Colorado § 18-12-203 - Criteria for obtaining a permit.

§ 18-12-203. Criteria for obtaining a permit.

(1) Beginning May 17, 2003, except as set forth in this section, a sheriff shall issue a permit to carry a concealed handgun to an applicant who:

(a) Is a legal resident of the state of Colorado. For purposes of this part 2, a person who is a member of the armed forces and is stationed pursuant to permanent duty station orders at a military installation in this state, and a member of the person's immediate family living in Colorado, shall be deemed to be a legal resident of the state of Colorado.

(b) Is twenty-one years of age or older;

(c) Is not ineligible to possess a firearm pursuant to section 18-12-108 or federal law;

(c.5) Has not been convicted of any of the offenses described in section 24-33.5-424 (3)(b.3) committed on or after July 1, 2025, if the offense is classified as a misdemeanor, and the applicant has not been convicted in another state or jurisdiction, including a military or federal jurisdiction, of an offense that, if committed in Colorado, would constitute any of the offenses described in section 24-33.5-424 (3)(b.3) classified as a misdemeanor offense, within five years prior to filing the permit application;

(d) Has not been convicted of perjury under section 18-8-503, in relation to information provided or deliberately omitted on a permit application submitted pursuant to this part 2;

(e) (I) Does not chronically and habitually use alcoholic beverages to the extent that the applicant's normal faculties are impaired.

(II) The prohibition specified in this subsection (1)(e) shall not apply to an applicant who provides an affidavit, signed by a professional counselor or addiction counselor who is licensed pursuant to article 245 of title 12 and specializes in alcohol addiction, stating that the applicant has been evaluated by the counselor and has been determined to be a recovering alcoholic who has refrained from using alcohol for at least three years.

(f) Is not an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance as defined in section 18-18-102 (5). Whether an applicant is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance shall be determined as provided in federal law and regulations.

(g) Is not subject to:

(I) A protection order issued pursuant to section 18-1-1001 or section 19-2.5-607 that is in effect at the time the application is submitted; or

(II) A permanent protection order issued pursuant to article 14 of title 13;

(III) A temporary protection order issued pursuant to article 14 of title 13 that is in effect at the time the application is submitted; or

(IV) A temporary extreme risk protection order issued pursuant to section 13-14.5-103 (3) or an extreme risk protection order issued pursuant to section 13-14.5-105 (2);

(h) Demonstrates competence with a handgun by submitting:

(I) Evidence of experience with a firearm through participation in organized shooting competitions, current military service, or current certification as a peace officer pursuant to article 2.5 of title 16;

(II) Evidence that, at the time the application is submitted, the applicant is a certified instructor;

(III) Proof of honorable discharge from a branch of the United States armed forces within the three years preceding submittal of the application;

(IV) Proof of honorable discharge from a branch of the United States armed forces that reflects pistol qualifications obtained within the ten years preceding submittal of the application;

(V) A certificate showing retirement from a Colorado law enforcement agency that reflects pistol qualifications obtained within the ten years preceding submittal of the application; or

(VI) A training certificate from a concealed handgun training class obtained within the one year preceding submittal of the application. The applicant shall submit the original training certificate that includes the printed name and original signature of the verified instructor. To the extent permitted by section 18-12-202.5, in obtaining a training certificate from a concealed handgun training class, the applicant has discretion in selecting which concealed handgun training class to complete.

(2) Regardless of whether an applicant meets the criteria specified in subsection (1) of this section, if the sheriff has a reasonable belief that documented previous behavior by the applicant makes it likely the applicant will present a danger to self or others if the applicant receives a permit to carry a concealed handgun, the sheriff may deny the permit.

(3) (a) The sheriff shall deny, revoke, or refuse to renew a permit if an applicant or a permittee fails to meet one of the criteria listed in subsection (1) of this section and may deny, revoke, or refuse to renew a permit on the grounds specified in subsection (2) of this section.

(b) Following issuance of a permit, if the issuing sheriff has a reasonable belief that a permittee no longer meets the criteria specified in subsection (1) of this section or that the permittee presents a danger as described in subsection (2) of this section, the sheriff shall suspend the permit until such time as the matter is resolved and the issuing sheriff determines that the permittee is eligible to possess a permit as provided in this section.

(c) If the sheriff suspends or revokes a permit, the sheriff shall notify the permittee in writing, stating the grounds for suspension or revocation and informing the permittee of the right to seek a second review by the sheriff, to submit additional information for the record, and to seek judicial review pursuant to section 18-12-207.

Source: L. 2003: Entire part added, p. 638, § 1, effective May 17. L. 2004: (1)(g) amended, p. 1198, § 52, effective August 4. L. 2008: (1)(e)(II) amended, p. 426, § 27, effective August 5. L. 2013: (1)(h)(VI) amended, (SB 13-195), ch. 278, p. 1451, § 2, effective May 24. L. 2019: (1)(g)(II) and (1)(g)(III) amended and (1)(g)(IV) added, (HB 19-1177), ch. 108, p. 399, § 4, effective April 12; (1)(e)(II) amended, (HB 19-1172), ch. 136, p. 1676, § 98, effective October 1. L. 2021: IP(1) and (1)(g)(I) amended, (SB 21-059), ch. 136, p. 725, § 57, effective October 1. L. 2023: (1)(g)(IV) R&RE, (SB 23-170), ch. 124, p. 482, § 6, effective April 28. L. 2024: (1)(c.5) added and (1)(h)(I) and (1)(h)(VI) amended, (HB 24-1174), ch. 388, p. 2689, § 4, effective July 1, 2025.

ANNOTATION

Limiting issuance of concealed handgun permits to only state residents does not violate the second amendment or the privileges and immunities clause of article IV of the U.S. constitution. The second amendment does not confer a right to carry concealed weapons, and carrying a concealed weapon is not a privilege or immunity protected under article IV. Peterson v. Martinez, 707 F.3d 1197 (10th Cir. 2013).

Plaintiff whose felony conviction in another state was set aside under that state's law and who was entitled to possess a handgun under that state's law was entitled to possess a handgun under § 18-12-108 and was entitled to a concealed handgun permit under this section. Seguna v. Maketa, 181 P.3d 399 (Colo. App. 2008).

Sheriff's decision not to reissue concealed handgun permit was a quasi-judicial decision. Copley v. Robinson, 224 P.3d 431 (Colo. App. 2009).

Sheriff's refusal to reissue concealed handgun permit was based on proceedings and procedures that violated applicant's procedural due process rights. Copley v. Robinson, 224 P.3d 431 (Colo. App. 2009).

Applicant was denied due process because he was not apprised of or allowed to review adverse evidence or given the opportunity to confront adverse evidence and witnesses. Copley v. Robinson, 224 P.3d 431 (Colo. App. 2009).

Sheriff's findings of fact and conclusions of law, prepared on remand from the district court, did not satisfy statutory requirement for a written statement of the grounds for suspension or revocation. By the time case proceeded to district court, it was too late for sheriff to inform applicant of the evidence against him and the grounds for sheriff's decision in order to provide applicant with a reasonable opportunity to exercise his statutory rights to supplement the record or request a second review to confront such evidence. Copley v. Robinson, 224 P.3d 431 (Colo. App. 2009).