Gun laws in Colorado
Gun laws in Colorado regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the state of Colorado in the United States. Summary table. <onlyinclude> </onlyinclude> Concealed carry. Colorado is a "shall-issue" state for concealed carry. Permits are issued by the county sheriff, and are valid for five years. Applicants must demonstrate competence with a handgun, either by passing a training class or by other means. The Concealed Carry Act allows a person with a permit to carry a concealed weapon "in all areas of the state" with the exception  of some federal properties, K-12 schools, and buildings with fixed security checkpoints such as courthouses, and also disallows a local government from enforcing an ordinance or resolution that conflicts with the law. In March 2012, the Colorado Supreme Court struck down the University of Colorado's campus gun ban, saying it violated the Concealed Carry Act, which allows permit holders to carry on public property, including carrying on public colleges. Open carry. Open carry, as well as possession of a handgun either openly displayed or concealed in an automobile, is generally permitted without a license. However, local governments may prohibit  open carry to a limited extent only in areas that are directly under the jurisdiction of the municipality such as municipal buildings, police stations, etc. If such an ordinance is written all locations affected must be posted per C.R.S 29-11.7-104. The exception is the city and county of Denver has done so in a broad sense banning open carry in all areas of the city and county. The Colorado Supreme Court ruled that Denver's pre-existing ban may remain in force, despite the Colorado legislature's enactment of a statewide pre-emption law designed to establish uniform  firearms policies across the state. When a rifle or shotgun is transported in a vehicle, there may not be a round in the chamber. Other laws. Effective July 1, 2013, Colorado requires background checks for all firearm sales at the buyer's expense. Magazines that are capable of accepting more than 15 rounds or are designed to be readily convertible to accept more than 15 rounds cannot be sold or transferred within state limits. However, such magazines lawfully obtained prior to July 1, 2013 may be kept without restrictions on their use. The magazine restriction law also does not  specifically address residents purchasing Large-Capacity Magazine guns (LCMs) from out-of-state sources for personal use, although they may not be possessed within state limits. Colorado's large capacity magazine ban is silent on non-residents visiting Colorado while in possession of magazines that meet the state's LCM ban criteria, provided the LCMs are for personal use, and the individual had lawfully obtained the LCMs according to the laws of his or her home state. Denver city ordinance bans assault weapons and the open carrying of firearms. The enforceability of Colorado's magazine restrictions is questionable, given that  Colorado's magazine law doesn't require owners of LCMs prior to the magazine ban's effective date, to register those magazines with the state. Complicating matters, magazine manufacturers generally do not print serial numbers or a date of manufacture on the magazines they produce. Therefore, it would be virtually impossible to prove at trial that one illegally possessed an LCM unless someone witnessed that person obtaining or importing the illegal magazine. Some local counties have adopted Second Amendment sanctuary resolutions in opposition to some gun control laws. Gun control lawsuit. A lawsuit over the legality of the magazine ban  and background check laws has been filed by 54 of the 64 elected county Sheriffs and 21 sporting and outdoor groups and Colorado companies. The suit alleges that the laws violate the Second and Fourteenth amendments, and state that the laws would be impossible to enforce. Preemption. From 2003 to 2021, Colorado had state preemption of local firearm laws, except for certain ordinances enacted by the City and County of Denver. The statewide firearm preemption law was repealed in 2021, allowing cities and counties to enact firearms ordinances that are more restrictive than state law. Denver has enacted local firearms  ordinances that are more restrictive than state law, and other cities (notably Boulder) are considering additional local firearm restrictions. Meanwhile, a growing number of rural counties are using the repeal of Colorado's statewide firearm pre-emption law as the basis for their refusal to enforce portions of the state's firearm laws (notably Colorado's red flag law) within their jurisdictions. Concealed carry permits remain valid statewide, despite the repeal of statewide pre-emption. In other words, local jurisdictions cannot completely ban concealed carry by permit-holders within their jurisdictions, although they may restrict concealed carry by permit  holders in public buildings and parks, or in designated areas when special events or large public gatherings are held. However, local jurisdictions may enact ordinances restricting or outlawing open carry (which requires no permit in Colorado) within their boundaries, and the City and County of Denver has done so. Denver. Denver law bans assault weapons and the open carry of firearms. In 2003, the Colorado General Assembly passed laws preempting these and several other pre-existing Denver laws, which Denver successfully challenged in Denver District Court in 2004. In 2006, the Colorado Supreme Court let stand the District Court order  upholding the Denver laws.