Colorado Concealed Carry Reciprocity Map & Gun Laws

21.

Yes. There is no statute prohibiting the purchase or use of pepper spray in Colorado.

Yes. Stun guns and Tasers are legal to purchase and possess without a permit.

Shall issue.

No more than 15 rounds

It is illegal to sell, transfer or possess a "high capacity" magazine (defined as >15 rounds for firearms other than shotguns), unless you owned the large-capacity magazine on July 1, 2013 and maintained continuous possession of the large-capacity magazine. Large-capacity magazines capable of operating only with .22 caliber rimfire ammunition and tubular magazines that are contained in lever-action firearms are exempt.

The City of Denver has Sec. 38-130, which mirrors the state law limit of >15 rounds.

The City of Vail has Ordinance 6-3H-9, that pre-dates and is more lenient than State law. It's illegal to possess a magazine which will hold or may be modified to hold twenty one or more rounds there.

As of December 12, 2021, the City of Boulder's appeal of the lower court decision striking Boulder’s Ordinance 5-8-2 which made any ammunition feeding device with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds illegal was dismissed with prejudice by the court. Due to the decision, Boulder cannot attempt to relitigate this case in the future. Therefore, the Colorado state limit of no more than 15 rounds applies.

[Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-12-302]

Yes, with a Colorado permit to carry a concealed weapon or a permit issued by a state that Colorado honors, unless posted, and provided you are not under the influence.

[Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-12-106(1)(d)]

Yes, without a permit.

[Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 18-12-105(2)(b) and 18-12-204(3)(a)]

Yes with a Colorado permit to carry a concealed weapon or a permit issued by a state that Colorado honors. See the National Parks webpage for links to each Park in Colorado.

[Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-12-214]

No. There is no duty to inform a police officer that you're carrying a concealed firearm in Colorado. 

[Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-12-204(2)(a)]

Yes, but only for members of the military permanently stationed in Colorado and their immediate families.

No definition of brandishing was found in Colorado law.However, a person commits disorderly conduct if he or she intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly discharges a firearm in a public place except when engaged in lawful target practice; or displays a deadly weapon, displays any article used or fashioned to cause a person to believe it is a deadly weapon, or represents verbally or otherwise that he or she is armed with a deadly weapon in a public place in an alarming manner.

[Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-9-106]

A person commits the crime of menacing if, by any threat or physical action, he or she knowingly places or attempts to place another person in fear of imminent serious bodily injury.

[Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-3-206]

No. Your Colorado driver’s license is not linked to your Colorado CCW permit. Therefore, a law enforcement officer (LEO) will not be notified that you are a concealed carry permit holder immediately when they run your driver’s license. However, LEOs may have access to other databases where they can obtain this information.

No.

Yes. On April 28, 2023, Governor Polis signed HB 23-1219 which establishes a 3-day waiting period for all firearm purchases. It is now in effect.

Yes. Colorado requires a background check on nearly all transfers, requiring both private gun sellers and federally licensed dealers to initiate a background check when transferring a firearm. With few exceptions, any individual seeking to transfer possession of a firearm must have a background check conducted on the prospective transferee by a licensed gun dealer and must obtain approval of the transfer from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) following the background check request. There are exemptions which include sales or transfers to family, transfers to an estate or trust upon the owner’s death or temporary transfers for self-defense where the unlicensed transferee reasonably believes that possession of the firearm is necessary to prevent imminent death or serious bodily injury.

[Colo. Rev. Stat. 18-12-112]

18 years old, although the following exceptions apply to those under the age of 18 while:

• In attendance at a hunter's safety course or a firearms safety course;  
• Engaging in legal target shooting; 
• Engaging in certain organized firearm competitions or performances; 
• Hunting or trapping with a valid state hunting license;  
• Traveling with an unloaded handgun to or from these activities;
• While on real property under the control of the person's parent, legal guardian or grandparent and with permission of their parent or legal guardian; or
• When at the person’s residence, with the permission of the person’s parent or legal guardian, for the purpose of lawful self-defense. 

[Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-12-108.5]

Any person who intentionally, knowingly or recklessly provides a handgun with or without payment to any person under the age of 18, or any person who knows of such juvenile's conduct in violation of this law and fails to make reasonable efforts to prevent the violation commits the crime of unlawfully providing a handgun to a juvenile or permitting a juvenile to possess a handgun.

[Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-12-108.7]

No.

90 days

5 years

Yes, but only for members of the military permanently stationed in Colorado and their immediate family members that live in the state. The process is the same as for residents.

If a permit is stolen or lost it becomes invalid and the issuing sheriff must be notified within 3 business days. Download and complete the permit lost or destroyed form and have it notarized.

An applicant must:

• Be at least 21 years of age;
• Be a legal resident of Colorado;
• Not have been convicted of perjury;
• Not chronically and habitually use alcoholic beverages;
• Not be an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance;
• Not be subject to a protection order;
• Demonstrate competence with a handgun; and
• Meet federal law requirements.

*Consult with an attorney if you have any questions about your eligibility. If you don’t have an attorney, you can find one by contacting the State Bar of Colorado.

• Public elementary, middle, junior high or high schools, (CCW permit holders may have handguns inside of vehicles and if the permittee is not in the vehicle, the handgun must be in a compartment within the vehicle and the vehicle locked) [Co. Rev. Stat. § 18-12-105.5];
• Public buildings with fixed security checkpoints such as courthouses [Co. Rev. Stat. § 18-12-214];
• Public facilities in the city of Aurora,  including, but not be limited to, municipally owned, operated or leased buildings, properties, recreational facilities, parks, trails, and open spaces [Ord. Sec. 94-154];
• Secure areas of airports [Denver Municipal Airport System Rules and Regulations 20.1];
• On a snowmobile [Co. Rev. Stat. § 33-14-117]; and
• Any place where the carrying of firearms is prohibited by federal law.

On March 30, 2022, Gov. Jared Polis signed HB 1086 into law. It prohibits a person from openly carrying a firearm within any polling location or central count facility, or within 100 feet of a ballot drop box or any building in which a polling location or central count facility is located, while an election or any related ongoing election administration activity is in progress. The law will go into effect on May 29, 2022.

Yes. A person who may lawfully possess a handgun may carry a handgun while legally engaged in hunting activities within the state.

[Colo. Rev. Stat. 18-12-204(3)(a)(ii)]

In Colorado, you can own almost any knife as long as it is not a ballistic knife. All legal knives can be carried in the open. It is illegal to carry concealed a knife with a blade longer than 3.5 inches unless it is a fishing or hunting knife. Any knife with a blade shorter than 3.5 inches can be carried openly or concealed. Deadly weapons may not be possessed on school grounds. Local authorities may also have laws, such as in Boulder County where it is illegal to carry any concealed knife.

[Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 18-12-102, 18-12-105 & 18-12-105.5]

There is no known statute in Colorado making it illegal to wear a COVID mask while carrying concealed.In addition, the Weld County sheriff has stated, “Nowhere in Colorado law does it state one cannot wear a face mask and lawfully carry a concealed weapon at the same time,”