Colorado firearm laws for non-residents follow the general federal framework but add several state-specific rules that visitors from more permissive states rarely expect: concealed carry is limited to holders of resident permits from reciprocity states, magazines cannot hold more than 15 rounds, a growing list of locations is entirely off-limits, and a 2025 vehicle-storage law changes how you leave a gun in a locked car. Getting any of these wrong can turn a routine trip into a criminal charge.
Concealed Carry Reciprocity
Colorado recognizes concealed handgun permits from roughly three dozen other states, but only when every condition lines 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 years old 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 from the issuing state.
That residency rule trips up more visitors than any other requirement. If you hold a non-resident permit from, say, Florida, but you actually live in a state that doesn’t have reciprocity with Colorado, that Florida 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 must 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 Check the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s reciprocity page before you travel. Agreements can change with little notice.
Open Carry and Local Bans
At the state level, open carry is legal 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, so cities and counties can add their own restrictions. Denver has banned open carry since 1973, and that ban survived a court challenge in 2004. If you’re traveling through urban areas, assume open carry may be prohibited locally and check municipal codes before carrying openly. Posted signage at city limits or on public buildings can signal local rules.
Magazine Capacity
Colorado bans the sale, transfer, or possession of magazines holding more than 15 rounds of ammunition. The prohibition, at C.R.S. 18-12-302, has been in effect since July 1, 2013.6Justia. Colorado Code 18-12-302 – Large-Capacity Magazines Prohibited – Penalties – Exceptions Fixed tubular shotgun magazines cannot exceed 28 inches in shell capacity, and detachable shotgun magazines cannot hold more than eight shells.7Justia. Colorado Code 18-12-301 – Definitions
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 A grandfathering provision exists for people who owned large-capacity magazines before July 1, 2013 and have maintained continuous possession, but it is nearly useless for non-residents. There is no registration system, and an out-of-state visitor stopped with a 30-round magazine faces an uphill credibility problem. Leave magazines over 15 rounds at home.
Transporting Firearms in a Vehicle
Colorado is relatively permissive about firearms in 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 displayed or concealed.8Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Colorado Code 18-12-204 – Permit Contents – Validity – Carrying Requirements This applies to non-residents passing through or visiting.
Rifles and shotguns follow different rules. 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 a loaded tubular magazine is fine, but nothing in the chamber.9Justia. Colorado Code 33-6-125 – Possession of a Loaded Firearm in a Motor Vehicle Violating this rule is a misdemeanor carrying a $100 fine and 15 license suspension points. 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 requires firearms left in an unattended vehicle to be secured in specific ways under HB 24-1348. Handguns must go in a locked, hard-sided container that is out of plain view, inside a locked vehicle or locked trunk. Rifles and shotguns may be stored 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.10Colorado General Assembly. HB24-1348 Secure Firearm Storage in a Vehicle
Failing to store properly is a civil infraction with a $500 fine. For non-residents staying in hotels or leaving a vehicle at a trailhead, this matters. Tossing a handgun in the glove box and locking the car doors does not satisfy the requirement. The handgun itself needs to be inside a separate locked hard-sided container.
Where You Cannot Carry
Certain locations are off-limits regardless of your permit status or how the weapon is carried. Under C.R.S. 18-12-105.5, carrying a firearm 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 prohibition covers the real estate and all buildings on the property, so parking lots count.
SB24-131, signed in 2024, expanded the restricted list to 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 are enforced, so check for updates before traveling.
Private property owners can also prohibit firearms on their premises. If a business or residence posts signage banning weapons, carrying past that sign can result in trespassing charges. Non-residents should pay attention to posted signs at hotels, shopping centers, and entertainment venues.
Alcohol and Firearms
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 jail exposure 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 you based on observed impairment at any level of intoxication.
A concealed carry permit is no defense to this charge. The statute says so explicitly. If you plan to drink at a Colorado brewery, leave your firearm secured at your lodging.
Buying a Firearm While Visiting
Federal law limits what non-residents can buy in Colorado. Under 18 U.S.C. 922(b)(3), a licensed dealer cannot sell a handgun to someone who does not reside in the dealer’s state. Rifles and shotguns can be sold across state lines, but the transaction 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 universal background checks for nearly all firearm transfers, including private sales. Under C.R.S. 18-12-112, any private transfer must go through a licensed dealer who runs a background check before the firearm changes hands.15Justia. Colorado Code 18-12-112 – Private Firearms Transfers – Background Check Required Limited exceptions cover gifts between immediate family, temporary loans at shooting ranges, and transfers during hunting activities.
On top of the check, Colorado imposes a three-day waiting period before a dealer can deliver a purchased 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 comes later.16Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Obtaining, Possessing and Selling Firearms If you plan to buy a long gun while visiting, build that delay into your trip.
Reporting a Lost or Stolen Firearm
If your firearm is lost or stolen while you are in Colorado, you have five days from discovering the loss or theft to report it to a law enforcement agency. This requirement, established by SB21-078, applies to all firearm owners in the state, visitors included.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 punishable by up to a $500 fine. A family member or someone who lives with you can make the report on your behalf, which satisfies the requirement.
Just Passing Through
If you are driving through Colorado without stopping for an extended stay, federal law offers a layer of protection. Under 18 U.S.C. 926A, a person who may lawfully possess a firearm at both their origin and destination can transport that firearm through any state in between, even where the state’s laws would otherwise prohibit possession.18Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 926A – Interstate Transportation of Firearms
The protection has strict conditions. The firearm must be unloaded and stored where it is not readily accessible from the passenger compartment. If your vehicle has no separate trunk or cargo area, the firearm must be in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console. This safe harbor does not help you if you stop in Colorado for tourism, business, or any purpose beyond the bare necessities of travel. It will not shield you from Colorado’s magazine capacity ban either, even if the prohibited magazine is bound for a legal destination in another state.