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Concealed Handgun Permits

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1. Am I eligible for a concealed handgun permit if I’m here on a work Visa, an immigrant or a non-immigrant?

Yes. If you have a work visa, you must provide the work visa, a completed supplemental form, proof of residency showing you have resided here for at least 90 days and possess a valid hunting license. If you are a non-immigrant with an “admission number” or an immigrant with an “INS form” (green card), you must provide these documents: a completed supplemental form and proof of residency showing you have resided here for at least 90 days.

Visit our concealed handgun permit webpage for more information.

2. Can I carry a handgun into open space and state park areas?

Contact the Open Space or Colorado Parks and Wildlife where you plan to carry because each entity has its own rules and regulations.

3. Can I get a concealed handgun permit if I have a medical marijuana permit, card or certificate?

No. C.R.S. 18-12-203 (c) states: A sheriff shall issue a permit to carry to an applicant who is not ineligible to possess a firearm pursuant to Federal Law. Federal law 18 USC 922 (g) (3), prohibits any person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance from shipping, transporting, receiving or possessing firearms or ammunition. Marijuana is listed in the Controlled Substances Act as a Schedule I controlled substance, and there are no exceptions in federal law for marijuana purportedly used for medicinal purposes, even if such use is sanctioned by state law. Federal law 18 USC 922 (d) (3), also makes it unlawful for any person to sell or otherwise dispose of any firearm or ammunition to any person knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that such person is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

Any person who uses or is addicted to marijuana, regardless of whether his or her state has passed legislation authorizing marijuana use for medicinal purposes, is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance, and is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.

Visit the concealed handgun permits webpage for more information.

4. Can I renew my concealed handgun permit if I move to another county?

Yes. You must renew your application with the county in which you now reside, own property, or own a business.  Renewals in Jefferson County can only be processed for residents. Please note that you may need to start the process from the beginning, or you may have to pay additional fees for fingerprint processing depending on the expiration lapse of your permit.

Visit the concealed handgun permits webpage for more information.

5. Do other states honor Colorado’s concealed handgun permit and reciprocity?

Yes. Permits are valid throughout the state of Colorado. Other states do have reciprocity with Colorado, and you may go to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation Reciprocity site to find this information.

6. How do I become a legal resident of Colorado?

In order to apply for a permit in Colorado, you must be a legal state resident and posses a valid Colorado driver's license. If you have recently moved to the state, you must apply for a Colorado title and registration for your vehicle within 90 days from establishing residency. Colorado residency is established when one of the following criteria is met:

•     You have obtained employment in the state
•     You own or operate a business in Colorado
•     You have resided in the state continuously for 90 days

Visit the concealed handgun permits webpage for more information.

7. How do I find C.R.S. section 18-8-503 regarding question three on the concealed handgun permit application?

You can find 18-8-503 at Colorado Revised Statutes online,  or at a local library or bookstore.

Per section 18-12-205 (2) (a), “An applicant who knowingly and intentionally makes a false or misleading statement on a permit application or deliberately omits any material information requested on the application commits perjury as described in section 18-8-503. Upon conviction, the applicant shall be punished as provided in section 18-1.3-501. In addition, the applicant shall be denied the right to obtain or possess a permit, and the sheriff shall revoke the applicant’s permit if issued prior to conviction.”

Visit the concealed handgun permits webpage for more information.

8. How do I know if I’m prohibited to own or possess a firearm?

Federal law 18 USC 922 (g) (1-9) prohibits individuals from possessing, shipping, transporting or receiving any firearm or ammunition if they are a person who is:

• Convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year
• A fugitive from justice
• An unlawful user of, or who is addicted to, a controlled substance
• Someone that has been adjudicated as a mental defective or who has been admitted to a mental institution
• An alien unlawfully in the United States or who has been admitted to the United States under a non-immigrant visa
• Someone that been discharged from the armed forces under dishonorable conditions
• Someone that, having been a citizen of the United States, renounces his citizenship
• Subject to a court order, issued after a hearing in which the person participated, which restrains that person from harassing, stalking or threatening an intimate partner or partner’s child, and which order includes a finding that the person is a credible threat to such partner or partner’s child, or by its terms prohibits the use, attempted use or threatened use of such force against such partner or partner’s child
• Someone that has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence

Visit the concealed handgun permits webpage for more information.

9. How do I renew my Jefferson County concealed handgun permit?

It is the applicant's responsibility to submit for renewal of a permit before the expiration date on the permit card. You must submit a renewal only in the county you reside, own property, or own a business.  Applicants may submit a completed application, proof of residency (a valid Colorado driver's license, Colorado ID or Military Photo Identification) and $35 within 120 days before the permit expires. The “Proof of Firearms Training” on the back of the application does not pertain to renewal applicants as long as a certificate is already on file and the existing permit card is not more than six months expired. The applicant must deliver the original application in person to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Records Unit. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. Per C.R.S. 18-12-205 (2) (a), all applicants must sign the completed application in the presence of the issuing county sheriff or designee. These permits are valid for an additional five years from the issuance date.

Visit the concealed handgun permits webpage for more information.

10. How long does the process take once a concealed handgun permit application is submitted?

The process is completed within 90 days after the date the required items are received. Upon approval, the applicant will be notified to come in for a photograph and the issuance of a permit card. Applicants denied a permit have the right to seek a second review by the Sheriff (additional information must be submitted), or they may seek judicial review pursuant to C.R.S. 18-12-207.

Visit the concealed handgun permits webpage for more information.

11. How long is the concealed handgun permit valid?

A permit is valid for five years from issuance date. Visit the concealed handgun permits webpage for more information.

12. If I move to Colorado, is my out-of-state concealed handgun permit valid?

Once you become a legal resident of Colorado, you have a 90-day grace period with your out-of-state permit as long as Colorado has reciprocity with that state. During this time, applicants must apply for a Colorado permit and provide all required items. Out-of-state permits may not be renewed in Colorado.

Visit the concealed handgun permits webpage for more information.

13. If I move to Jefferson County, how do I renew my concealed handgun permit from another county?

It is the applicant's responsibility to submit renewal for a permit before the expiration date in the county they reside, own a property or own a business. Applicants may submit for permit renewal to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office within 120-days before the permit expires. Please note that in addition to a completed application and proof of residency (a valid Colorado driver’s license, Colorado ID or Military Photo Identification), a handgun training certificate and a processing fee must be submitted. Per CBI, the issuing agency must have prints on file for the individual applying for a permit.

Visit the concealed handgun permits webpage for more information.

14. If I obtain a concealed handgun permit, do I have to carry my handgun concealed?

Due to some counties and municipalities having ordinances against open carry, it is recommended to contact the agencies where you plan to travel or obtain advice from an attorney. Visit the concealed handgun permits webpage for more information.

15. If I obtain a concealed handgun permit, will the sheriff’s office release my information to the public?

No. Per C.R. S. 18-12-206 (3) (a), sheriff’s offices are only allowed to share applicant information with other law enforcement agencies. No information about an applicant is released to the public. The information requested is classified as a criminal justice record covered by Part III of the Open Record’s Act, which states that the custodian may deny access to criminal justice records when disclosure would be contrary to the public interest. 24-72-305(5) C.R.S. Per 18-12-206 (4), a copy of the annual report, prepared for the general assembly, may also be given to a member of the public upon request, but these reports include numbers only and do not provide names, addresses, etc.

Visit the concealed handgun permits webpage for more information.

16. If I own property in Colorado and another state, where do I apply for a concealed handgun permit?

You must apply in the state where you claim primary residency (i.e. have a driver’s license, license plates, registered to vote, etc.). Other states do have reciprocity with Colorado, and you may go to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation Reciprocity site to find this information. Example: If you claim primary residency in Florida and possess a Florida permit, your permit is valid in Colorado.

Visit the concealed handgun permits webpage for more information.

17. If I’m a current Colorado resident, is my out-of-state concealed handgun permit valid here?

No. Per C.R.S. 18-12-213 (b) (II), which passed May 17, 2007, Colorado residents who possess out-of-state permits are not valid here in Colorado and the individual is considered to be carrying illegally. If you are a Colorado resident and want to carry concealed, you must possess a Colorado concealed handgun permit.

Visit the concealed handgun permits webpage for more information.

18. What are the concealed handgun carry restrictions?

A person may not carry a concealed handgun into: A place where firearms are prohibited by Federal law; a public building in which security personnel and electronic weapons screening devices are permanently in place; or where a private property owner, private tenant, private employer or private business entity disallows the practice.

Visit the concealed handgun permits webpage for more information.

19. What happens to my concealed handgun permit if I move within Colorado or out of the state?

You must notify the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office within 30 days of an address change. Failure to do so is a chargeable offense. If you move within the state of Colorado, the permit remains valid. If you move out of state, the permit becomes invalid and must be returned to the issuing sheriff’s office. You will need to complete a change of address form.

Submit the Change of Address Form (PDF) or any renewal applications in the county you reside, own property, or own a business in.  A new card will be issued and the old one confiscated and destroyed.

Visit the concealed handgun permits webpage for more information.

20. What should I do if I lose my concealed handgun permit card?

You must notify the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office within three  business days of a lost, stolen or destroyed permit card. Failure to do  so is a chargeable offense. You will need to complete a lost, stolen or  destroyed form and submit this in person to the records unit, along with  a valid ID. There is a $15 fee to replace the card (no personal  checks).

Visit the concealed handgun permits webpages for more information.

21. Where may I get a handgun training certificate?

A shooting range or handgun-training facility that has a “certified instructor,” a firearms safety course instructor certified by a county, municipal, state or federal law enforcement agency; the Colorado Peace Officer Standards Training (POST) board; a federal military agency; or a national nonprofit organization that certifies firearms instructors, operates national firearms competitions and provides training, including courses in personal protection, in small arms safety, use and marksmanship. A certified National Rifle Association instructor is acceptable.

The “handgun training class” means:

• A law enforcement training firearms safety course
• A firearms safety course offered by a law enforcement agency, an institution of higher education, a public or private institution or organization or firearms training school that is open to the general public and is taught by a certified instructor
• Or a firearms safety course or class that is offered and taught by a certified instructor

Visit the concealed handgun permits webpage for more information.