Colorado Concealed Carry Laws: What You Need to Know
Colorado law distinguishes between possessing a handgun in certain private places, openly carrying a firearm, and carrying a handgun concealed on your person. The rules also change by location. State law, federal law, and local ordinances can overlap, so a permit does not authorize carrying everywhere.
When Is a Concealed Handgun Permit Required?
A person who may lawfully possess a handgun generally may keep it in a home, place of business, or private motor vehicle for a lawful purpose without a concealed handgun permit. Carrying a handgun concealed on the person in public generally requires a valid Colorado concealed handgun permit or a qualifying permit from a reciprocal state.
Permit holders must carry both the permit and valid photo identification while actually possessing a concealed handgun and must produce them when requested by a law enforcement officer. A permit does not override separate restrictions on possession by a prohibited person or carrying in a prohibited location.
Colorado Concealed Handgun Permit Requirements
Colorado is a shall-issue state under C.R.S. § 18-12-203. A sheriff generally must issue a permit when the applicant satisfies the statutory requirements, although the sheriff may deny, suspend, or revoke a permit under circumstances defined by law.
Among other requirements, an applicant generally must be a Colorado resident, be at least 21 years old, be legally eligible to possess a firearm under state and federal law, and demonstrate handgun competence through a method recognized by statute. Applications are submitted through the applicant’s sheriff. The sheriff conducts the required background checks before issuing a permit.
Colorado permits are generally valid for five years. Training, application, renewal, and fee requirements can change, so applicants should verify the current procedure with their county sheriff before applying.
Where Is Carrying a Firearm Prohibited?
A Colorado permit is not permission to carry in every location. Federal facilities and other places restricted by federal law remain off limits. Colorado also restricts firearms in several sensitive spaces.
- State legislative buildings, certain local-government governing-body buildings, and courthouses or other buildings used for court proceedings, subject to statutory exceptions.
- Licensed child-care centers, public or private K–12 schools, vocational schools, colleges, universities, and seminaries, subject to specific exceptions that may apply to parking areas and authorized activities.
- Polling locations, central-count facilities, ballot drop boxes, and specified surrounding areas while election activity is in progress.
- Public buildings with permanent security personnel and electronic weapons screening at each public entrance.
- Any location where possession is prohibited by a valid court order or another state or federal law.
Senate Bill 24-131 expanded Colorado’s sensitive-space restrictions effective July 1, 2024. Violating the government-building or educational-property provisions can be charged as a class 1 misdemeanor. The law contains detailed exceptions, including limited parking-area exceptions for qualifying permit holders, so the facts of the location and how the firearm was stored matter.
Local Rules and Denver Restrictions
Colorado local governments may enact firearm regulations that are more restrictive than state law. They may also restrict a permit holder from carrying in buildings or specific areas within their jurisdiction. Denver prohibits open carry, and other municipalities may regulate parks, government property, or public events differently.
Because local rules can change, check the current ordinance for every city, county, campus, or special district you will enter. A Colorado permit does not prevent enforcement of a lawful local restriction.
Concealed Carry Reciprocity
Colorado recognizes an out-of-state concealed-carry permit only when the statutory reciprocity requirements are met. In general, the issuing state must recognize Colorado permits, the permit holder must be at least 21, and the permit holder’s state of residence must match the state that issued the permit. A nonresident permit from a reciprocal state may therefore be insufficient.
Reciprocity lists and the laws of other states can change. Before traveling, confirm the current list maintained by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and review the destination state’s rules. When in another state, the traveler must follow that state’s location, storage, identification, and notification requirements.
What Happens After a Concealed-Weapons Charge?
A firearms case can turn on whether the weapon was actually concealed, whether the accused knowingly possessed it, whether the location was restricted, whether an exception applied, and whether the person had a valid permit and identification. Searches, traffic stops, and the way officers obtained the firearm can also affect the case.
Do not assume that a permit automatically defeats the charge or that a local ordinance is identical to statewide law. Preserve the citation, permit, photographs, and any information showing where the weapon was stored. A Colorado criminal-defense attorney can compare those facts with the statute and the applicable local rule.
Colorado Concealed Carry FAQ
Official references: Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 18, SB 24-131 sensitive-space restrictions, SB 21-256 local firearm regulation, and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation reciprocity page.
Meet attorney Russell Hebets and learn about his Colorado criminal defense experience.
