When a mandatory protection order is issued in a domestic violence case involving the threat, use, or attempted use of physical force, the court must...
Reviewed by Will Luker, Founder of CCW Hub. USCCA Training Counselor, USCCA Certified Instructor, NRA Certified Instructor, Law Enforcement.
Resources
Additional Resources for Colorado Concealed Carry
Key State Statutes
C.R.S. Title 18, Article 12 - Offenses Relating to Firearms and Weapons (primary concealed carry statutes)
C.R.S. § 18-12-102 - Possessing a dangerous or illegal weapon (prohibited weapons and possession restrictions)
C.R.S. § 18-12-112 - Private firearms transfers (requires background check through a licensed dealer for all private sales and transfers; referenced in protection order relinquishment procedures)
C.R.S. § 18-1-1001 - Protection orders against defendants (mandatory protection order provisions, including firearm relinquishment requirements - see detailed section below)
C.R.S. § 18-6-800.3 - Definition of domestic violence
C.R.S. § 18-6-803.5 - Violation of protection orders (criminal penalties for non-compliance, including failure to relinquish firearms)
C.R.S. § 18-1.3-406 - Mandatory sentences for violent crimes - defines "crime of violence" (use or threatened use of a deadly weapon causing serious bodily injury or death), requires sentencing to the Department of Corrections at minimum the midpoint of the presumptive range. An additional consecutive 5-year sentence applies for use of a dangerous weapon or semiautomatic assault weapon (detachable magazine, 20+ round capacity) per § 18-1.3-406(7).
Firearm Relinquishment Under Protection Orders (C.R.S. § 18-1-1001(9))
When a mandatory protection order is issued in a domestic violence case involving the threat, use, or attempted use of physical force, the court must order the defendant to:
Refrain from possessing or purchasing any firearm or ammunition for the duration of the order
Relinquish all firearms and ammunition within 24 hours (excluding holidays and weekends) of being served
File a sworn affidavit within 7 business days listing all firearms (make, model, quantity, location) or attesting to non-possession
Attend a compliance hearing scheduled by the court
Relinquishment options (per § 18-1-1001(9)(d)):
Sell or transfer to a federally licensed firearms dealer (FFL)
Store with law enforcement or a contracted storage facility (agency may charge a fee not exceeding direct/indirect costs)
Transfer to a private party who may legally possess firearms - must comply with § 18-12-112 background check requirements; cannot transfer to someone living in the same residence
Key enforcement provisions:
Failure to relinquish or file the required affidavit constitutes a violation of the protection order under § 18-6-803.5(1)(c) and triggers an arrest warrant
Possessing or attempting to purchase firearms while the order is in effect is also a violation
The court may issue a search warrant if there is probable cause to believe the defendant failed to relinquish all firearms
Return of firearms requires a criminal background check through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), regardless of the storage method
Recent Legislation
Enacted Legislation
SB25-003 - Semiautomatic Firearms & Rapid-Fire Devices. Signed law, not pending. Governor Polis signed it April 10, 2025 (Session Laws of Colorado 2025, ch. 68). The act itself took effect April 10, 2025; the prohibition on manufacturing, distributing, transferring, selling, or purchasing a specified semiautomatic firearm took effect August 1, 2026 and is now in force (C.R.S. 18-12-116(2)). It also raised the large-capacity magazine offense to a class 1 misdemeanor and reclassified rapid-fire devices as dangerous weapons
HB24-1174 - Concealed Carry Permits & Training (enacted; affects CHP training requirements - Park County's CHP brochure was revised April 2025 to reflect these changes). Added C.R.S. 18-12-202.7, the sheriff instructor-verification statute, effective August 7, 2024
SB24-131 - Prohibiting Carrying Firearms in Sensitive Spaces (enacted; restricts concealed carry in designated sensitive locations)
HB22-1086 - The Vote Without Fear Act (enacted; restricts firearms at polling places and ballot drop-off locations)
Failed Legislation
HB26-1212 - Constitutional Carry of Handgun (2026 Regular Session). Listed as Lost on the General Assembly's bill page. It is dead, not pending
HB25-1164 - Constitutional Carry of Handgun (would have allowed concealed carry without a permit). Postponed indefinitely by the House Committee on State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs on February 24, 2025. It is dead, not pending
Specified Semiautomatic Firearm Resources (SB25-003, in effect since August 1, 2026)
CPW Specified Semiautomatic Firearms program page:https://cpw.state.co.us/specified-semiautomatic-firearms - the five-step customer journey, the fee schedule, course requirements, the list of verified Firearms Safety Program instructors, and the instructor Train the Trainer schedule
Firearms Safety System (FSS) application portal:https://www.coloradofss.com/ - where buyers create an account and apply for a firearms safety course eligibility card. The portal has been live since July 20, 2026. CPW's page still warns that county handling varies and some counties are not accepting applications at all, so contact your sheriff's office before submitting
Firearms Dealer Division (Colorado Department of Revenue):https://sbg.colorado.gov/firearms-dealer-division - publishes the Specified Semiautomatic Firearms Guidance model list (current version dated July 30, 2026), industry bulletins, and the statement-of-position process for determining whether a specific firearm is a specified semiautomatic firearm. Contact dor_fdd@state.co.us, (303) 205-2989
Effective July 1, 2023, this legislation requires:
Body-worn cameras for all local law enforcement officers and Colorado State Patrol (except those working in jails, administrative/civilian staff, executive detail, and courtrooms)
Activation requirements: Officers must activate cameras when responding to calls for service or initiating any public interaction for law enforcement purposes
Recording release: All recordings of incidents must be released to the public within 21 days of receiving a misconduct complaint (subject to specified privacy redactions)
Annual reporting to the Division of Criminal Justice, including all use-of-force incidents resulting in death or serious bodily injury, officer resignations during investigations, contact data, and unannounced entry data
P.O.S.T. certification: Permanent revocation for officers convicted of unlawful use of force or failure to intervene; the P.O.S.T. board maintains a searchable database of officer untruthfulness, training failures, decertifications, and terminations for cause
Use of force standards: Limits on physical and deadly force; chokeholds prohibited; duty to intervene when another officer uses unlawful force
Civil liability: Persons whose constitutional rights are violated by a peace officer may bring a civil action; qualified immunity is not a defense; officers may be personally liable for up to 5% of judgment or $25,000 if employer determines officer did not act in good faith
Protest protections: Prohibits indiscriminate discharge of kinetic impact projectiles into crowds; chemical agents require a dispersal order with sufficient time to comply
Address Change/Name Change/Lost & Stolen Form:Download PDF
Moving before permit is processed: You do not need to reapply in your new county. Submit an address change form with a note in the comments section that you have not received your permit yet, and email it to CHP@adamssheriffco.gov.
30-day requirement: Within 30 days after changing the address on your permit, you must notify the issuing Sheriff's Office by submitting a change of address form (required by state law).
Submit the Change of Address Form to the county that originally issued your permit, even if you are moving to a different county.
No charge for address changes.
No notarization required.
No new card is issued.
Moving Out of State
Submit a Change of Address Form to the issuing county.
Your permit becomes invalid once you become a resident of another state (e.g., by obtaining that state's driver's license).
You must return your permit to the issuing sheriff's office.
No charge for the address change filing.
No notarization required.
Available Forms (Varies by County)
Concealed Handgun Permit Application
Concealed Handgun Lost or Address Change Form
Address Change / Name Change / Lost & Stolen Combined Form
Alien Supplementary Questionnaire
Retired/Separated Law Enforcement Officers (LEO) Application
Instructions for Concealed Handgun Permit - Retired LEO Applicant
Example Letter from Applicant's Agency (for retired LEO)
Verified Concealed Handgun Instructor Application
Verified Concealed Handgun Instructor Information Packet
Browse local instructors offering state-approved training in your area. Book online, complete your training, and get one step closer to your concealed carry permit.