You have to be at least 21 years old to conceal carry in Colorado. The state’s concealed handgun permit statute, C.R.S. 18-12-203, sets a hard floor of 21 for every civilian applicant, and there is no permit option for anyone younger.1Justia. Colorado Code 18-12-203 – Criteria for Obtaining a Permit A few states let 18-year-olds carry concealed with a permit. Colorado isn’t one of them.
Age isn’t the only requirement, but it’s the one that disqualifies the most people outright. If you’re 21 or older and a legal Colorado resident, you can apply through your county sheriff. If you’re under 21, you cannot, and the sheriff has no discretion to waive the age rule.
If You’re 18 to 20
Between 18 and 20, two separate rules shape what you can do with a firearm in Colorado. You can’t get a concealed carry permit, and under a 2023 law you also can’t buy a firearm.
Colorado’s SB23-169, enacted in 2023, raised the minimum age to purchase any firearm to 21.2Colorado General Assembly. SB23-169 Increasing Minimum Age to Purchase Firearms Before that, 18-year-olds could buy long guns from licensed dealers. The age floor now applies to handguns and long guns, and to all sellers, not just federally licensed dealers. Federal law had already blocked licensed dealers from selling handguns to anyone under 21.3Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Minimum Age for Gun Sales and Transfers The Colorado law closed the long-gun gap.
Narrow exceptions exist. Active members of the U.S. Armed Forces and certified peace officers can buy firearms before turning 21.
Possession is a different question from purchase. Once you turn 18, federal law no longer restricts handgun possession itself.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts A firearm gifted or inherited before you turned 21 can stay with you. You just can’t buy a new one.
Open carry is also an option for people 18 and up who can lawfully possess a firearm, as long as you’re not in an area where a local government has restricted it. Denver County prohibits open carry in certain areas, and other municipalities post similar restrictions at building entrances.
The Other Requirements for a Permit
Being 21 is the first box. The statute also requires that you be a legal Colorado resident, that you’re not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm under state or federal law, that you have no felony convictions, and that you can demonstrate handgun competence.1Justia. Colorado Code 18-12-203 – Criteria for Obtaining a Permit
Active-duty military stationed in Colorado count as state residents for permit purposes, which solves the residency question for service members. They still have to be 21.
Competence can be shown in several ways, and you only need one:1Justia. Colorado Code 18-12-203 – Criteria for Obtaining a Permit
- A handgun training class certificate from within the previous ten years, with the instructor’s original signature.
- Evidence of firearms experience through current active military duty.
- Proof of honorable discharge from any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces within the three years before applying.
- Proof of honorable discharge reflecting pistol qualifications obtained within the ten years before applying.
- Evidence that you are a certified firearms instructor at the time of application.
- A retirement certificate from a Colorado law enforcement agency reflecting pistol qualifications within the past ten years.
- Evidence of participation in organized shooting competitions.
Most civilians go the training class route. You pick your own course. The certificate needs the instructor’s original signature, and you submit either the original or a signed photocopy with your application.
What Happens If You Carry Concealed Underage
Carrying a concealed firearm without a valid permit is a class 1 misdemeanor under C.R.S. 18-12-105.5Justia. Colorado Code 18-12-105 – Unlawfully Carrying a Concealed Weapon A class 1 misdemeanor in Colorado carries up to 364 days in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.6Justia. Colorado Code 18-1.3-501 – Misdemeanors Classified This covers anyone carrying concealed without meeting the legal requirements, whether the disqualifier is age, the absence of a permit, or something else.
If the location is a K-12 school, a college, or a university, the charge gets worse. Bringing a deadly weapon onto those grounds is a class 6 felony under C.R.S. 18-12-105.5, carrying one to eighteen months in prison and fines from $1,000 to $100,000, plus a mandatory one-year parole period after release.7Justia. Colorado Code 18-12-105.5 – Unlawfully Carrying a Weapon – School, College, or University Grounds8Justia. Colorado Code 18-1.3-401 – Felonies Classified
People under 18 face an additional layer. C.R.S. 18-12-108.5 makes it illegal for anyone under 18 to possess a handgun at all, with narrow exceptions for supervised target practice, hunting, and ranching.9Justia. Colorado Code 18-12-108.5 – Possession of Handguns by Juveniles – Prohibited – Exceptions – Penalty Federal law mirrors that prohibition under 18 U.S.C. § 922(x), with its own exceptions for employment, farming, and self-defense in the home.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts A 16-year-old caught carrying concealed could face juvenile possession charges under 18-12-108.5 on top of the concealed weapon charge under 18-12-105.
Peace Officers and the Military
Certified peace officers in Colorado are exempt from the concealed carry statute. Under C.R.S. 18-12-105(2)(d), a peace officer may carry concealed when doing so conforms with the employing agency’s written firearms policy.5Justia. Colorado Code 18-12-105 – Unlawfully Carrying a Concealed Weapon The definition of peace officer under C.R.S. 16-2.5-101 covers sheriffs, municipal police, state troopers, and other certified law enforcement personnel.10Justia. Colorado Code 16-2.5-101 – Peace Officer Definitions
Active-duty military is where people most often get the age rule wrong. Colorado gives service members favorable treatment on residency and on handgun competence, and the 2023 purchase-age law exempts them from the age-21 purchase restriction. None of that changes the permit age. A 20-year-old active-duty soldier stationed at Fort Carson still cannot obtain a Colorado concealed handgun permit.
Retired law enforcement officers have a separate federal pathway under the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, 18 U.S.C. § 926C. Qualifying retirees must have separated in good standing with at least ten years of service and must meet firearms qualification standards within the most recent twelve months at their own expense.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 US Code 926C – Carrying of Concealed Firearms by Qualified Retired Law Enforcement Officers They must carry a photographic LEOSA identification card and current qualification certification at all times.12United States Department of State. Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA) FAQs
If You Plan to Carry Out of State
Colorado has reciprocity agreements with over 30 states, and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation maintains the current list.13Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Concealed Handgun Permit Reciprocity The age rule follows you across state lines: the permit holder must be 21 or older for reciprocity to apply. A permit from a state that issues to younger adults wouldn’t be honored in Colorado for someone under 21, and a Colorado permit holder likewise needs to be 21 for other states to recognize the credential under reciprocity.
If you’re just transporting a firearm through a state that doesn’t recognize your permit, the federal Firearm Owners Protection Act (18 U.S.C. § 926A) provides limited safe-passage protection as long as the trip is between two places where you can lawfully possess the firearm, the gun is unloaded and locked in the trunk or a container not readily accessible from the passenger compartment, and ammunition is stored separately. Stop overnight or deviate significantly from your route and that protection falls away.