Concealed Carry Permits & Training

Under existing law, an applicant for a permit to carry a concealed handgun (permit) must demonstrate competence with a handgun, which the applicant may do by completing a handgun training class (initial class) offered by a certified instructor. Beginning July 1, 2025, the bill requires concealed handgun training classes to be a law enforcement training firearms safety course or a firearms safety course taught by a verified instructor, held in person, and include instruction regarding:

• Knowledge and safe handling of firearms and ammunition;
• Safe storage of firearms and child safety;
• Safe firearms shooting fundamentals;
• Federal and state laws pertaining to the lawful purchase, ownership, transportation, use, and possession of firearms;
• State law pertaining to the use of deadly force for self-defense; and
• Best practices for safely interacting with law enforcement personnel who are responding to an emergency; and
• Techniques for avoiding a criminal attack and how to manage a violent confrontation, including conflict resolution and judgmental use of lethal force.

A student must achieve a passing score on a written concealed handgun competency exam and in a live-fire exercise to complete an initial class. An initial class must provide at least 8 hours of instruction, including the live-fire exercise and written exam.

The bill requires completion of an initial class or a concealed handgun refresher class (refresher class) for renewal of a permit, unless an exemption applies. A student in a refresher class must demonstrate safety and competence with a handgun. The refresher class must be held in person, be taught by a verified instructor, include instruction on changes to laws related to firearms, and require a passing score on a live-fire exercise and written exam. A refresher class must provide at least 2 hours of instruction, including the live-fire exercise and written exam.

The bill requires the Colorado bureau of investigation a county sheriff to verify class instructors whose principal place to conduct firearms training is in the sheriff's county. To be a verified instructor, a person must hold a valid concealed carry permit and be certified as a firearms instructor by a law enforcement agency, college or university, nationally recognized organization that customarily offers firearms training, or firearms training school .

The bill allows a person to demonstrate competence with a handgun by holding a current certification as a peace officer. The bill prohibits a person from being issued a permit if the person was convicted of certain misdemeanor offenses within 5 years before submitting a permit application.

The bill makes it a deceptive trade practice for a person to claim to be a verified instructor for a concealed handgun training class unless the person is verified as a firearms instructor by the Colorado bureau of investigation a county sheriff.

(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)