New Colorado Gun Laws 2025
Beginning in July 2025, Colorado HB24-1174, passed by the Colorado legislature in 2024, takes effect, with impacts on gun owners throughout the state. The law concerns the training standards for those with concealed carry permits.
The existing law requires applicants to demonstrate handgun competence by taking a certified class within ten years of their application; however, as of July 1, 2025, the standards for those submitting applications after that date are changing.
What Are the New Requirements for Concealed Carry in Colorado?
While anyone who applied before July 1, 2025, may obtain their concealed carry permit by showing competence by having completed a training class with or without live firing on a range, once the new law takes effect, applicants must complete an eight hour certified training class that meets new standards, including training on the following:
- The safe handling of firearms and ammunition
- The fundamentals of safe shooting of firearms
- Child safety and safe gun storage methods
- Familiarity with state and federal laws for lawfully purchasing, owning, possessing, and transporting firearms
- The state’s laws for using deadly force in self-defense
- How to safely interact with law enforcement officers responding to an emergency
- How to safely de-escalate, avoid, and manage violent confrontations
- The use of deadly force
- The course must include range time with no less than 50 rounds fired for testing
- Completion of an open-book written test
The eight (non-consecutive) hours of training must be conducted by an instructor who has been verified by a county sheriff’s office. Most training classes will include four hours of classroom instruction and four hours of range-time instruction to meet the required eight hours of training and testing.
In addition, the applicant must have completed the above training requirements within one year of the application, rather than within ten years.
Changes to Permit Renewals Under the New Colorado Gun Laws
Concealed carry permits expire every five years. Before the new law takes effect on July 1st, 2025, those wishing to renew a concealed carry permit can do so by showing proof of attendance in a training class within the past ten years. Once the new 2025 Colorado gun laws take effect, renewal applicants must complete either a concealed carry renewal class (refresher class) or the standard class within six months of applying for a license renewal.
Refresher classes must be conducted by trainers approved and verified by the sheriff’s department, and applicants must attend in person. A refresher class must be at least two hours of training and instruction time, including live firing and a written test.
What Qualifies an Instructor Under the New Colorado Gun Laws?
The new laws regulating concealed weapon carry (CCW) training in Colorado require all instructors to have concealed carry permits. A verified instructor must be certified by a law enforcement agency, a college or university, a nationally recognized firearms training school, or any other nationally recognized facility or organization offering firearms training.
A person cannot legally claim to be a verified instructor for a concealed carry class without verification by a county sheriff’s department.
Individuals and instructors who fail to comply with the new concealed carry permit training requirements could potentially face criminal or administrative consequences. If you are facing a weapons charge in Colorado Springs, reach out to our firm for help.