Visitors can legally bring firearms into Colorado, but the Colorado firearm laws that apply to non-residents are stricter than those in many neighboring states. Concealed carry works only with a permit from your home state and only if Colorado reciprocates, magazines are capped at 15 rounds, several locations are completely off-limits, and newer rules on vehicle storage, waiting periods, and lost-firearm reporting catch out-of-state travelers who assume their own state’s rules carry over. Getting any one of these wrong can turn a routine trip into a criminal charge.
Concealed Carry and Out-of-State Permits
Colorado recognizes concealed handgun permits from roughly three dozen states, but every condition has to line up. Under C.R.S. 18-12-213, the issuing state must honor Colorado permits in return, and the permit holder must be at least 21 and a resident of the state that issued the permit.1Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP) Reciprocity Residency is verified by a matching driver’s license or state ID.
That residency piece is what trips most visitors. If you hold a non-resident permit from Florida or Utah but you actually live somewhere that doesn’t have reciprocity with Colorado, that permit is worthless here. Colorado does not recognize any non-resident permits, period.2Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Colorado Revised Statutes 18-12-213 – Reciprocity The state where you live and the state that issued your permit have to be the same.
Carrying concealed without a valid permit is a class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to 364 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.3Justia. Colorado Code 18-12-105 – Unlawfully Carrying a Concealed Weapon4Justia. Colorado Code 18-1.3-501 – Misdemeanors Classified – Penalties Reciprocity agreements change without much notice, so check the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s current list shortly before you travel.
Open Carry in Colorado
Open carry is legal at the state level without a permit, and non-residents can open carry as long as they are legally allowed to possess a firearm. You must be at least 18 to possess a rifle or shotgun.5Department of Public Safety. Colorado Gun Laws
Colorado does not preempt local firearms ordinances, though, so cities and counties can impose their own restrictions. Denver has banned open carry since 1973, and the ban survived a court challenge in 2004. Other municipalities may have similar rules. In urban areas, assume open carry may be prohibited locally and check the municipal code before you carry openly.
Carrying a Firearm in Your Vehicle
Colorado is relatively permissive about handguns in private vehicles. Under C.R.S. 18-12-204(3), any person who may lawfully possess a handgun can carry one inside a private vehicle without a permit, openly or concealed.6Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Colorado Code 18-12-204 – Permit Contents – Validity – Carrying Requirements This applies to non-residents.
Rifles and shotguns are different. Under C.R.S. 33-6-125, any firearm other than a handgun must have an empty chamber while in a vehicle. A loaded magazine or loaded tubular magazine is fine; a round in the chamber is not.7Justia. Colorado Code 33-6-125 – Possession of a Loaded Firearm in a Motor Vehicle A violation is a misdemeanor carrying a $100 fine and 15 license suspension points, and peace officers have authority to inspect the chamber of any long gun they encounter in a vehicle.
Storing a Firearm in an Unattended Vehicle
Since January 1, 2025, Colorado has required firearms left in unattended vehicles to be secured in specific ways under HB 24-1348. A handgun must be inside a locked, hard-sided container that is out of plain view, inside a locked vehicle or locked trunk. A rifle or shotgun can go in either a hard-sided or soft-sided locked container out of plain view, but a soft-sided case requires a separate locking device attached to the firearm itself.8Colorado General Assembly. HB24-1348 Secure Firearm Storage in a Vehicle
Failing to store properly is a civil infraction with a $500 fine. For visitors leaving a car at a hotel lot or a trailhead, this matters: locking the doors and tossing a handgun in the glove box does not satisfy the rule. The handgun itself has to be inside a separate locked hard-sided container.
The 15-Round Magazine Limit
Colorado bans the sale, transfer, or possession of magazines holding more than 15 rounds. The prohibition, codified at C.R.S. 18-12-302, has been in effect since July 1, 2013.9Justia. Colorado Code 18-12-302 – Large-Capacity Magazines Prohibited – Penalties – Exceptions Shotgun magazines have separate thresholds under C.R.S. 18-12-301.10Justia. Colorado Code 18-12-301 – Definitions
A grandfathering provision exists for people who owned large-capacity magazines before July 1, 2013, and maintained continuous possession ever since. The prosecution bears the burden of disproving that claim. As a practical matter, though, the exception is nearly useless for a non-resident: there’s no registration system, and a visitor stopped with a 30-round magazine faces an uphill credibility problem.
Possession of a prohibited magazine is a class 2 misdemeanor punishable by up to 120 days in jail and a fine of up to $750.4Justia. Colorado Code 18-1.3-501 – Misdemeanors Classified – Penalties Leave anything over 15 rounds at home.
Places Where Firearms Are Off-Limits
Certain locations are closed to firearms regardless of permit status or how the weapon is carried. Under C.R.S. 18-12-105.5, carrying on the grounds of any child care center, K-12 school, college, or university is a class 1 misdemeanor, with up to 364 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.11Justia. Colorado Code 18-12-105.5 – Unlawfully Carrying a Weapon – School, College, or University Grounds The ban covers the real estate and all buildings on the property, so parking lots count.
SB24-131, signed in 2024, expanded the restricted list to include state legislative buildings, local government buildings where elected officials have offices, courthouses, and polling places during elections, along with areas within 100 feet of ballot drop boxes.12Colorado General Assembly. SB24-131 Prohibiting Carrying Firearms in Sensitive Spaces Violations are also class 1 misdemeanors. Court challenges may affect how specific provisions get enforced, so look for updates before traveling.
Private property owners can also prohibit firearms. If a hotel, shopping center, or venue posts signage banning weapons, carrying past that sign can produce a trespassing charge.
Alcohol, Drugs, and Possession
Possessing a firearm while under the influence of alcohol or any controlled substance is a class 1 misdemeanor under C.R.S. 18-12-106(1)(d), carrying the same 364-day potential jail sentence and $1,000 fine as unlawful concealed carry.13Justia. Colorado Code 18-12-106 – Prohibited Use of Weapons There is no statutory blood-alcohol threshold like the 0.08% used for driving; law enforcement can charge based on observed impairment at any level. A concealed carry permit provides no defense, and the statute explicitly says so. If you plan to drink at a brewery or visit a dispensary while in Colorado, leave your firearm secured at your lodging.
Buying a Firearm While Visiting
Federal law restricts what non-residents can buy. Under 18 U.S.C. 922(b)(3), a licensed dealer cannot sell a handgun to someone who doesn’t reside in the dealer’s state. Rifles and shotguns can be sold to out-of-state residents, but the sale must comply with the laws of both Colorado and your home state.14Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts
Colorado also requires background checks for nearly all firearm transfers, including private sales. Under C.R.S. 18-12-112, any private transfer has to go through a licensed dealer who runs the check before the gun changes hands.15Justia. Colorado Code 18-12-112 – Private Firearms Transfers – Background Check Required Limited exceptions exist for gifts between immediate family members, temporary loans at ranges, and transfers during hunting activities.
On top of the background check, Colorado imposes a three-day waiting period before a dealer can deliver a firearm. The clock starts when the background check is initiated, and delivery cannot happen until three days have passed or the check is approved, whichever is later.16Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Obtaining, Possessing and Selling Firearms If you plan to buy a rifle or shotgun while visiting, plan for that delay.
Reporting a Lost or Stolen Firearm
If a firearm is lost or stolen while you are in Colorado, you have five days from discovery to report it to a law enforcement agency. The requirement, established by SB21-078, applies to all firearm owners in the state, including visitors.17Colorado General Assembly. SB21-078 Lost or Stolen Firearms
A first offense is a civil infraction with a $25 fine. A second or subsequent failure to report is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $500. A family member or someone who lives with you can make the report on your behalf.
Driving Through Colorado Without Stopping
If you’re passing through, federal law offers a layer of protection. Under 18 U.S.C. 926A, a person who may lawfully possess a firearm at both the origin and destination of a trip can transport that firearm through any state in between, even one whose laws would otherwise prohibit possession.18Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 926A – Interstate Transportation of Firearms
The conditions are strict. The firearm must be unloaded and stored where it is not readily accessible from the passenger compartment. If the vehicle has no separate trunk, the firearm must be in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console. This federal safe harbor does not help you if you stop in Colorado for tourism or business beyond the bare necessities of travel; it’s a pass-through protection, not a visiting one. It also won’t shield you from Colorado’s magazine ban if you’re stopped and found with a prohibited magazine intended for use at your destination.
One Note on Red Flag Orders
Colorado’s Extreme Risk Protection Order law, codified at C.R.S. 13-14.5-101 through 13-14.5-116, allows a court to temporarily prohibit a person from possessing or purchasing firearms if a qualifying petitioner shows clear and convincing evidence of significant risk of harm.19Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Extreme Risk Protection Orders Non-residents are not exempt. If an order is sought against you while you are in Colorado, you are subject to the same process as a resident, including surrender of firearms and any concealed carry permit.20Colorado General Assembly. HB19-1177 Extreme Risk Protection Orders