4. Written Competency Exam:
   • Tests knowledge of subjects in C.R.S. 18-12-205.5 (3)(a) through (3)(f)
   • Minimum passing score: 80%
   • Must be an open-book exam

Alternative Training Qualifications

Applicants may demonstrate competence through:

• Evidence of experience through participation in organized shooting competitions, current military service, or current certification as a peace officer pursuant to Article 2.5 of Title 16
• Evidence that applicant is currently a verified instructor
• Proof of honorable discharge from U.S. Armed Forces within 3 years preceding application
• Proof of honorable discharge from U.S. Armed Forces reflecting pistol qualifications obtained within 10 years preceding application
• Certificate showing retirement from Colorado law enforcement agency reflecting pistol qualifications obtained within 10 years preceding application

Application Process Steps

1. Complete Required Training (within one year of application)
2. Access Permitium Portal to begin online application
3. Complete Application Form through Permitium
4. Schedule Fingerprint/Photo Appointment (scheduled via Permitium)
5. Pay Application Fee through Permitium portal
6. Attend Fingerprint/Photo Appointment
   • Bring valid Colorado Driver's License or State ID
   • Bring original training certificate
   • Be prepared for photo
   • Allow approximately 30 minutes
   • Arrive on time (late arrivals may result in cancellation)
7. Background Check Processing
   • Fingerprints electronically submitted to Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
   • Criminal background check conducted per C.R.S. 18-12-205
8. Sheriff Review and Approval (if no disqualifying factors found)
9. Permit Issuance
   • Procedures vary by county: some counties mail the permit to the address provided on the application; others require a final in-person appointment to sign the application, take a photo, and print the permit

Processing Time

• Applications can take up to 90 days to process from fingerprint submission date

Fees (as of 2025)

• New CHP Application: $110-$152.50 (varies by county; includes background check)
  • Example: Delta County - $110; Boulder County - $152.50
• Credit card processing fees may apply

Renewal Applications

Renewal Eligibility and Timing

• May apply no more than 120 days (4 months) prior to expiration date
• Applications submitted earlier than 120 days before expiration will be returned
• Must apply with Sheriff's Office in county where applicant currently resides (even if original permit was issued by a different Colorado county)
• Grace Period: Expired permits may be renewed within 6 months of expiration
• Permits expired more than 6 months require a new application with full training requirements and new application fees

Training Requirements for Renewal (Effective July 1, 2025)

IMPORTANT: All renewal applications received on or after July 1, 2025 are subject to new training requirements with no exceptions or grace period.

2-Hour Refresher Class

General Requirements:

• Must be taught by a Verified Concealed Handgun Instructor
• Training certificate must be dated within six (6) months of renewal application submission
• Original certificate required - copies will NOT be accepted
• Refresher class certificates are only valid for renewals and cannot be used for new applications

Required Course Elements:

1. Duration: Minimum 2 hours
2. Live-Fire Exercise:
   • Minimum 50 rounds discharged on a range
   • Minimum accuracy score: 70%
3. Instruction on Legal Changes:
   • Federal and state firearms laws enacted within 5 years prior to refresher class
4. Written Competency Exam:
   • Tests knowledge of subjects in C.R.S. 18-12-205.5 (3)(a) through (3)(f)
   • Minimum passing score: 80%
   • Must be an open-book exam

Alternative Renewal Qualifications

Permittees may demonstrate competence through:

• Evidence of competence through participation in organized shooting competitions (within one year), current military service, or current certification as a peace officer pursuant to Article 2.5 of Title 16
• Evidence that applicant is currently a verified instructor
• Proof of honorable discharge from U.S. Armed Forces reflecting pistol qualifications obtained within 10 years preceding renewal
• Certificate showing retirement from Colorado law enforcement agency reflecting pistol qualifications obtained within 10 years preceding renewal

Renewal Process Steps

1. Complete Required Training (within 6 months of renewal submission)
2. Access Permitium Portal to begin renewal application
3. Complete Renewal Form online
4. Submit Required Documentation through portal
5. Pay Renewal Fee through Permitium
6. Background Check Processing
7. Permit Issuance (if approved; one county source states approximately 4 weeks by mail)

Renewal Fees

• Current Permit Renewal: $45-$63 (varies by county)
  • Example: Delta County - $45; Boulder County - $63
• Late Renewal (within 6 months expired): $60-$78 (includes $15 late fee per state law)
  • Example: Delta County - $60; Boulder County - $78
• Credit card processing fees may apply

Out-of-State Permits

• Out-of-state permits are NOT eligible for renewal
• Former Colorado residents seeking a Colorado CHP must submit a new application with full requirements

Address Changes

Legal Requirement

Per state law, permit holders must notify the issuing agency of address changes within 30 days of moving.

Within Colorado

• Submit Change of Address Form through Permitium portal
• Must notify the Sheriff's Office that issued the permit (not necessarily current county of residence)
• Form does not need to be notarized
• No fee
• No new card issued

Moving Out of State

• Submit Change of Address Form through Permitium portal to issuing agency
• Form does not need to be notarized
• No fee
• Permit becomes invalid upon obtaining another state's driver's license
• Must return permit to issuing Sheriff's Office

Name Changes

Requirements

• Submit Name Change Form through Permitium portal
• Form must be notarized
• Upload copy of court documents showing legal name change
• Submit to Sheriff's Office that issued the permit
• New CHP card will be issued

Replacement Permits

Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed Permits

• Must contact Sheriff's Office within three (3) business days of loss, theft, or destruction
• Submit replacement request through Permitium portal
• $15 replacement fee payable to the issuing sheriff, plus any credit card fees (C.R.S. 18-12-210(2))

Required Documentation Summary

For All Appointments

• Valid Colorado Driver's License or State-issued Photo ID
• Original training certificate (as applicable)
• Be prepared for photograph

Fingerprint Appointments

• Allow approximately 30 minutes
• Arrive on time (must call if delayed to avoid cancellation)
• Bring government-issued photo ID

Relevant Colorado Revised Statutes

Colorado Concealed Handgun Permits are governed by:

• C.R.S. 18-12-201 - Legislative declaration
• C.R.S. 18-12-202 - Definitions
• C.R.S. 18-12-202.5 - Training requirements
• C.R.S. 18-12-203 - Criteria for obtaining a permit
• C.R.S. 18-12-204 - Permit contents, validity, carrying requirements
• C.R.S. 18-12-205 - Sheriff application procedure and background check
• C.R.S. 18-12-205.5 - Competency exam subjects
• C.R.S. 18-12-206 - Sheriff issuance or denial of permits, report
• C.R.S. 18-12-207 - Judicial review, permit denial, suspension, revocation
• C.R.S. 18-12-208 - Colorado Bureau of Investigation duties
• C.R.S. 18-12-209 - Issuance of temporary emergency permits
• C.R.S. 18-12-210 - Maintenance of permit, address change, invalidity
• C.R.S. 18-12-211 - Renewal of permits
• C.R.S. 18-12-212 - Exemption
• C.R.S. 18-12-213 - Reciprocity
• C.R.S. 18-12-214 - Authority granted by permit, carrying restrictions
• C.R.S. 18-12-215 - Immunity
• C.R.S. 18-12-216 - Permits issued prior to effective date
• C.R.S. 18-12-105 - Unlawfully carrying a concealed weapon
• C.R.S. 18-12-105.5 - Unlawfully carrying weapon on school, college, or university grounds
• C.R.S. 18-12-105.6 - Limitation on local ordinances regarding firearms in private vehicles
• C.R.S. 29-11.7-101 through 29-11.7-104 - Local regulation restrictions

Federal Statutes

• 18 USC 926A - Interstate transportation of firearms
• 18 USC 926B - Carrying of concealed firearms by qualified law enforcement officers
• 18 USC 926C - Carrying of concealed firearms by qualified retired law enforcement officers

Important Notes

1. County-Specific Variations: While state law governs CHPs, individual counties may have variations in procedures, fees, and issuance methods (e.g., mailing vs. in-person pickup). Always verify with your specific county Sheriff's Office.

2. Verified Instructors: Lists of verified instructors are maintained by each county Sheriff's Office and available on their websites.

3. No Exceptions: The July 1, 2025 training requirements apply to ALL applicants with no exceptions or grace periods for renewals.

4. Certificate Validity: Training certificates for new applications are valid for one year; refresher certificates for renewals are valid for six months.

5. Original Certificates Required: Copies of training certificates will not be accepted under any circumstances.

6. Background Checks: All applicants undergo fingerprint-based criminal background checks through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation per C.R.S. 18-12-205.

Contact Information

For assistance with the application process, contact the Sheriff's Office in your county of residence. Applications and inquiries must be directed to the county where you reside, own property, or own a business.

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Fact-Checked Information:

• The minimum age for a Colorado Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP) is 21 years old. Multiple official Colorado county sheriff's office websites consistently state that applicants must be at least 21 years of age at the time of application. This requirement is codified in Colorado Revised Statutes 18-12-203(1)(b). (Sources: Concealed Handgun Permits | Elbert County, CO, Concealed Handgun Permits | Delta County, CO - Official Website, Concealed Handgun Permit | San Miguel County, CO - Official Website, Concealed Handgun Permits | Elbert County, CO)
• In Colorado, a concealed handgun permit (CHP) application can take up to 90 days to process from the date fingerprints are submitted. This is the statutory maximum. Boulder County states the permit will be mailed 'within 90 days (or less) from the date your fingerprints were submitted.' Delta County also confirms 'Applications can take up to 90-days to process.' Renewal permits may be processed faster - Boulder County notes renewals take 'approximately four weeks.' The exact processing time varies by county, but the legal maximum is 90 days for new applications. Neither AI model provided a defined answer (both returned 'undefined'), so neither was correct. (Sources: Concealed Handgun Permit - Boulder County, Concealed Handgun Permit - Boulder County, Concealed Handgun Permits | Delta County, CO, Concealed Handgun Permits | Elbert County, CO)

Colorado Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP) - Fees and Costs

Statutory Fee Framework

Under Colorado law, sheriffs are required to establish and collect fees for issuing and renewing concealed handgun permits that reflect the actual direct and indirect costs of processing permit applications.

Maximum Statutory Fees (Sheriff's Portion)

• New Permit: Maximum fee of $100 (§ 18-12-205(2)(b), C.R.S.)
• Renewal Permit: Maximum fee of $50 (§ 18-12-211(1), C.R.S.)

These statutory maximums are in addition to the cost of the required background check. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sets the background check fee amount separately.

Background Check / Processing Fees (Set by CBI)

The background check component typically includes:

• CBI Fingerprint Processing: $17.50
• InstaCheck (NICS): $13.00
• FBI Fingerprint Processing: $22.00

These fees total approximately $52.50 for the background investigation portion.

Total Fees by County (Examples)

Total fees vary by county because each sheriff sets local processing fees within the statutory maximum. Common totals reported by Colorado counties include:

County-Specific Fee Examples

• Arapahoe County: New $152.50; Renewal $63; Late renewal adds $15; Replacement $15
• Boulder County: New $152.50 (plus credit card fees); Renewal $63 (plus credit card fees); Late renewal $78 ($63 + $15 late fee); Replacement $15 (plus credit card fees)
• Morgan County: New $152.50; Renewal $38 (note: this county reports a lower renewal fee)
• San Miguel County: New $105; Renewal $63
• Park County: New $100 permit fee + $52.50 background investigation (paid as separate payments); Late fee $15; Replacement $15

Late Renewal Fee

• A $15 late fee is required by state law for any permit that has expired (§ 18-12-211, C.R.S.).
• No permit may be renewed more than six months after its expiration date. After six months, the permit is deemed permanently expired and the applicant must submit a new application at the full new-permit fee.

Replacement Permit Fee

• $15 for a duplicate or substitute permit if the original is lost, stolen, or destroyed.
• A notarized Lost/Destroyed Permit form must be submitted.
• Lost or stolen permits must be reported to the issuing sheriff's office within 3 business days.

Payment Methods

Accepted payment methods vary by county but generally include:

• Cash
• Personal check, cashier's check, or money order (typically made payable to the county sheriff's office)
• Credit/debit card (often with an additional processing/convenience fee, commonly 2.39% or a flat fee such as $3.95)
• American Express is not accepted in some counties (e.g., Arapahoe County)

Training Course Fees (Separate from Permit Fees)

Training course fees are separate from the permit application fees and are paid directly to the training provider. Per HB24-1174 (effective July 1, 2025), new applicants must complete an 8-hour concealed handgun training class, and renewal applicants must complete a 2-hour refresher class, both from a verified instructor.

Example training costs (vary by provider and county):

• New Permit Training Course: ~$150 (e.g., Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office course)
• Renewal Refresher Course: ~$75 (e.g., Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office course)

Permit Validity

• Permits are valid for five years (§ 18-12-211, C.R.S.).
• Renewal may be submitted up to 120 days before the expiration date.
• A 6-month grace period exists after expiration for late renewal (with the $15 late fee).

Processing Timeline

• By statute, the sheriff has 90 days from receipt of the application to approve or deny the permit.
• In practice, many counties process permits within approximately 4-6 weeks.
• No temporary permits are issued during the processing period.

Key Statutory References

Colorado Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP) Renewal Process

Overview

Colorado concealed handgun permits are valid for five (5) years from the date of issuance. Renewal is handled by the county sheriff's office in the county where the permit holder currently resides, even if the original permit was issued by a different Colorado county. Out-of-state permits are not eligible for renewal in Colorado; holders must apply as new applicants.

Renewal Timeline

• Earliest renewal: No more than 120 days (approximately 4 months) prior to the permit expiration date. Applications submitted before the 120-day window will be returned/not accepted.
• Grace period after expiration: Permits may be renewed within a 6-month (180-day) grace period after the expiration date, subject to a $15 late fee (per C.R.S. § 18-12-211).
• Permanently expired: A permit that is more than 6 months past its expiration date cannot be renewed under state law. The holder would need to apply as a new applicant.

Training Requirements for Renewal (Effective July 1, 2025 - HB24-1174)

House Bill 24-1174, signed into law in 2024 and effective July 1, 2025, significantly changed renewal training requirements. All renewal applications received on or after July 1, 2025, must comply with the new requirements - there is no grace period for the training mandate.

Standard Renewal Training

A renewal applicant must demonstrate competence with a handgun by submitting one of the following:

1. Refresher Course Certificate - A training certificate from a minimum 2-hour concealed handgun refresher class conducted by a verified instructor (verified by a Colorado Sheriff's Office), obtained within six (6) months prior to submitting the renewal application. The refresher class must include:

   • A written concealed handgun competency exam with a minimum passing score of 80%
   • A live-fire exercise with a minimum passing score of 70% accuracy
   • The certificate must be the original with the printed name and original signature of the verified instructor
   • Alternatively, a certificate from a full 8-hour concealed handgun training class obtained within 6 months is also accepted

2. Organized Shooting Competitions / Active Military / Peace Officer - Evidence of experience with a firearm through participation in organized shooting competitions (within one year), current military service, or current certification as a peace officer pursuant to Article 2.5 of Title 16.

3. Verified Instructor Status - Evidence that, at the time of application, the applicant is a verified instructor.

4. Honorable Military Discharge - Proof of honorable discharge from a branch of the United States Armed Forces that reflects pistol qualifications obtained within the ten (10) years preceding submittal of the renewal form.

5. Retired Colorado Law Enforcement - A certificate showing retirement from a Colorado law enforcement agency that reflects pistol qualifications obtained within the ten (10) years preceding submittal of the renewal form.

Important notes on training:

• Online training and hunter education courses are not accepted
• All classes must be conducted in-person by a verified instructor; no portion of the class may be virtual
• Photocopies, digital versions, carbon copies, or emailed/printed certificates are not accepted - only the original signed certificate

Verified Instructor Requirement (HB24-1174)

As of July 1, 2025, concealed handgun training classes (both initial and refresher) must be conducted by a certified firearms instructor who has been "verified" by a Colorado Sheriff's Office. Key points:

• Instructors must be verified by the sheriff's office in the county where the majority of their training is conducted
• Verification is statewide (a verified instructor from any county is accepted)
• Verified instructors are listed on the respective sheriff's office website
• Verification is valid for 10 years or until the instructor's certification expires

Renewal Fees

Note: Some counties charge additional credit/debit card processing fees (e.g., 2.39%). Payment methods vary by county (cash, check, money order, credit/debit card).

Fee breakdown may vary slightly by county. For example, Park County lists $50 for the permit + $13 for the background investigation = $63 total.

Required Documents for Renewal

1. Completed CHP Renewal Application - Do not sign until your appointment (signature is witnessed by sheriff's office staff)
2. Original training certificate - From a verified instructor, dated within 6 months of application (or qualifying military/law enforcement documentation)
3. Valid Colorado Driver's License or State ID - Must show a current address in the county where you are applying
4. Current concealed handgun permit - Especially required if renewing in a different county than the one that issued the original permit
5. Payment - $63 for current permits; $78 for late renewals

Additional documentation may be required, including proof of address (lease, utility bill), proof of name change (court documents, marriage certificate), etc.

Out-of-County Renewals

If you have moved to a different Colorado county since your permit was issued:

• You must renew in the county where you currently reside (per state law)
• Bring your current permit issued by the previous county
• Standard renewal requirements and fees apply ($63)
• Contact the new county's sheriff's office to schedule an appointment

Name Change During Permit Period

If a renewal applicant has undergone a name change (marriage, divorce, or otherwise) since first acquiring the permit:

• A copy of court documents or marriage certificate must be included with the renewal paperwork
• State law requires a fresh set of fingerprints for renewal applicants who have undergone a name change

Processing Time

Processing times vary by county:

• Boulder County estimates approximately four weeks for renewal permits to be mailed
• New permits may take up to 90 days from fingerprint submission
• Some counties (e.g., Weld County) process renewals on the spot with no waiting period

Address Change Requirement

Permit holders must notify the issuing sheriff's office of a change of address within 30 days of moving. Lost or stolen permits must be reported within 30 days (some counties specify 3 business days for lost/stolen reporting).

Key Statutory References

• C.R.S. Title 18, Article 12, Part 2 - Concealed Handgun Permits
• C.R.S. § 18-12-202.5 - Concealed handgun training class and refresher class requirements
• C.R.S. § 18-12-211 - Late renewal fee provisions
• HB24-1174 - Legislative changes effective July 1, 2025 (verified instructor program, enhanced training requirements, refresher course mandate)

Prohibited Places for Concealed Carry in Colorado

Colorado law designates several categories of locations where carrying firearms (including concealed carry with a permit) is prohibited. The following information reflects current law as of July 1, 2024, when SB24-131 took effect.

1. Government Buildings (§ 18-12-105.3, C.R.S.)

A person shall not knowingly carry a firearm, whether loaded or not, in the following government buildings including their adjacent parking areas:

• State Legislative Buildings:

  • Buildings containing the chambers, galleries, or offices of the General Assembly or either house thereof
  • Buildings where a legislative hearing or meeting of the General Assembly is being conducted
  • Buildings where the official office of any member, officer, or employee of the General Assembly is located

• Local Government Buildings (unless the local government enacts a law permitting carry):

  • Buildings containing the chambers or galleries of a local government's governing body
  • Buildings where a meeting of a local government's governing body is being conducted
  • Buildings containing the official office of any elected member of a local government's governing body or of the chief executive officer of a local government

• Courthouses:

  • Any courthouse or other building or portion of a building used for court proceedings

Penalty: Unlawful carrying of a firearm in a government building is a class 1 misdemeanor.

Exceptions to the government buildings prohibition:

• Peace officers carrying pursuant to § 16-2.5-101(2)
• Members of the United States Armed Forces or Colorado National Guard engaged in lawful discharge of official duties
• Security personnel employed or retained by the entity that controls or operates the location, and security personnel described in § 24-33.5-216.7(5), while engaged in official duties
• Law enforcement personnel, defense counsel personnel, and court personnel carrying or possessing a firearm in the performance of official duties as part of lawful and common practices of a legal proceeding
• Concealed carry permit holders carrying a concealed handgun in the adjacent parking area only (not inside the building)
• A person securely storing a firearm in a vehicle as required by state law at a location described in this section
• A local government may enact an ordinance permitting carry at local government buildings

2. Schools, Colleges, Universities, and Licensed Child Care Centers (§ 18-12-105.5, C.R.S.)

A person shall not knowingly carry a firearm, either openly or concealed, in or on the real estate and all improvements erected thereon of:

• Licensed child care centers (excluding family child care homes) - centers licensed by the Department of Early Childhood or exempt from licensing pursuant to § 26.5-5-304(1)(b) that operate with stated educational purposes
• Public or private elementary, middle, junior high, high, or vocational schools
• Any public or private college, university, or seminary

Penalty: Violation is a class 1 misdemeanor.

Exceptions:

• Presenting an authorized public demonstration or exhibition pursuant to instruction in conjunction with an organized school or class
• Carrying out necessary duties and functions of an employee of an educational institution that require the use of a firearm
• Participation in an authorized extracurricular activity or on an athletic team
• Concealed carry permit holders carrying a concealed handgun:
  • On the real property of a public elementary, middle, junior high, or high school in accordance with § 18-12-214(3)
  • In a parking area of a licensed child care center or a public or private college, university, or seminary
• Security personnel employed or retained by a licensed child care center or a public or private college, university, or seminary while engaged in official duties
• When a licensed child care center is on the same real estate as another building or improvement that is not a school and is open to the public, carrying a firearm on an area of real estate or improvement that is not designated as a licensed child care center
• Law enforcement officers and security guards (existing law exemptions)
• Possession of a weapon for use in an educational program approved by a school

3. Polling Locations, Ballot Drop Boxes, and Central Count Facilities (§ 1-13-724, C.R.S.)

It is unlawful for any person to carry a firearm in any manner (openly or concealed) at:

• Any polling location, or within 100 feet of a ballot drop box or any building in which a polling location is located, on the day of any election or during the time when voting is permitted
• Any central count facility, or within 100 feet of any building in which a central count facility is located, during any ongoing election administration activity related to an active election

The designated election official shall visibly place a sign notifying persons of the 100-foot no-carry zone.

Penalty: Misdemeanor, punishable by a maximum $250 fine and up to 120 days' imprisonment in county jail; a second or subsequent offense is punishable by a maximum $1,000 fine and up to 364 days' imprisonment.

Exceptions:

• A person who carries a firearm they own on their private property that is within the 100-foot buffer zone, or while traveling directly between their private property and a place outside the buffer zone
• Uniformed security guards employed by a contract security agency acting within the scope of a contractual agreement for security services
• Security personnel described in § 24-33.5-216.7(5) while engaged in official duties

4. Local Government Restrictions (§ 29-11.7-104 and § 18-12-214, C.R.S.)

Local governments have additional authority to restrict firearms:

• A local government may prohibit open carry in a building or specific area within its jurisdiction. Signs must be posted at public entrances informing persons that open carry is prohibited.
• A local government may prohibit concealed carry permit holders from carrying a concealed handgun in a building or specific area within its jurisdiction. However, a local government may not impose criminal penalties for prohibited concealed carry. Signs must be posted at public entrances informing persons that concealed carry is prohibited.

5. Additional Notes

• Concealed carry permits authorize carry throughout the state except for places prohibited by state or local law (§ 18-12-214, C.R.S.).
• Carrying a concealed weapon in public without a permit is a class 1 misdemeanor (§ 18-12-105, C.R.S.).
• SB24-131 was approved by the Governor on May 31, 2024, and became effective July 1, 2024. This bill consolidated and strengthened prohibitions on carrying firearms in sensitive spaces, including government buildings, schools, child care centers, and election-related locations.
• Members of the General Assembly were temporarily exempt from the prohibition on carrying in state legislative buildings until January 5, 2025.

Key Statute References

Carrying Firearms in Vehicles in Colorado

General Vehicle Carry Rules

Colorado law permits carrying firearms in vehicles under the following provisions:

Title 18 - Criminal Code

• Lawful Protection Exception: Colorado allows a person to carry a firearm in a vehicle if its use is for lawful protection of such person or another person's person or property. [C.R.S. 18-12-105(2)]

• Possession in an Automobile: Colorado law allows a person to possess a handgun in a dwelling, place of business, or automobile. However, when you carry the weapon into your home, business, hotel room, etc., it must be in plain view. [C.R.S. 18-12-105(2)]

• No Concealed Carry Permit Required in a Vehicle: A permit is not required and a handgun is not considered concealed when a person is in a private automobile or other private transportation. [C.R.S. 18-12-105(2)]

• Local Preemption: Local jurisdictions may not enact laws that restrict a person's ability to travel with a weapon. [C.R.S. 18-12-105.6]

Title 33 - Wildlife Laws

• Long Guns Must Have Unloaded Chambers: In accordance with Colorado wildlife laws, including C.R.S. 33-6-125, you may carry a weapon in your vehicle. However, it is unlawful for any person, except a person authorized by law or by the division (Colorado Parks and Wildlife), to possess or have under his control any firearm, other than a pistol or revolver, in or on any motor vehicle unless the chamber of such firearm is unloaded.

• Muzzle-Loaders: A muzzle-loader shall be considered unloaded if it is not primed. For this purpose, "primed" means having a percussion cap on the nipple or flint in the striker and powder in the flash pan.

Key Distinctions

Carrying in National Parks and National Forests

• National Parks: In accordance with 16 USC 1a-7b, in any national park in Colorado, a person may possess a firearm if such possession is in compliance with Colorado state law. However, firearms are prohibited in "Federal facilities" (visitor centers, administrative offices, maintenance buildings) per 18 USC 930. Such facilities will be clearly marked with signs at all public entrances.

• National Forests: You may carry a weapon while visiting National Forests in Colorado. However, you must comply with federal regulations pertaining to the use of a firearm on National Forest System lands. Discharge restrictions apply per 36 CFR 261.10(d):

  • Not within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site, or occupied area
  • Not across or on a Forest Development road or adjacent body of water
  • Not into or within any cave

Important Notes

• Both Title 18 and Title 33 statutes are enforceable by any certified peace officer in the state. It is the individual's responsibility to abide by all sections of each statute to be in compliance.
• Colorado prohibits gun registration. [C.R.S. 29-11.7-102]
• Open carry regulations are governed by local county and municipal authorities; check local municipal codes for specific restrictions.

Colorado Transportation Laws for Firearms

General Vehicle Transportation

Colorado law allows a person to carry a firearm in a vehicle if its use is for lawful protection of such person or another person's person or property. [C.R.S. §18-12-105(2)]

Colorado law also allows a person to possess a handgun in a dwelling, place of business, or automobile. However, when you carry the weapon into your home, business, hotel room, etc., it must be in plain view. [C.R.S. §18-12-105(2)]

Concealed Carry in Vehicles

A concealed handgun permit (CHP) is not required when a person is in a private automobile or other private transportation - a handgun is not considered concealed in that context. [C.R.S. §18-12-105(2)]

However, if a person does hold a CHP, the permit and a valid photo identification must be carried with the handgun at all times.

Local Preemption

Local jurisdictions may not enact laws that restrict a person's ability to travel with a weapon. [C.R.S. §18-12-105.6]

Title 33 - Wildlife Regulations

Under Colorado's wildlife statutes, you may carry a weapon in your vehicle. However, it is unlawful to have any firearm, other than a pistol or revolver, in or on any motor vehicle unless the chamber is unloaded. This means:

• Pistols and revolvers may be carried loaded in a vehicle.
• Rifles, shotguns, and other long guns must have an unloaded chamber when in or on a motor vehicle.

Secure Firearm Storage in a Vehicle (HB24-1348)

Effective January 1, 2025, Colorado enacted new requirements for storing firearms in unattended vehicles:

Handguns

• A person is prohibited from knowingly leaving a handgun in an unattended vehicle unless:
  • The handgun is stored in a locked hard-sided container
  • The container is placed out of plain view
  • The container is in a locked vehicle, the locked trunk of a locked vehicle, or a locked recreational vehicle

Firearms Other Than Handguns (Long Guns)

• A person is prohibited from knowingly leaving a non-handgun firearm in an unattended vehicle unless:
  • The firearm is stored in a locked hard-sided or soft-sided container
  • The container is placed out of plain view
  • The container is in a locked vehicle, the locked trunk of a locked vehicle, or a locked recreational vehicle
  • If stored in a soft-sided container, a locking device must be installed on the firearm

Exceptions to Vehicle Storage Requirements

• Persons with a disability who store a firearm in a locked soft-sided container do not violate the hard-sided container requirement
• Antique firearms
• Non-handgun firearms in a vehicle being used for farm or ranch operations
• A person who lives in a vehicle or in a recreational vehicle
• Peace officers and active members of the armed forces
• Certain activities related to lawful hunting

Penalty

• Unsafe storage of a firearm in a vehicle is a civil infraction

Transportation Through National Parks

In accordance with 16 USC §1a-7b, in any national park, a person may possess a firearm if such possession is in compliance with the laws of the state in which the national park is located. Therefore, Colorado's laws apply in national parks within the state.

However, under 18 USC §930, firearms are prohibited within "Federal facilities" (buildings or parts thereof owned or leased by the Federal Government where Federal employees are regularly present for official duties). In national parks, such facilities may include visitor centers, administrative offices, and maintenance buildings. These facilities will be clearly marked with signs at all public entrances.

Transportation in National Forests

While visiting National Forests in Colorado, you may carry a weapon. However, in addition to state laws, you must comply with Federal Regulations pertaining to the use of a firearm on National Forest System lands.

A firearm may not be discharged in the following National Forest areas per 36 CFR §261.10(d):

1. Within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site, or occupied area
2. Across or on a Forest Development road or an adjacent body of water, or in any manner or place whereby any person or property is exposed to injury or damage
3. Into or within any cave

Recent Legislation Note - SB25-003 (Signed April 10, 2025)

While not directly a transportation law, SB25-003 prohibits the manufacture, distribution, transfer, sale, and purchase of specified semiautomatic firearms (effective August 1, 2026) with certain exceptions including completion of approved firearms safety courses. This may affect what firearms can be legally acquired and subsequently transported in Colorado. Persons who already lawfully possess such firearms are not prohibited from continued possession or transportation under existing law.

Colorado Firearm Storage Requirements

Safe Storage on Premises (§ 18-12-114, C.R.S.)

Colorado law requires that firearms be responsibly and securely stored when not in use to prevent access by unsupervised juveniles and other unauthorized users.

It is unlawful to fail to responsibly and securely store a firearm upon any premises that a person owns or controls when:

• The person knows or reasonably should know that a juvenile can gain access to the firearm without the permission of the juvenile's parent or guardian; or
• A resident of the premises is ineligible to possess a firearm pursuant to state or federal law.

Penalty: Failure to comply is a class 2 misdemeanor.

Safe Storage in Vehicles (§ 18-12-114.5, C.R.S.)

Colorado law prohibits knowingly leaving a firearm in an unattended vehicle unless specific storage requirements are met:

• The firearm must be stored in a locked container, and the container must be in:
  • A locked vehicle;
  • The locked trunk of a locked vehicle; or
  • A locked recreational vehicle.

Additional Requirements by Firearm Type:

Handguns:

• The storage container must be hard-sided (unless the owner is disabled)
• The container must be placed out of plain view

Non-Handgun Firearms (long guns, etc.):

• The storage container may be hard-sided or soft-sided
• If stored in a soft-sided container, the firearm must have a locking device installed while stored

Penalty: Unsafe storage of a firearm in a vehicle is a civil infraction.

Reporting Lost or Stolen Firearms (§ 18-12-113, C.R.S.)

A person who owns a firearm that has been lost or stolen must report the loss or theft to a law enforcement agency within five days after discovering the loss or theft.

Penalties:

• First offense: Civil infraction, punishable by a $25 fine
• Second or subsequent offense: Misdemeanor punishable by a maximum $500 fine

Relevance to Concealed Carry Permit Holders

These storage requirements apply to all firearm owners in Colorado, including concealed carry permit holders. Permit holders should be particularly aware of the vehicle storage requirements, as carrying a concealed handgun in a vehicle is common practice. When a concealed handgun is not being carried on the person and is left in an unattended vehicle, it must comply with the locked hard-sided container requirements outlined in § 18-12-114.5, C.R.S.

Key Statutory References

Colorado Use of Force Laws for Concealed Carry Holders

Use of Physical Force in Defense of a Person (C.R.S. § 18-1-704)

Colorado law authorizes the use of physical force in self-defense under the following framework:

Non-Deadly Physical Force (§ 18-1-704(1))

A person is justified in using physical force upon another person to defend himself or a third person from what he reasonably believes to be the use or imminent use of unlawful physical force by that other person. The person may use a degree of force which he reasonably believes to be necessary for that purpose.

Deadly Physical Force (§ 18-1-704(2))

Deadly physical force may be used only if a person reasonably believes a lesser degree of force is inadequate AND one of the following conditions exists:

• (a) The actor has reasonable ground to believe, and does believe, that he or another person is in imminent danger of being killed or of receiving great bodily injury; or
• (b) The other person is using or reasonably appears about to use physical force against an occupant of a dwelling or business establishment while committing or attempting to commit burglary (§§ 18-4-202 to 18-4-204); or
• (c) The other person is committing or reasonably appears about to commit kidnapping (§ 18-3-301 or 18-3-302), robbery (§ 18-4-301 or 18-4-302), sexual assault (§ 18-3-402), or assault (§§ 18-3-202 and 18-3-203).

When Self-Defense is NOT Justified (§ 18-1-704(3))

A person is not justified in using physical force if:

• (a) With intent to cause bodily injury or death, the person provokes the use of unlawful physical force by the other person; or
• (b) The person is the initial aggressor - except that force becomes justifiable if the initial aggressor withdraws from the encounter and effectively communicates the intent to withdraw, but the other person nevertheless continues or threatens unlawful physical force; or
• (c) The physical force involved is the product of combat by agreement not specifically authorized by law; or
• (d) The use of force is based on the discovery of, knowledge about, or potential disclosure of the victim's actual or perceived gender, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation (added by SB 20-221, effective July 13, 2020).

No Duty to Retreat

Colorado follows the "no duty to retreat" doctrine. Under established case law and statutory interpretation:

• A person who is not the initial aggressor has no duty to retreat before using physical force, including deadly force, in self-defense.
• The Colorado Supreme Court in People v. Toler (No. 98SC858, September 11, 2000) held that "a person does not have to 'retreat to the wall' before using deadly force to defend himself, unless the person was the 'initial aggressor' in the encounter."
• The legislative comment to the original enactment of § 18-1-704 stated: "Subsection (2) omits the doctrine of 'retreat to the wall' which has never been the law in Colorado."
• In Idrogo v. People, 818 P.2d 752 (Colo. 1991), the Colorado Supreme Court confirmed that § 18-1-704(2) "contains no language reflecting any intention by the General Assembly to revive the doctrine of retreat."
• A person's right to self-defense is not dependent on location - even a trespasser retains the right to self-defense and is not required to retreat unless they are the initial aggressor (People v. Toler).

Make My Day Law / Use of Deadly Force Against an Intruder (C.R.S. § 18-1-704.5)

Colorado's "Make My Day" law provides strong protections for occupants of dwellings:

• (1) The General Assembly recognizes that citizens of Colorado have a right to expect absolute safety within their own homes.
• (2) Any occupant of a dwelling is justified in using any degree of physical force, including deadly physical force, against another person when:
  • That other person has made an unlawful entry into the dwelling; AND
  • The occupant has a reasonable belief that the intruder has committed a crime in the dwelling in addition to the uninvited entry, or is committing or intends to commit a crime against a person or property in addition to the uninvited entry; AND
  • The occupant reasonably believes the intruder might use any physical force, no matter how slight, against any occupant.
• (3) An occupant using force in accordance with this section is immune from criminal prosecution.
• (4) An occupant using force in accordance with this section is immune from any civil liability for injuries or death resulting from the use of such force.
• (5) "Dwelling" does not include any place of habitation in a detention facility (§ 18-8-211(4)).

Use of Physical Force in Defense of Premises (C.R.S. § 18-1-705)

A person in possession or control of any building, realty, or other premises, or a person licensed or privileged to be thereon, is justified in using reasonable and appropriate physical force upon another person when and to the extent reasonably necessary to prevent or terminate what he reasonably believes to be an unlawful trespass.

• Deadly force may be used only:
  • In defense of himself or another as described in § 18-1-704; OR
  • When he reasonably believes it necessary to prevent what he reasonably believes to be an attempt by the trespasser to commit first degree arson.

Use of Physical Force in Defense of Property (C.R.S. § 18-1-706)

A person is justified in using reasonable and appropriate physical force upon another person when and to the extent reasonably necessary to prevent what he reasonably believes to be an attempt by the other person to commit theft, criminal mischief, or criminal tampering involving property.

• Deadly physical force may be used under these circumstances only in defense of himself or another as described in § 18-1-704.

Use of Force by Private Persons Effecting an Arrest (C.R.S. § 18-1-707(7))

A private person acting on his own account is justified in using reasonable and appropriate physical force upon another person when and to the extent he reasonably believes it necessary to:

• Effect an arrest; or
• Prevent the escape from custody of an arrested person who has committed an offense in his presence.

However, a private person is justified in using deadly physical force only when he reasonably believes it necessary to defend himself or a third person from what he reasonably believes to be the use or imminent use of deadly physical force.

Key Definitions (C.R.S. § 18-1-901 and related statutes)

• Deadly physical force: Force, the intended, natural, and probable consequence of which is to produce death and which does, in fact, produce death.
• Serious bodily injury: Bodily injury that involves a substantial risk of death; a substantial risk of serious permanent disfigurement; a substantial risk of protracted loss or impairment of the function of any part or organ of the body; or breaks, fractures, a penetrating knife or penetrating gunshot wound, or burns of the second or third degree (§ 18-1-901).
• Imminent: About to happen or likely to occur at any moment. Imminent does not mean immediate or instantaneous - an imminent danger may exist even if the suspect is not at that very moment pointing a weapon at someone.

Law Enforcement Use of Force Standards (C.R.S. § 18-1-707, as amended by SB 20-217)

SB 20-217 (Enhance Law Enforcement Integrity), effective September 1, 2020, established enhanced use of force standards for peace officers:

• Peace officers shall apply nonviolent means, when possible, before resorting to physical force (§ 18-1-707(1)).
• Physical force may be used only if nonviolent means would be ineffective in effecting an arrest, preventing an escape, or preventing an imminent threat of injury.
• Chokeholds are prohibited for peace officers (§ 18-1-707(2.5)).
• Officers must use only a degree of force consistent with the minimization of injury to others (§ 18-1-707(2)(b)).
• Deadly force to make an arrest is justified only when all other means of apprehension are unreasonable given the circumstances and specific conditions are met (§ 18-1-707(3)).
• Officers must identify themselves and give a clear verbal warning of intent to use deadly force with sufficient time for the warning to be observed, unless doing so would unduly place officers at risk (§ 18-1-707(4)).
• Officers have a duty to intervene when witnessing another officer use excessive force (§ 18-8-802).

Prone Restraint Policies (§ 18-1-707(2.7))

Effective July 1, 2025, all Colorado law enforcement agencies must adopt written policies and procedures concerning use of the prone position and prone restraint, including:

• When and how to request medical aid
• When to get medical clearance
• How and when to render appropriate medical aid
• How and when to transition a person from prone position to a recovery position

Training on these policies must be implemented by July 1, 2026.

Civil Liability Protections

• Under § 18-1-704.5 (Make My Day Law), occupants using justified force against intruders are immune from civil liability.
• Under C.R.S. § 13-80-119, there are limitations on civil suits against persons using physical force in defense of a person or to prevent the commission of a felony.

Important Notes for Concealed Carry Holders

1. Reasonableness standard: All use of force is judged by what a reasonable person would believe under the totality of the circumstances.
2. Proportionality: Deadly force is only justified when a lesser degree of force is believed to be inadequate.
3. No duty to retreat: Colorado does not require retreat before using force in self-defense, unless you are the initial aggressor.
4. Initial aggressor exception: If you provoke or initiate the confrontation, you must withdraw and communicate your withdrawal before claiming self-defense.
5. Defense of property alone: Deadly force is generally not justified solely to protect property - it must be in defense of a person.
6. Make My Day protections: Apply only within a dwelling and require an unlawful entry plus additional conditions.

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Federal context

N.Y. State Rifle & Pistol Ass'n v. Bruen (2022) and United States v. Rahimi (2024). Bruen, 597 U.S. 1 (2022), established the historical-tradition test for Second Amendment claims. Rahimi, 602 U.S. ___ (2024), then applied Bruen to uphold the federal domestic-violence-restraining-order firearm prohibition at 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8), confirming that not every firearm disability fails Bruen's test. Practitioners advising on use of force or firearm-disability questions should be familiar with both cases.

Castle Doctrine & Stand Your Ground Laws in Colorado

Stand Your Ground (No Duty to Retreat)

Colorado follows a "no duty to retreat" doctrine. Under Colorado law, a person who is not the initial aggressor has no obligation to retreat before using physical force, including deadly force, in self-defense.

Key Statute: C.R.S. § 18-1-704 - Use of Physical Force in Defense of a Person

Use of Physical Force (§ 18-1-704(1))

A person is justified in using physical force upon another person to defend himself or a third person from what he reasonably believes to be the use or imminent use of unlawful physical force by that other person, and may use a degree of force which he reasonably believes to be necessary for that purpose.

Use of Deadly Force (§ 18-1-704(2))

Deadly physical force may be used only if a person reasonably believes a lesser degree of force is inadequate and:

• (a) The actor has reasonable ground to believe, and does believe, that he or another person is in imminent danger of being killed or of receiving great bodily injury; or
• (b) The other person is using or reasonably appears about to use physical force against an occupant of a dwelling or business establishment while committing or attempting to commit burglary (C.R.S. §§ 18-4-202 to 18-4-204); or
• (c) The other person is committing or reasonably appears about to commit kidnapping (C.R.S. § 18-3-301 or 18-3-302), robbery (C.R.S. § 18-4-301 or 18-4-302), sexual assault (C.R.S. § 18-3-402 or 18-3-403), or assault (C.R.S. §§ 18-3-202 and 18-3-203).

When Self-Defense Is NOT Justified (§ 18-1-704(3))

A person is not justified in using physical force if:

• (a) With intent to cause bodily injury or death, the person provokes the use of unlawful physical force by the other person; or
• (b) The person is the initial aggressor - except that the use of force becomes justifiable if the initial aggressor withdraws from the encounter and effectively communicates the intent to do so, but the other person nevertheless continues or threatens unlawful physical force; or
• (c) The physical force involved is the product of combat by agreement not specifically authorized by law.

Important: Only an "initial aggressor" has a duty to retreat before using physical force in self-defense. All other persons (non-aggressors) have no duty to retreat, even if they could safely do so. This principle was affirmed by the Colorado Supreme Court in People v. Toler (2000) and Idrogo v. People, 818 P.2d 752 (Colo. 1991).

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Castle Doctrine (C.R.S. § 18-1-704.5 - "Make My Day" Law)

Colorado's Castle Doctrine, commonly known as the "Make My Day" law, provides strong protections for occupants of dwellings.

Key Provisions:

1. Legislative Intent: The General Assembly recognizes that the citizens of Colorado have a right to expect absolute safety within their own homes.

2. Justified Use of Force: Any occupant of a dwelling is justified in using any degree of physical force, including deadly physical force, against another person when:

   • That other person has made an unlawful entry into the dwelling; and
   • The occupant has a reasonable belief that such other person has committed a crime in the dwelling in addition to the uninvited entry, or is committing or intends to commit a crime against a person or property in addition to the uninvited entry; and
   • The occupant reasonably believes that such other person might use any physical force, no matter how slight, against any occupant.

3. Criminal Immunity: Any occupant using physical force (including deadly force) in accordance with this statute shall be immune from criminal prosecution for the use of such force.

4. Civil Immunity: Any occupant using physical force (including deadly force) in accordance with this statute shall be immune from any civil liability for injuries or death resulting from the use of such force.

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Defense of Premises (C.R.S. § 18-1-705)

A person in possession or control of any building, realty, or other premises, or a person who is licensed or privileged to be thereon, is justified in using reasonable and appropriate physical force upon another person when and to the extent that it is reasonably necessary to prevent or terminate what he reasonably believes to be the commission or attempted commission of an unlawful trespass by the other person.

• Deadly force may be used in defense of premises only:
  • In defense of himself or another as described in C.R.S. § 18-1-704; or
  • When the person reasonably believes it necessary to prevent what he reasonably believes to be an attempt by the trespasser to commit first degree arson.

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Key Legal Precedent

• People v. Toler (2000), No. 98SC858 - The Colorado Supreme Court held that a person does not have to "retreat to the wall" before using deadly force in self-defense, unless the person was the "initial aggressor" in the encounter. The Court confirmed that neither C.R.S. § 18-1-704 nor Colorado caselaw deprives a person of the right to use physical force in self-defense based upon where that person is located at the time of the encounter.

• Idrogo v. People, 818 P.2d 752 (Colo. 1991) - The Court rejected the argument that a duty to retreat arises before a defendant may use deadly force in self-defense, confirming that § 18-1-704(2) "contains no language reflecting any intention by the General Assembly to revive the doctrine of retreat."

• Boykin v. People, 22 Colo. 496 (1896) - Colorado adopted the "no duty to retreat" rule as part of its common law.

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Summary for Concealed Carry Permit Holders

Colorado Duty to Inform Law Enforcement

The Headline

Colorado has no statutory duty to inform. Nothing in C.R.S. 18-12-105 (unlawfully carrying a concealed weapon) or in Part 2 of Article 12 (permits to carry concealed handguns) requires you to volunteer that you are armed when a law enforcement officer walks up to your car window or stops you on the street.

Colorado also has no statutory duty to answer. There is no provision in the scraped statutes that obligates you to say yes when an officer asks "are you armed."

What Colorado does have is a duty to carry and produce. Under C.R.S. 18-12-204(2)(a), a permittee "shall carry the permit, together with valid photo identification, at all times during which the permittee is in actual possession of a concealed handgun and shall produce both documents upon demand by a law enforcement officer." That is the whole obligation at a stop. It is triggered by the officer's demand, not by the start of the encounter, and it is satisfied by handing over two pieces of paper, not by making a statement.

Colorado does impose reporting duties, but they run to the sheriff who issued your permit, not to the officer in front of you. C.R.S. 18-12-210 sets those deadlines and they are covered below. And there is exactly one statute in this archive that compels you to let an officer physically inspect a firearm, C.R.S. 33-6-125, which reaches the chamber of a rifle or shotgun in a motor vehicle and no handgun at all.

Treat those as separate rules. Confusing the carry-and-produce duty with a duty to inform is the most common mistake students make about Colorado.

What 18-12-204(2)(a) Actually Requires

The statute sets out one requirement, one evidentiary consequence, one penalty, and one escape hatch:

• Carry both documents. The permit and valid photo identification must be on you at all times while you are in actual possession of a concealed handgun.
• Produce both on demand. A law enforcement officer's demand triggers the obligation. Produce the permit and the photo ID, both.
• Failure to produce creates a presumption against you. "Failure to produce a permit upon demand by a law enforcement officer raises a rebuttable presumption that the person does not have a permit." Rebuttable means you can defeat it, but the burden shifts.
• The penalty is a petty offense. "Failure to carry and produce a permit and valid photo identification upon demand as required in this subsection (2) is a petty offense."
• The charge must be dismissed if you show the court your paperwork. A charge under subsection (2) "shall be dismissed by the court if, at or before the permittee's scheduled court appearance, the permittee exhibits to the court a valid permit and valid photo identification, both of which were issued to the permittee prior to the date on which the permittee was charged." Both documents have to predate the charge. You cannot cure a missing permit by applying for one after the stop.

By C.R.S. 18-12-204(2)(b), all of this applies equally to a temporary emergency permit issued under C.R.S. 18-12-209.

Carrying Without a Permit Under 18-12-204(3)

The same statute that creates the carry-and-produce duty also describes two situations in which a person carries a handgun with no permit at all. C.R.S. 18-12-204(3)(a) says a person who may lawfully possess a handgun may carry one "without obtaining a permit and the handgun shall not be considered concealed" when:

• (3)(a)(I) In a private conveyance. "The handgun is in the possession of a person who is in a private automobile or in some other private means of conveyance and who carries the handgun for a legal use, including self-defense."
• (3)(a)(II) While lawfully hunting. "The handgun is in the possession of a person who is legally engaged in hunting activities within the state."

C.R.S. 18-12-204(3)(b) limits both: the subsection "shall not be construed to authorize the carrying of a handgun in violation of the provisions of section 18-12-105 or 18-12-105.5." So (3) is not a license to carry into a school, a college, or a child care center covered by 18-12-105.5, and it does not authorize anything 18-12-105 forbids.

The consequence for this section is direct. A person carrying under 18-12-204(3) has no permit, so the produce-on-demand duty in 18-12-204(2)(a) does not attach. That duty runs to "the permittee," and what it commands is that the permittee carry and produce "the permit." Someone who was never issued a permit has no document the subsection (2) duty can reach and cannot commit the petty offense it creates. Note that 18-12-105(2)(b) reaches the same private-conveyance ground from the other direction, by making it not an offense under 18-12-105 to carry a weapon in a private automobile or other private means of conveyance for lawful protection while traveling.

One question the statute leaves open: a person who does hold a permit and who is carrying in a private automobile is, by the terms of (3)(a), carrying a handgun that "shall not be considered concealed." Whether that person is still "in actual possession of a concealed handgun" for purposes of the (2)(a) duty is not addressed in the scraped text. The safe practice is to carry the permit and photo ID anyway.

What You Must Report to the Issuing Sheriff

C.R.S. 18-12-210 is titled "Maintenance of permit - address change - invalidity of permit," and it creates two reporting duties. Neither one is owed to the officer at a stop. Both are owed to the sheriff who issued the permit.

The penalty is stated in the same subsection: "Failure to notify the sheriff pursuant to this subsection (1) is a civil infraction."

Then the part that matters more than the deadline. Under C.R.S. 18-12-210(2), "If a permit is lost, stolen, or destroyed, the permit is automatically invalid." Invalidity is automatic. It does not wait for a sheriff's determination, a hearing, or the end of the three-business-day reporting window. The replacement route is in the next sentence: "The person to whom the permit was issued may obtain a duplicate or substitute therefor upon payment of fifteen dollars to the issuing sheriff and upon submission of a notarized statement to the issuing sheriff that the permit has been lost, stolen, or destroyed."

Read 18-12-210(2) next to 18-12-204(2)(a) and the practical problem is obvious. The 204(2)(a) duty is to carry and produce a valid permit on demand. Once a permit is lost, stolen, or destroyed it is automatically invalid, so there is nothing valid to produce until the fifteen-dollar duplicate issues. In that gap an officer's demand meets no permit, and 18-12-204(2)(a) says: "Failure to produce a permit upon demand by a law enforcement officer raises a rebuttable presumption that the person does not have a permit."

The scraped text does not say whether a duplicate issued under 18-12-210(2) satisfies the 18-12-204(2)(a) dismissal condition, which requires the permittee to exhibit to the court "a valid permit and valid photo identification, both of which were issued to the permittee prior to the date on which the permittee was charged." A duplicate issued after the charge date replaces an original that predates it. Whether a court treats the duplicate's issue date or the original's as controlling is not resolved in the statutes in this archive. Do not plan on the answer. Report the loss inside three business days and pay for the duplicate.

C.R.S. 18-12-210(3) extends the entire section to temporary emergency permits issued under C.R.S. 18-12-209.

Two things 18-12-210 is not. It is not the lost or stolen firearm reporting statute, which is C.R.S. 18-12-113 with a five-day deadline, covered below. And it is not a general change-of-residence rule: the trigger the statute states is a change to "the address specified on his or her permit," which the statute does not further define.

The history line for 18-12-210 records the part added by L. 2003 effective May 17 of that year, and subsection (1) amended by SB 21-271, ch. 462, section 350, effective March 1, 2022.

The Officer Can Disarm You During a Stop

C.R.S. 18-12-214(1)(b) is the other statute that matters at a traffic stop: "A peace officer may temporarily disarm a permittee, incident to a lawful stop of the permittee. The peace officer shall return the handgun to the permittee prior to discharging the permittee from the scene."

Two things follow. The officer does not need your consent to take the handgun for the duration of a lawful stop. And the officer is required to give it back before you leave. If a stop ends without your handgun being returned, that is not what the statute contemplates.

The One Duty to Let an Officer Inspect: C.R.S. 33-6-125

Exactly one statute in this archive compels affirmative cooperation with an officer, and it is not in the criminal code's firearms article. It is in the wildlife title. C.R.S. 33-6-125, "Possession of a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle," does two things:

1. A chamber must be unloaded. "It is unlawful for any person, except a person authorized by law or by the division, to possess or have under the person's control any firearm, other than a pistol or revolver, in or on any motor vehicle unless the chamber of the firearm is unloaded." Handguns are carved out by name. The rule reaches every firearm "other than a pistol or revolver."
2. You must allow the inspection. "Any person in possession or in control of a rifle or shotgun in a motor vehicle shall allow any peace officer who is empowered and acting under the authority granted in section 33-6-101 to enforce articles 1 to 6 of this title 33 to inspect the chamber of any rifle or shotgun in the motor vehicle."

Read the second duty narrowly. It is a duty to allow inspection of the chamber of a rifle or shotgun in a motor vehicle. It is not a duty to inform, it is not a duty to answer questions, and it does not reach a handgun. The officer it names is a peace officer empowered under C.R.S. 33-6-101 to enforce articles 1 through 6 of title 33, which is a wildlife-enforcement authority rather than every law enforcement officer in the state.

The penalty is fixed in the statute: "Any person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of one hundred dollars and an assessment of fifteen license suspension points."

The statute also supplies its own loaded-or-not rule for muzzle-loaders. A "muzzle-loader" is unloaded "if it is not primed," and "primed" means "having a percussion cap on the nipple or flint in the striker and powder in the flash pan."

C.R.S. 33-6-125 was amended by HB 19-1026, effective July 1, 2019.

What This Means at an Actual Stop

The statutory duties reduce to a short sequence:

1. Have your permit and a valid photo ID on your person before you carry, not in the glovebox with the registration.
2. If the officer demands the permit, produce the permit and the photo ID together.
3. Expect the possibility of a temporary disarm under 18-12-214(1)(b), and expect the handgun back before you are released from the scene.
4. If you have a rifle or shotgun in the vehicle, its chamber must be unloaded, and a wildlife peace officer may inspect that chamber under 33-6-125.
5. Off the roadside, keep the sheriff current: thirty days for an address change on the permit, three business days for a lost, stolen, or destroyed permit, under 18-12-210(1).

Volunteering that you are armed is a personal choice. It is not a Colorado legal requirement, and this section does not treat it as one.

What the Statutes Do Not Say

Being clear about the gaps matters as much as the rules:

• Lying to an officer. The scraped Colorado sources do not include a false-statement or obstruction statute, so this section does not cite one. "No duty to answer" is not the same thing as permission to give a false answer. Confirm the current state of Colorado's general false-statement and obstruction law before relying on this distinction.
• Passengers, body cameras, and roadside recording. No scraped Colorado source addresses these, so this section makes no claim about them.
• Notification duties owed to someone other than the officer in front of you. An earlier version of this page said the statutes impose none. That was wrong, and the correction is above: C.R.S. 18-12-210(1) requires notice to the issuing sheriff, and C.R.S. 18-12-113(1)(a)(I) requires a lost or stolen firearm report to a law enforcement agency. What no scraped Colorado source addresses is any duty to notify a private party, such as an employer, a landlord, or a school, so this section makes no claim in either direction on that.
• Federal buildings and school zones. C.R.S. 18-12-214(2) excludes places where carrying is prohibited by federal law, but this section does not work through the federal provisions themselves. See the Prohibited Places section.

Out-of-State Permit Holders Owe the Same Duty

C.R.S. 18-12-213(1) makes an out-of-state permit "valid in this state in all respects as a permit issued pursuant to this part 2" when the permit was issued to a person who is 21 or older and who is either a resident of the issuing state, "as demonstrated by the address stated on a valid picture identification that is issued by the state that issued the permit and is carried by the permit holder," or a resident of Colorado for no more than ninety days as shown by a Colorado picture ID carried by the holder. Reciprocity runs only to states that recognize Colorado permits.

Because the out-of-state permit is valid "in all respects" as a Colorado permit, the carry-and-produce duty in 18-12-204(2)(a) travels with it. C.R.S. 18-12-213(2) also defines what counts: "valid picture identification" means a driver's license or a state identification issued in lieu of a driver's license.

Note that 18-12-210 speaks to "the issuing sheriff," which no out-of-state permit has. The scraped text does not say how the 18-12-210 reporting duties apply, if at all, to a recognized out-of-state permit. Report a loss to the issuing authority in your home state under that state's rules.

Who Has No Permit to Produce

C.R.S. 18-12-105(2) lists every circumstance in which carrying a concealed weapon is not an offense under that section. As scraped, the list is:

There is no military, veteran, or retired peace officer exemption in 18-12-105(2). A previous version of this page claimed one. The statute does not contain it. Subsection (2)(d) reaches a peace officer only "when carrying a weapon in conformance with the policy of the employing agency," which is a duty-status and employment condition, not a status conferred by past service. Anyone relying on military service, an honorable discharge, or a retired credential as a substitute for a Colorado permit under this statute is relying on something the statute does not say.

That correction stands. It is also narrower than it looks, and the next subsection says why.

Note also that 18-12-105(1) grades unlawfully carrying a concealed weapon as a class 1 misdemeanor. SB24-131 amended the introductory portions of subsections (1) and (2) and added (2)(b.5), effective July 1, 2024.

Where military and officer status does matter

The 18-12-105(2) list is one statute. Two other bodies of law give status-based authority that 18-12-105(2) does not, and collapsing them into the permit question is what produced the original fabrication.

C.R.S. 18-12-105.3(2), the government-buildings offense. The SB24-131 offense created by 18-12-105.3(1) does not apply to:

So an on-duty Colorado National Guard member is outside the government-buildings offense. Be precise about what that is. It is an exemption from one place-based offense, conditioned on the lawful discharge of official duties. It is not a substitute for a permit under 18-12-105, and (2)(b) does not reach a veteran or a Guard member who is off duty.

LEOSA, 18 U.S.C. 926B and 926C. Federal law gives qualified active and qualified retired law enforcement officers concealed carry authority that does not run through Colorado's permit scheme at all. Both sections open the same way: "Notwithstanding any other provision of the law of any State or any political subdivision thereof, an individual who is a qualified law enforcement officer" (926C: "qualified retired law enforcement officer") "and who is carrying the identification required by subsection (d) may carry a concealed firearm that has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce, subject to subsection (b)."

Two features of that sentence matter to this section.

• LEOSA has its own carry-and-produce discipline. The authority is conditioned on "carrying the identification required by subsection (d)." For an active officer, 926B(d) requires "the photographic identification issued by the governmental agency for which the individual is employed that identifies the employee as a police officer or law enforcement officer of the agency." For a retired officer, 926C(d) requires agency photographic identification, either carrying its own current qualification indicator under (d)(1) or paired with a state or certified-instructor qualification certification under (d)(2). Without the credential on your person the federal authority does not apply, which is functionally the same rule as 18-12-204(2)(a): the document has to be on you.
• LEOSA does not clear state, local, or private property restrictions. 18 U.S.C. 926B(b) and 926C(b) each say the section "shall not be construed to supersede or limit the laws of any State that" (1) "permit private persons or entities to prohibit or restrict the possession of concealed firearms on their property" or (2) "prohibit or restrict the possession of firearms on any State or local government property, installation, building, base, or park." Colorado's government-buildings rule, screened-building exclusion, K-12 rule, and local-ordinance authority all sit inside that carve-out, as does the private property reservation in 18-12-214(5).

The archive's copy of both federal sections is the Cornell LII mirror, which is tagged in _sources/ as a secondary-tier source rather than a primary government one. Confirm the operative text against the U.S. Code before relying on it in class.

None of this rescues the original claim. There is still no 18-12-105(2) exemption for a veteran or for a retired peace officer as such. What exists is a place-based exemption in 18-12-105.3(2) tied to official duties, and a separate federal authority in 926B and 926C that requires a qualifying agency credential in hand.

An ambiguity worth flagging

Subsections (2)(b.5) and (2)(c) of 18-12-105 pull in opposite directions and the statute does not reconcile them.

Subsection (2)(b.5) says it is not an offense under 18-12-105 if the defendant was "carrying a concealed firearm at a specific location in violation of section 1-13-724, 18-12-105.3, or 18-12-105.5." Read plainly, that channels place-based violations into the place-based statute instead of stacking a concealed-carry charge on top.

Subsection (2)(c) says the permit exemption does not apply, and it is an offense under 18-12-105, if the person was "carrying a concealed handgun in violation of the provisions of section 18-12-214." But 18-12-214(3.5) defines carrying in violation of 214 partly by reference to 18-12-105.5, 18-12-105.3, and 1-13-724, the same three statutes (2)(b.5) carves out.

The scraped text does not resolve which subsection controls for a permit holder who carries into one of those locations. Do not teach a confident answer here. Treat carrying into a prohibited location as exposing you to charges under the place-based statute and possibly under 18-12-105 as well.

Where a Permit Does Not Authorize Carry

The permit is not a statewide pass. C.R.S. 18-12-214(1)(a) grants authority to carry concealed "in all areas of the state, except as specifically limited in this section." The limits, as scraped:

• Federal-law places are excluded by 18-12-214(2).
• Places prohibited by local ordinance, resolution, rule, or regulation are excluded by 18-12-214(2.5).
• Public K-12 school property is excluded by 18-12-214(3), except that the handgun may stay in the permittee's vehicle (and must be stored under 18-12-114.5 if the vehicle is left unattended), except for a permittee employed or retained by contract as a school security officer while on duty, and except on undeveloped school district land used for hunting or other shooting sports.
• Child care centers, colleges, universities, and seminaries in violation of 18-12-105.5, government buildings in violation of 18-12-105.3, and polling locations, drop boxes, and central count facilities in violation of 1-13-724 are excluded by 18-12-214(3.5).
• Screened public buildings are excluded by 18-12-214(4), where security personnel and electronic weapons screening are permanently in place at each entrance, each person entering is electronically screened, and anyone carrying a weapon must leave it with security.
• Local government and higher education buildings or specific areas may be closed to permittees under 18-12-214(1)(c)(I). Those rules may impose only a civil penalty plus an order to leave, capped at fifty dollars with no incarceration for a first offense. Refusing to leave can carry criminal penalties. Signs must be posted at the public entrances under 18-12-214(1)(c)(II).
• Private property is untouched. C.R.S. 18-12-214(5) says nothing in part 2 limits the existing rights of a private property owner, private tenant, private employer, or private business entity.

By 18-12-214(6), these provisions also apply to temporary emergency permits issued under 18-12-209.

SB24-131 changed the map on July 1, 2024

SB24-131 was approved by the Governor on May 31, 2024 and took effect July 1, 2024. It created C.R.S. 18-12-105.3, which prohibits knowingly carrying a firearm, loaded or unloaded, in state legislative buildings, local government governing-body buildings, and courthouses or other buildings used for court proceedings, including their adjacent parking areas. Violation is a class 1 misdemeanor under 18-12-105.3(3).

Two carve-outs matter to permit holders. C.R.S. 18-12-105.3(2)(e) lets a permit holder carry a concealed handgun in the adjacent parking area of a listed location, not inside the building. C.R.S. 18-12-105.3(5) preserves securely storing a firearm in a vehicle as required by state law at such a location. A local government may permit carry at its own governing-body buildings under 18-12-105.3(4)(b).

SB24-131 also converted the election-location rule from an open-carry prohibition into a prohibition on carrying "in any manner," and exempted members of the general assembly from the state legislative building prohibition until January 5, 2025. For the full location list, see the Prohibited Places section.

Lost or Stolen Firearms: the Reporting Statute Is 18-12-113

Do not confuse this with a lost or stolen permit. That is C.R.S. 18-12-210, three business days to the issuing sheriff, and the permit goes automatically invalid. What follows is the rule for a lost or stolen firearm.

A previous version of this page cited C.R.S. 18-12-114 for lost and stolen firearm reporting. That is the wrong statute. C.R.S. 18-12-114 is "Secure firearm storage required." The reporting statute is C.R.S. 18-12-113, "Failure to report a lost or stolen firearm," known and citable as the Isabella Joy Thallas Act under 18-12-113(6).

What 18-12-113 requires:

1. Report within five days. An owner with reasonable cause to believe a firearm has been lost or stolen "shall report such fact to a law enforcement agency not more than five days after discovering that the firearm has been lost or stolen."
2. Describe the firearm. The report must include, and the receiving agency must request, an accurate and detailed description: manufacturer, model, serial number, caliber, and any other identification number or distinguishing mark, to the extent known.
3. A family member or co-resident may report instead. Under 18-12-113(1)(a)(II), a member of the owner's family or a person who resides with the owner may make the report. If they do, the owner is not required to report. Making that report is not an acknowledgment of ownership for any other purpose.
4. Report a recovery too. Under 18-12-113(1)(b), anyone who finds or recovers a previously reported firearm must report the recovery to the agency that received the original report.

Penalties under 18-12-113(2):

Three more details from the statute. Licensed gun dealers, as defined in C.R.S. 18-12-506, are excluded by 18-12-113(3). The receiving agency must enter available descriptive information into the Colorado Bureau of Investigation crime information center database within five days, under 18-12-113(4). And under 18-12-113(5), a person who reports a lost or stolen firearm is immune from criminal prosecution for a storage offense in part 1 and from the civil infraction of unlawful storage of a firearm in a vehicle described in C.R.S. 18-12-114.5.

C.R.S. 18-12-113 was added by SB 21-078 effective September 7, 2021. Subsection (5) was amended by HB 24-1348 effective January 1, 2025.

A Note on Purchase Age

SB23-169 raised the legal age to purchase a firearm in Colorado to twenty-one. It was approved by the Governor on April 28, 2023 and took effect August 7, 2023. Unlawful purchase by a person under 21 is a class 2 misdemeanor, and it is unlawful for a licensed or unlicensed gun dealer to facilitate such a sale. The bill summary lists exceptions for active members of the United States armed forces and for peace officers or persons certified by the P.O.S.T. board.

This is a purchase rule. It creates no disclosure duty, and it does not change the concealed handgun permit age, which was already twenty-one. The scraped archive contains no source on the litigation history of SB23-169, so this section makes no claim about its current enforcement status. Verify before relying on it.

Quick Reference

Statutes Cited

Carrying a Firearm Under the Influence in Colorado

Statutory Prohibition

Under C.R.S. § 18-12-106(1)(d), a person commits a class 2 misdemeanor if:

"The person has in his or her possession a firearm while the person is under the influence of intoxicating liquor or of a controlled substance, as defined in section 18-18-102(5)."

Key Legal Points

Concealed Carry Permit Is Not a Defense

Possession of a concealed carry permit issued pursuant to Part 2 of Article 12 (or a temporary emergency permit) is not a defense to a violation of this subsection. The statute explicitly states:

"Possession of a permit issued under section 18-12-105.1, as it existed prior to its repeal, or possession of a permit or a temporary emergency permit issued pursuant to part 2 of this article is no defense to a violation of this subsection (1)."

Strict Liability Offense

Colorado courts have held that possession of a firearm while intoxicated is a strict liability offense. In People v. Wilson, 972 P.2d 701 (Colo. App. 1998), the court ruled that the trial court did not err in refusing to instruct the jury that "knowingly" was an element of the offense.

Definition of "Possession"

The common sense definition of "possession" as used in C.R.S. § 18-12-106(1)(d) is the actual or physical control of a firearm. (People v. Garcia, 197 Colo. 550, 595 P.2d 228 (1979))

"Under the Influence" Standard

The statute does not specifically define "under the influence of intoxicating liquor" for purposes of this section. However, in People v. Beckett, 782 P.2d 812 (Colo. App. 1989), aff'd, 800 P.2d 74 (Colo. 1990), the court found that the failure to define "under the influence of intoxicating liquor" was harmless error where the defendant testified he was too drunk to drive.

Additionally, in People v. Koper, 2018 COA 137, the court held that the trial court did not err in rejecting defendant's jury instructions and expert testimony regarding blood alcohol content inferences and presumptions, as those are not incorporated under the prohibited possession of a firearm statute (i.e., the DUI BAC presumptions do not automatically apply to this firearms offense).

Self-Defense Is Not a Valid Defense

Self-defense is not a valid defense to the crime of prohibited use of weapons under this statute. (People v. Beckett, 782 P.2d 812 (Colo. App. 1989), aff'd, 800 P.2d 74 (Colo. 1990))

Substances Covered

The prohibition applies to being under the influence of:

• Intoxicating liquor (alcohol)
• A controlled substance as defined in C.R.S. § 18-18-102(5)

Constitutional Considerations

The Colorado Supreme Court has upheld this statute, finding that:

• The section is neither unconstitutionally overbroad nor unconstitutionally vague. (People v. Garcia, 197 Colo. 550, 595 P.2d 228)
• The right to bear arms is not absolute and can be restricted by the state's valid exercise of its police power. (People v. Garcia, 197 Colo. 550, 595 P.2d 228 (1979))

Penalty

Violation of C.R.S. § 18-12-106(1)(d) is a class 2 misdemeanor.

Summary for Concealed Carry Permit Holders

• It is illegal to possess a firearm while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance in Colorado.
• Having a valid concealed carry permit does not exempt you from this law.
• This is a strict liability offense - no specific mental state (mens rea) regarding intoxication is required.
• Self-defense is not an available defense to this charge.
• DUI-related BAC presumptions do not directly apply to this firearms statute.

Colorado Weapon Restrictions for Concealed Carry Permit Holders

Prohibited Weapons

Under Colorado law, certain weapons are classified as illegal or restricted:

• Dangerous weapons include items such as machine guns, short rifles, short shotguns, ballistic knives, and rapid-fire devices (C.R.S. 18-12-102)
• Throwing stars and nunchaku are prohibited in public places except for authorized public demonstrations, exhibitions, or organized school/class instruction. When transporting for these purposes, they must be in a closed, non-accessible container (C.R.S. 18-12-106(1)(e))

Large-Capacity Magazine Prohibition

• House Bill 13-1224 prohibits the sale, transfer, and possession of "large-capacity ammunition magazines" in Colorado (Part 3 of Article 12, added effective July 1, 2013)
• Violation of the large-capacity magazine prohibition is a class 1 misdemeanor under C.R.S. 18-12-302(1)(a) (raised from a class 2 misdemeanor by SB25-003, effective April 10, 2025)
• The offense becomes a class 6 felony if the person possessed the large-capacity magazine during the commission of a felony or any crime of violence as defined in C.R.S. 18-1.3-406 (C.R.S. 18-12-302(1)(c))

Grandfather Clause for Magazines Owned Before July 1, 2013

C.R.S. 18-12-302(2) creates a possession exception for pre-ban magazines. You may lawfully possess a large-capacity magazine if you:

1. Owned the magazine on July 1, 2013, and
2. Maintained continuous possession of it since then

Both conditions must hold. There is no registration, permit, or paperwork attached to the exception.

The burden is on the prosecution. Under C.R.S. 18-12-302(2)(b), once a person charged under subsection (1) asserts that the grandfather exception applies, the prosecution has the burden of proof to refute the assertion. The defendant does not have to prove ownership on July 1, 2013.

Semiautomatic Firearms Restrictions (SB25-003)

Signed by Governor: April 10, 2025 Effective Date: April 10, 2025 (the prohibition on manufacture/sale/purchase took effect August 1, 2026 and is now in force)

Statute: C.R.S. 18-12-116. For the full purchase process, course tiers, instructor requirements, penalties, and pending litigation, see the SB25-003 section of this guide.

• "Specified semiautomatic firearm" is defined as a semiautomatic rifle or semiautomatic shotgun with a detachable magazine, or a gas-operated semiautomatic handgun with a detachable magazine (certain models and types are excluded, including .22 or lower rimfire-only firearms without a separate upper and lower receiver, manually operated actions, permanently fixed magazines that cannot accept more than 15 rounds, recoil-operated semiautomatic handguns, 35 named models as configured on April 10, 2025, permanently inoperable firearms, and antiques, curios, and relics) (C.R.S. 18-12-116(1)(d))
• Beginning August 1, 2026, it is prohibited to knowingly manufacture, distribute, transfer, sell, or purchase a specified semiautomatic firearm (C.R.S. 18-12-116(2))
• Possession is not restricted. The prohibition reaches manufacture, distribution, transfer, sale, and purchase only. Specified semiautomatic firearms you already own are unaffected, and there is no registration or surrender requirement
• The training exemption requires a sheriff-issued eligibility card first. To enroll in either the basic or the extended firearms safety course, you must already hold a valid firearms safety course eligibility card issued by your county sheriff (C.R.S. 18-12-116(5)(a)(II) and (5)(b)). To get the card you submit an application on a CPW form with attestations, a government-issued photo ID, and the results of a third-party name-based background check of national and Colorado criminal history and judicial databases, plus the card fee (the sheriff's processing fee, which varies by county, plus the $52 CPW firearms training and safety course record fee, which is not refunded if the application is denied). The card is valid 5 years. A sheriff shall issue the card unless the applicant cannot lawfully possess a firearm or cannot be positively identified, and may deny it if documented previous behavior gives the sheriff a reasonable belief that the applicant would present a danger to themself or others. Denials and revocations carry written notice and judicial review under C.R.C.P. 106(a)(4) and (b), with the sheriff bearing the burden of proof
• Concealed handgun permit background checks and CCW training courses are not reciprocal with the Firearms Safety Program. Your Colorado CHP does not substitute for the eligibility card or the course
• Exceptions include:
  • Transfers to individuals in another state or to federally licensed firearm dealers
  • Transactions involving law enforcement agencies and peace officers
  • Department of corrections, armored vehicle businesses, military forces, gunsmiths
  • Educational programs, historical societies, and museums
  • Transfers by operation of law or due to death
  • Firearms used solely as props for film
  • Persons who completed a hunter education course certified by the Division of Parks and Wildlife and a basic firearms safety course within 5 years before purchase
  • Persons who completed an extended firearms safety course within 5 years before purchase
• Penalties: Unlawful manufacture, distribution, transfer, sale, or purchase is a class 2 misdemeanor; a second or subsequent offense is a class 6 felony
• Rapid-fire devices are classified as dangerous weapons under Colorado law

Prohibited Use of Weapons (C.R.S. 18-12-106)

A person commits a class 2 misdemeanor if they:

• Knowingly and unlawfully aim a firearm at another person
• Recklessly or with criminal negligence discharge a firearm or shoot a bow and arrow
• Knowingly set a loaded gun, trap, or explosive device and leave it unattended
• Possess a firearm while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a controlled substance - Possession of a concealed handgun permit (CHP) is not a defense to this violation (C.R.S. 18-12-106(1)(d))

Secure Firearm Storage in a Vehicle (HB24-1348)

Signed by Governor: May 15, 2024 Effective Date: January 1, 2025

• Handguns left in an unattended vehicle must be stored in a locked hard-sided container, placed out of plain view, in a locked vehicle, locked trunk, or locked recreational vehicle
• Non-handgun firearms left in an unattended vehicle must be stored in a locked hard-sided or soft-sided container, placed out of plain view, in a locked vehicle, locked trunk, or locked recreational vehicle. If stored in a soft-sided container, a locking device must be installed on the firearm
• Persons with a disability may use a locked soft-sided container for any firearm
• Exceptions:
  • Antique firearms
  • Non-handgun firearms in vehicles used for farm or ranch operations
  • Persons who live in a vehicle or recreational vehicle
  • Peace officers and active members of the armed forces
  • Certain lawful hunting activities
• Violation is a civil infraction

Carrying Firearms in Vehicles (C.R.S. 18-12-105)

• Colorado allows a person to carry a firearm in a vehicle if its use is for lawful protection of such person or another's person or property (C.R.S. 18-12-105(2))
• A person may possess a handgun in a dwelling, place of business, or automobile; however, when carried into a home, business, hotel room, etc., it must be in plain view
• A handgun is not considered concealed when a person is in a private automobile or other private transportation (C.R.S. 18-12-105(2))
• Local jurisdictions may not enact laws that restrict a person's ability to travel with a weapon (C.R.S. 18-12-105.6)

Firearms in Vehicles - Title 33 (Wildlife)

• It is unlawful to have any firearm other than a pistol or revolver in or on any motor vehicle unless the chamber is unloaded

Prohibited Persons - State Prohibitors

The following persons are prohibited from possessing firearms under Colorado law:

• Adjudicated delinquent juveniles for a crime that would be a felony if committed as an adult - prohibited for 10 years from the felony adjudication (C.R.S. 18-12-108(3) and (4)(c))
• Persons who violate private firearms transfer background check requirements - prohibited from possessing a firearm for two years (C.R.S. 18-12-112(9)(a))
• Persons convicted of certain misdemeanor offenses on or after June 19, 2021 - prohibited for five years prior to transfer (C.R.S. 24-33.5-424(3)(b.3)), including:
  • Assault in the third degree (C.R.S. 18-3-204)
  • Sexual assault (C.R.S. 18-3-402(1)(e))
  • Unlawful sexual contact (C.R.S. 18-3-404)
  • Child abuse (C.R.S. 18-6-401)
  • Violation of a protection order (C.R.S. 18-6-803.5(1)(a) and (1)(c)(I))
  • Crime against an at-risk person (C.R.S. 18-6.5-103)
  • Harassment (C.R.S. 18-9-111(1)(a))
  • Bias-motivated crime (C.R.S. 18-9-121)
  • Cruelty to animals (C.R.S. 18-9-202(1)(a) and (1.5))
  • Possession of an illegal weapon (C.R.S. 18-12-102(4))
  • Unlawfully providing a firearm other than a handgun to a juvenile (C.R.S. 18-12-108.7(3))

Prohibited Persons - Federal Prohibitors (18 U.S.C. § 922(g))

The following persons are prohibited from shipping, transporting, receiving, or possessing firearms or ammunition:

• Persons convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1))
• Fugitives from justice (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(2))
• Unlawful users of or persons addicted to controlled substances (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3))
• Persons adjudicated as mentally defective or committed to a mental institution (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(4))
• Aliens illegally or unlawfully in the United States (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(5))
• Persons dishonorably discharged from the Armed Forces (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(6))
• Persons who have renounced U.S. citizenship (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(7))
• Persons subject to certain domestic restraining orders (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8))
• Persons convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9))
• Persons under indictment for a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year (18 U.S.C. § 922(n))

Firearms on Federal Lands in Colorado

• National Forests: Firearms may be carried but may not be discharged within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site, or occupied area; across or on a Forest Development road or adjacent body of water; or into or within any cave (36 CFR 261.10(d))
• National Parks: Firearms possession must comply with Colorado state law (16 USC 1a-7b). Firearms are prohibited in federal facilities within parks (18 USC 930)

Open Carry

• Open carry of firearms is regulated by local county and municipal authorities. There is no statewide preemption for open carry, and individuals should check local municipal codes for restrictions.

No Gun Registration

• Colorado prohibits gun registration (C.R.S. 29-11.7-102)

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Federal context

Lautenberg Amendment - 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9). A misdemeanor crime of domestic violence (MCDV) - any misdemeanor that has, as an element, the use or attempted use of physical force or the threatened use of a deadly weapon, committed against a current or former spouse, parent, guardian, person with a child in common, cohabitant, or similarly situated person - triggers a federal LIFETIME firearm-possession bar that is independent of state law. The Lautenberg disability applies even when the state-court conviction did not involve a firearm and even when no firearm-related penalty was imposed at sentencing. United States v. Rahimi (2024) confirmed the constitutionality of related federal § 922(g)(8) DV-restraining-order disabilities under the Bruen historical-tradition test.

NFA Items in Colorado

Federal NFA Framework

The National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA; 26 U.S.C. §§5801 et seq.) regulates certain categories of firearms through registration and taxation requirements. These items are commonly referred to as "NFA items" or "NFA firearms."

NFA-Regulated Items

Per 26 U.S.C. §5845, the NFA covers the following weapons:

• Short-barreled shotguns: A shotgun having a barrel or barrels of less than 18 inches in length, or a weapon made from a shotgun with an overall length of less than 26 inches or barrel(s) less than 18 inches
• Short-barreled rifles: A rifle having a barrel or barrels of less than 16 inches in length, or a weapon made from a rifle with an overall length of less than 26 inches or barrel(s) less than 16 inches
• Machine guns: Any weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger, including the frame/receiver and conversion parts (26 U.S.C. §5845(b))
• Silencers/Suppressors: Any device for silencing, muffling, or diminishing the report of a portable firearm, including any combination of parts designed or intended for use in assembling or fabricating such a device (18 U.S.C. §921(a)(24))
• Destructive devices: Bombs, grenades, rockets, mines, and firearms with barrel bores greater than one-half inch (with exceptions for sporting shotguns)
• Any Other Weapon (AOW): Weapons capable of being concealed on the person from which a shot can be discharged through the energy of an explosive (e.g., pen guns, cane guns, belt-buckle guns)

Colorado State Law on NFA Items

Colorado does not have state-level prohibitions on NFA items that are lawfully possessed under federal law. NFA items including short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, suppressors/silencers, and destructive devices may be possessed in Colorado provided they are properly registered and transferred in compliance with federal NFA requirements.

Note: Machine guns manufactured after May 19, 1986, are prohibited from transfer to civilians under the Firearms Owners' Protection Act of 1986 (18 U.S.C. §922(o)). Only machine guns lawfully possessed before that date may be transferred to private individuals.

NFA Transfer and Making Taxes

Current Law (Effective January 1, 2026 under P.L. 119-21)

P.L. 119-21 (the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act") sets a $0 tax rate for the making or transfer of all NFA firearms that are not machine guns or destructive devices. This means:

• Silencers/Suppressors: $0 transfer and making tax (effective January 1, 2026)
• Short-barreled rifles: $0 transfer and making tax (effective January 1, 2026)
• Short-barreled shotguns: $0 transfer and making tax (effective January 1, 2026)
• Any Other Weapons (AOW): $0 transfer and making tax (effective January 1, 2026)
• Machine guns: $200 transfer tax remains (making by civilians still prohibited post-1986)
• Destructive devices: $200 transfer and making tax remains

Important: P.L. 119-21 does not repeal the NFA or its implementing regulations. The following requirements remain in place:

• Special occupational tax for dealers, manufacturers, and importers
• ATF approval required prior to making or transferring NFA firearms
• Background check requirements for purchasers
• Registration of NFA firearms in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR)
• Criminal penalties for possessing an unregistered NFA firearm (26 U.S.C. §5861)

Prior Tax Rates (Before P.L. 119-21)

• $200 making and transfer tax for most NFA firearms (established in 1934, never increased)
• $5 transfer tax for items classified as "any other weapon"

NFA Registration and Transfer Process

To acquire an NFA firearm in Colorado, individuals must:

1. Complete ATF Form 4 (Application for Tax Paid Transfer and Registration of Firearm) for transfers, or ATF Form 1 for making an NFA firearm
2. Submit photographs and fingerprints to ATF for identity verification
3. Undergo a background check through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS)
4. Receive ATF approval before taking possession of the NFA firearm
5. The approved application serves as the registrant's proof of registration and must be made available to any ATF officer upon request

Tax-Exempt Transfers

Certain NFA firearm transfers are tax-exempt under 26 U.S.C. §§5852-5853, including:

• Transfers to a lawful heir from an estate
• Transfers between federal firearms licensees who are also Special Occupational Taxpayers (SOTs)
• Transfers of unserviceable firearms (incapable of discharging a shot and incapable of being readily restored to firing condition)
• Transfers to or from government entities

Tax-exempt transfers use ATF Form 5 (Application for Tax Exempt Transfer and Registration of Firearm).

Persons Prohibited from Possessing NFA Firearms

The same categories of prohibited persons under 18 U.S.C. §922(g) apply to NFA firearms. Prohibited persons include those who:

• Have been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year
• Are fugitives from justice
• Are unlawful users of or addicted to controlled substances
• Have been adjudicated as mentally defective or committed to a mental institution
• Are illegal aliens
• Have been dishonorably discharged from the Armed Forces
• Have renounced U.S. citizenship
• Are subject to certain domestic violence restraining orders
• Have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence

Interstate Movement

If the NFA firearm is a machine gun, short-barreled rifle, short-barreled shotgun, or destructive device, the registrant may be required by 18 U.S.C. §922(a)(4) to obtain permission from ATF prior to any transportation in interstate or foreign commerce.

Penalties for NFA Violations

Any person who violates or fails to comply with any NFA requirement shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than 10 years, or both. Any firearm involved in a violation is subject to seizure and forfeiture.

Pending Legislation

• H.R. 2395 (SHORT Act) - Introduced March 27, 2025, in the 119th Congress. This bill would remove short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and "any other weapons" from the NFA definition of "firearm" entirely, leaving only machine guns, silencers, and destructive devices regulated under the NFA. The bill would also preempt state and local taxes and registration requirements on short-barreled rifles and shotguns, and require destruction of related NFRTR records within 365 days. Status: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee on the Judiciary.

• NFA Constitutional Challenges - Following enactment of P.L. 119-21, lawsuits have been filed challenging the constitutionality of NFA registration requirements for untaxed firearms, arguing that without the tax, the NFA's registration provisions lack constitutional authority under the Taxing Clause and violate the Second Amendment. These cases are in early stages as of September 2025.

Special Occupational Tax (SOT)

To deal in NFA firearms, an individual must hold both a Federal Firearms License (FFL) under the Gun Control Act and pay a Special Occupational Tax under the NFA:

• Class I (Importers): $1,000/year (reduced rate for gross receipts under $500,000)
• Class II (Manufacturers): $1,000/year (reduced rate for gross receipts under $500,000)
• Class III (Dealers): $500/year
• FFL license fee for NFA dealers: $3,000 initial and renewal every three years

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Federal context

Bump stocks - Garland v. Cargill (2024). In Garland v. Cargill, 602 U.S. ___ (2024), the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal regulation classifying bump stocks as machineguns under the National Firearms Act. As a matter of FEDERAL law, bump stocks are no longer NFA-regulated. State law may still independently restrict bump stocks; consult your state's RESTRICTIONS section for any state-level bump-stock prohibition.

P.L. 119-21 NFA tax (2026). Effective January 1, 2026, P.L. 119-21 (the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed July 4, 2025) reduced the federal NFA making and transfer tax to $0 for silencers, SBRs, SBSs, and AOWs. Machine guns and destructive devices retain the $200 tax. The federal registration requirements (Form 1 / Form 4, fingerprints, photographs, CLEO notice) remain unchanged.

Red Flag Law / Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs)

Primary Statute: Article 14.5 of Title 13, C.R.S. (§ 13-14.5-101 et seq.)

Overview

Colorado's "Red Flag" law, formally known as the Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) statute, was enacted in 2019 (HB 19-1177) and expanded in 2023 (SB 23-170). An ERPO is a civil court order that prohibits a person who poses a significant risk of causing personal injury to self or others in the near future from:

• Having firearms in their custody or control
• Purchasing, possessing, or receiving any firearm

A person subject to an ERPO (the "respondent") must surrender all firearms in their possession or control. ERPOs also require the respondent to surrender any concealed carry permits.

Who May Petition for an ERPO

The following individuals or entities may file a petition requesting an ERPO (expanded by SB 23-170 in 2023 and further expanded by SB 4 in 2026):

• Family or household member of the respondent
• Law enforcement officer or agency
• Licensed medical care provider
• Licensed mental health-care provider
• Licensed educator
• District attorney
• Co-responders (added 2026 by SB 4)
• Health-care facilities and behavioral health treatment facilities (added 2026 by SB 4)
• School districts, the state charter school institute, K-12 charter schools, and private schools (added 2026 by SB 4)
• Institutions of higher education (added 2026 by SB 4)

Temporary ERPO Process

1. No prior notice to the respondent is required to request a temporary ERPO
2. Upon filing a petition, the court must hold a hearing in person or by telephone on the same day the petition is filed, or on the next court day
3. Standard of proof: The court must find that the respondent poses a significant risk of causing personal injury to self or others in the near future
4. If the standard is met, the court shall issue a temporary ERPO

Full ERPO Hearing and Duration

1. Within 14 days after issuing a temporary ERPO, the court must:
   • Schedule a full hearing
   • Provide the respondent with notice of the hearing
   • Appoint an attorney for the respondent at the court's expense
2. If the court finds the respondent poses a significant risk of causing personal injury to self or others, it shall issue an ERPO for a period of 364 days
3. An ERPO automatically expires at the end of its term
4. An ERPO may be renewed for up to one additional year upon petition

Respondent's Right to Request Termination

• A respondent may request termination of the ERPO once during the period that the order is in effect
• The court shall terminate the ERPO if the respondent establishes that they no longer pose a significant risk of causing personal injury to self or others

Impact on Concealed Carry Permit Holders

Concealed carry permit holders subject to an ERPO must:

• Surrender their concealed carry permit for the duration of the order
• Relinquish all firearms in their possession or control
• Refrain from purchasing or possessing any firearms while the order is in effect

Related Firearm Relinquishment Provisions

Colorado law includes additional firearm prohibition provisions that may interact with ERPOs:

• Domestic violence protection orders (§ 13-14-105.5, § 18-1-1001(9)): When a protection order arises from domestic violence involving the threat, use, or attempted use of physical force, the court must prohibit firearm and ammunition possession and require relinquishment
• Criminal protection orders (§ 18-1-1001(3)): In domestic violence and Victim Rights Act cases, courts may prohibit firearm possession
• Detailed procedures for firearm relinquishment - including transfer to law enforcement, federally licensed dealers, or eligible private parties - are codified in § 18-1-1001(9)(d)-(m)

Key Distinctions

Legislative History

• 2019: HB 19-1177 - Original ERPO law enacted
• 2023: SB 23-170 - Expanded the list of individuals and entities eligible to petition for an ERPO
• 2026: SB 4 - Further expanded eligible petitioners to include co-responders, health-care and behavioral health treatment facilities, school districts, the state charter school institute, K-12 charter and private schools, and institutions of higher education

Relevant Statutes

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Federal context

United States v. Rahimi (2024). In United States v. Rahimi, 602 U.S. ___ (2024), the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the federal firearm prohibition at 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8) for persons subject to a qualifying domestic-violence restraining order, holding the federal disability survives the historical-tradition test of N.Y. State Rifle & Pistol Ass'n v. Bruen, 597 U.S. 1 (2022). Rahimi is the controlling SCOTUS authority on the constitutionality of federal firearm disabilities tied to domestic-violence findings; it bears on any state-level red-flag / ERPO analysis to the extent those frameworks borrow federal § 922(g)(8) prohibitor mechanics.

Colorado State Preemption of Firearm Laws

Historical Background

Colorado historically had a state preemption statute (C.R.S. § 29-11.7-103) that generally prohibited local governments from enacting firearms regulations that were inconsistent with or more restrictive than state law. This preemption framework was significantly altered in 2021.

SB21-256: Local Regulation of Firearms (2021)

On June 19, 2021, Governor Jared Polis signed SB21-256 into law, fundamentally changing Colorado's preemption landscape for firearms regulation.

Key Provisions of SB21-256:

• Declares that the regulation of firearms is a matter of both state and local concern, effectively removing the prior blanket state preemption.

• Permits local governments to enact ordinances, regulations, or other laws governing or prohibiting the sale, purchase, transfer, or possession of a firearm, ammunition, or firearm component or accessory.

• Floor, not ceiling: Local ordinances, regulations, or laws may not be less restrictive than state law - meaning local governments can impose stricter regulations but cannot loosen state-level requirements.

• Criminal penalty limitations: A local law may only impose a criminal penalty for a violation upon a person who knew or reasonably should have known that the person's conduct was prohibited.

Concealed Carry Provisions:

• Local governments (including special districts) and governing boards of institutions of higher education are permitted to enact ordinances, resolutions, rules, or other regulations that prohibit a concealed handgun permit holder from carrying a concealed handgun in a building or specific area within the local government's or governing board's jurisdiction.

• For special districts, the prohibition applies to buildings or specific areas under the direct control or management of the district.

• Violations of local concealed carry restrictions may only result in a civil penalty (not criminal).

• The maximum fine for a first offense is $50.

Practical Impact on Concealed Carry Permit Holders

As a result of SB21-256, concealed carry permit holders in Colorado must be aware that:

1. Firearms regulations may vary by locality. Different cities, counties, and special districts may have enacted their own firearms ordinances that are more restrictive than state law.

2. Local governments can designate specific buildings and areas as off-limits for concealed carry, even for valid permit holders.

3. Institutions of higher education may independently restrict concealed carry on their campuses.

Examples of Local Ordinances Enacted Under SB21-256

Several Colorado municipalities have enacted local firearms ordinances following the passage of SB21-256:

• City of Boulder: Has enacted gun violence prevention ordinances, including an assault weapons ban and restrictions on concealed carry in certain city properties and areas.

• City of Lafayette: The Lafayette City Council has approved firearm safety ordinances under the authority granted by SB21-256.

Other municipalities across Colorado have similarly adopted or considered local firearms regulations.

Key Statutory References

Important Notes for Permit Holders

• Check local ordinances before carrying in any Colorado municipality, as regulations now vary by jurisdiction.
• Local restrictions on concealed carry in specific buildings or areas carry only civil penalties (maximum $50 fine for first offense), not criminal penalties.
• State law remains the minimum standard - no local government may enact laws that are less restrictive than state firearms laws.
• The legal landscape continues to evolve as municipalities adopt new ordinances and legal challenges proceed through the courts.