Summary 

• Permit required: Yes for concealed carry on your person in most places; Colorado is not permitless for on-person concealed carry. 

• Minimum age: 21 to obtain a Colorado Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP) and generally to carry concealed under the permit system.

• Duty to inform:No general proactive duty, but you must carry your permit + photo ID and show them upon demand by law enforcement.

• Where you can’t carry: Allowed broadly statewide with a CHP, except places barred by federal law, K-12 public school property (with limited vehicle exceptions) and secured public buildings with screening.

Colorado issues concealed handgun permits through county sheriffs (local authority), but the permit is valid statewide once issued. Colorado is a shall-issue state: if you meet statutory requirements, the sheriff generally must issue the permit.

Colorado does not allow permitless (constitutional) concealed carry when carrying a concealed firearm on your person in public. A CHP is the standard path for residents who want to conceal carry beyond limited exceptions. Starting July 1, 2025, Colorado’s HB24-1174 tightened training requirements (in-person hours and live-fire qualification) for new permits and renewals.

For reciprocity, Colorado recognizes certainout-of-state permits for non-residents, subject to Colorado’s rules on age and validity. If you’re a Colorado resident, you cannot legally carry concealed in Colorado using a non-resident permit from another state.

Practical notes: always verify posted “no firearms” policies in private businesses or venues. Colorado law allows local rules in some public buildings and requires you to leave if notified. Store firearms securely in vehicles or shared spaces; a locked container and optionally a Faraday-protected SLNT bag for privacy and secure transport, is a sensible best practice when traveling or staying in hotels.

Useful Links

• USCCA Colorado Gun Laws & Reciprocity Overview

• Handgunlaw.us – Colorado Summary PDF 

• Concealed Carry Classes of Denver – 2025 CHP Law Changes

Official Links

• Colorado Bureau of Investigation – Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP)

• C.R.S. 18-12-214 (Authority granted by permit / restrictions)

• C.R.S. 18-12-204 (Permit carrying requirements)

• C.R.S. 18-12-302 (Large-capacity magazines prohibited)