Can I have a loaded gun in my car in Colorado?
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Yes for a handgun, with a catch for long guns. Colorado law makes it "not an offense" to carry a loaded handgun in your own private vehicle for self-protection while traveling — no permit required (C.R.S. § 18-12-105(2)(b)). But a rifle or shotgun in a vehicle must have an empty chamber (C.R.S. § 33-6-125), and since January 1, 2025 any firearm you leave in an unattended vehicle must be locked in a container (C.R.S. § 18-12-114.5).
Handguns: loaded is fine, no permit needed
The concealed-carry offense in C.R.S. § 18-12-105 lists a vehicle exception that does not depend on holding a permit:
(2) It shall not be an offense if the defendant was: … (b) A person in a private automobile or other private means of conveyance who carries a weapon for lawful protection of such person’s or another’s person or property while traveling; or
Nothing in this exception requires the handgun to be unloaded, and it is not conditioned on a concealed-handgun permit. It also does not distinguish residents from visitors.
Rifles and shotguns: chamber must be empty
Long guns are governed by a separate wildlife statute that applies to "any person," not just hunters:
It is unlawful for any person, except a person authorized by law or by the division, to possess or have under the person’s control any firearm, other than a pistol or revolver, in or on any motor vehicle unless the chamber of the firearm is unloaded. … Any person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of one hundred dollars and an assessment of fifteen license suspension points.
So a rifle or shotgun may have a loaded magazine inserted, but no round in the chamber. Pistols and revolvers are expressly excluded from this rule — they fall under the handgun exception above. A violation is a $100 fine plus 15 wildlife-license suspension points.
Leaving it in an unattended car: lock it up
Since January 1, 2025, if you leave a firearm in an unattended vehicle you must store it in a container:
(1)(a) A person shall not knowingly leave a handgun in an unattended vehicle unless the handgun is in a locked hard-sided container that is placed out of plain view, including a locked container that is permanently affixed to the vehicle’s interior, and the container is in any of the following: (I) A locked vehicle; (II) The locked trunk of a locked vehicle; or (III) A locked recreational vehicle, as defined in section 24-32-902.
A locked glove compartment or center console counts as a hard-sided container. A rifle or shotgun may instead use a locked soft-sided container if a locking device is installed on the firearm. A violation is a civil infraction. This duty applies only when the vehicle is unattended — it does not restrict a loaded handgun you carry while you are in the car under § 18-12-105(2)(b).
For the full picture — including parking areas at government buildings, schools, and colleges, non-resident travelers, and federal interstate transport under 18 U.S.C. § 926A — see the hub: Colorado gun laws in a vehicle.
Common questions
Do I need a concealed carry permit for a loaded handgun in my car?
No. The private-vehicle exception in C.R.S. § 18-12-105(2)(b) is not conditioned on a permit — it is a standing defense for carrying a weapon in your own vehicle for lawful protection while traveling.
Can my rifle be loaded in the car if it is not chambered?
Yes. C.R.S. § 33-6-125 only requires the chamber to be empty for a rifle or shotgun in a motor vehicle. A loaded magazine inserted with no round chambered is allowed.
Does the loaded-handgun rule apply to visitors from other states?
Yes. The Colorado vehicle statutes speak in terms of "any person" and draw no resident/non-resident distinction, so an out-of-state driver has the same private-vehicle handgun exception as a resident.