How Old Do You Have to Be to Open Carry in Colorado?

You have to be at least 18 years old to open carry a firearm in Colorado, and no state permit is required. That age floor comes from the state’s general rule that a person must be 18 to possess a firearm, and it applies to residents and visitors alike, as long as they are not otherwise prohibited from having one.1Department of Public Safety. Colorado Gun Laws The real picture is more involved than the number suggests, because federal handgun rules, local ordinances, and a list of prohibited locations all change what you can actually do at 18.

Where the Age 18 Rule Comes From

Colorado has no single statute that reads “you must be 18 to open carry.” The age comes from two overlapping rules. First, the state requires a person to be at least 18 to own a firearm.1Department of Public Safety. Colorado Gun Laws Second, state law specifically makes it illegal for anyone under 18 to possess a handgun. A first offense is a class 2 misdemeanor; a second or subsequent offense is a class 5 felony.2Justia. Colorado Code 18-12-108.5 – Illegal Possession of a Handgun by a Juvenile If you cannot legally possess the firearm, you cannot legally carry it in the open.

Open carry simply means the firearm is visible to others, usually in a belt or hip holster. Once you turn 18 and have no disqualifying criminal history or other federal or state prohibition, the state permits it by default. Local governments can narrow that default, which matters a great deal in some cities.

The Handgun Problem for 18- to 20-Year-Olds

You can open carry at 18, but buying a handgun at 18 is another matter. Federal law bars licensed firearms dealers from selling a handgun or handgun ammunition to anyone under 21.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts The same statute sets 18 as the minimum age for dealer purchases of rifles and shotguns.4Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Minimum Age for Gun Sales and Transfers

So an 18-year-old in Colorado can legally open carry a long gun bought from a dealer, but cannot walk into that same store and buy a handgun. Private transfers are a separate track. Colorado requires most private firearms transfers to run through a licensed dealer for a background check, and the federal age-21 dealer-sale restriction does not apply to those private transactions.5Justia. Colorado Code 18-12-112 – Private Firearms Transfers – Background Check Required Transfers between immediate family members (spouses, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and first cousins) are exempt from the background check requirement, though you still cannot transfer a firearm to someone who is legally prohibited from possessing one.6Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Firearms FAQs

Open Carry vs. Concealed Carry

This distinction catches people out, especially in the 18-to-20 range. Open carry requires no permit and is available at 18. Concealed carry, where the firearm is hidden on your body, requires a Colorado concealed handgun permit, and you must be at least 21 to get one.7Justia. Colorado Code 18-12-203 – Criteria for Obtaining a Permit Carrying concealed without a permit is a class 1 misdemeanor.8Justia. Colorado Code 18-12-105 – Unlawfully Carrying a Concealed Weapon

If you are between 18 and 20, open carry is your only legal option for carrying a firearm on your person in most public spaces. Pay attention to how you dress and move. If your jacket shifts and covers a holstered handgun, that can technically become concealed carry, and without a permit it becomes a crime.

Local Ordinances Can Make Open Carry Illegal Where You Are

Colorado does not fully preempt local firearms regulation. State law allows local governments to adopt their own rules governing firearms in certain contexts. The Colorado Department of Public Safety says open carry is “regulated by local county and municipal authorities,” and directs people to check the municipal code for their area.1Department of Public Safety. Colorado Gun Laws

Denver is the clearest example. The city prohibits open carry within city limits, and a violation can bring fines and jail time. Other municipalities have similar restrictions. Something perfectly legal in an unincorporated area of a rural county may be a criminal offense a few miles down the road in a city with its own ordinance. Before you carry openly anywhere in the state, look up the municipal code for that specific city or town. Most are published online.

Places You Still Cannot Carry at 18

Age aside, firearms are banned in specific locations under both federal and state law. Violating these bans is a separate criminal offense on top of any other charges.

Federal Facilities and Aircraft

Federal law prohibits possessing a firearm in any federal facility, meaning a building owned or leased by the federal government where federal employees regularly work. A violation carries up to one year in prison. Federal court facilities carry up to two years.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 930 – Possession of Firearms and Dangerous Weapons in Federal Facilities Carrying a concealed dangerous weapon when boarding or attempting to board an aircraft is a separate federal offense punishable by up to ten years in prison.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 46505 – Carrying a Weapon or Explosive on an Aircraft

Schools, Colleges, and Child Care Centers

Colorado law makes it illegal to carry a firearm, openly or concealed, on the property of any K-12 school (public or private), college, university, seminary, or licensed child care center. The offense is a class 1 misdemeanor.11Justia. Colorado Code 18-12-105.5 – Unlawfully Carrying a Weapon – School, College, or University Grounds Narrow exceptions exist for employees whose duties require a firearm, authorized demonstrations tied to school instruction, and people passing through in a private vehicle with the weapon staying inside the car.

Polling Places and Ballot Drop Boxes

Under the Vote Without Fear Act, open carry is prohibited at any polling location or central count facility, and within 100 feet of a ballot drop box or any building housing a polling location, while an election or related administration activity is in progress.12Colorado General Assembly. HB22-1086 The Vote Without Fear Act

Sensitive Spaces Under the 2024 Law

SB24-131, effective July 1, 2024, bans both open and concealed carry in state legislative buildings and offices, local government buildings where elected officials or the chief executive work, and courthouses used for court proceedings, including adjacent parking areas.13Colorado General Assembly. SB24-131 Prohibiting Carrying Firearms in Sensitive Spaces Local governments may opt to allow carry at their own buildings, but the default is prohibited. The law has faced legal challenges, so check current court orders before relying on how it reads on paper.

Magazine Capacity

Since 2013, Colorado has prohibited the sale, transfer, and possession of large-capacity magazines. The limit is 15 rounds. Possession is a class 2 misdemeanor, and having one during a felony or crime of violence bumps the charge to a class 6 felony.14Justia. Colorado Code 18-12-302 – Large-Capacity Magazines Prohibited If you owned a magazine holding more than 15 rounds before July 1, 2013, and have kept continuous possession of it, you may keep it. Anyone open carrying should confirm their magazine complies.

Penalties If You Get It Wrong

Consequences depend on the specific violation.

A felony conviction does more than impose a sentence. It permanently strips your right to possess firearms under both state and federal law. For a 17-year-old caught with a handgun a second time, a class 5 felony can mean losing gun rights before ever having them as an adult.