Law to Improve Concealed Carry Training Takes Effect
DENVER, CO – On July 1, 2025, legislation goes into effect to improve concealed carry permit training to encourage responsible gun ownership, reduce gun violence and keep Coloradans safe.
“The data is clear - live-fire gun training can save lives,” said Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge. "States that have eliminated their live-fire training requirements to receive a concealed carry permit saw a 32 percent increase in gun assaults. With this lifesaving law going into effect, we’re ensuring that Coloradans with concealed carry permits are properly trained and educated on current laws, like Colorado's safe storage requirements, before they bring their firearm into their communities.”
“Responsible gun ownership takes work,” said Sen. Kyle Mullica, D-Thornton. “Creating minimum training requirements for safe handling of firearms, shooting fundamentals and more ensures we’re treating concealed carry permits with the seriousness they deserve. I’m proud to see this law go into effect to advance gun safety and help prevent gun violence.”
“When I received my concealed carry permit years ago, I was surprised to learn that Colorado law did not require live-fire training, a necessary skill to have before carrying a gun in public spaces," said Sen. Marc Snyder, D-Manitou Springs. “This law creates a minimum requirement for concealed carry permit holders, including in-person live-fire training with a certified firearms instructor, to ensure that concealed carry permits are issued with appropriate training. Many dedicated and qualified firearm instructors already exceed these minimum requirements, and this law will close that gap to ensure that everyone with a concealed carry permit has the proper training and qualifications.”
HB24-1174, sponsored by House Majority Leader Duran and Senators Snyder and Mullica, aims to reduce gun violence by improving concealed carry permit training requirements.
On August 7, 2024, portions of the law went into effect to set guidelines for handgun training, instructor qualifications and judicial review for the denial, suspension or revocation of instructor verification. This includes requiring handgun training classes to contain at least eight hours of instruction, including a live-fire exercise and a written exam with a minimum passing score. The law makes it a deceptive trade practice for a person to claim to be a verified firearms safety instructor unless they have been verified by a county sheriff.
Under the law, handgun training classes must be held in-person and include training on the safe handling of firearms and ammunition, safe storage of firearms and child safety, safe firearms shooting fundamentals, federal and state firearm laws, state laws related to the use of deadly force for self-defense, interacting with law enforcement who are responding to emergencies, and techniques for conflict resolution and judgmental use of lethal force.
Beginning July 1, 2025, portions of HB24-1174 go into effect that prohibit a person from being issued a permit if they have been convicted of certain misdemeanor offenses within five years of submitting a concealed carry permit application. Updates to the concealed carry permit renewal process also go into effect to ensure that current permit holders also meet the new training requirements under Colorado law. HB24-1174 protects law enforcement officers and agencies, medical staff and firearm instructors from liability for damages related to the issuance or denial of a permit.