Is Colorado a constitutional carry state?
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No — Colorado is not a constitutional (permitless) carry state. To carry a handgun concealed, you need a permit: carrying concealed without legal authority is a crime under C.R.S. § 18-12-105, and the sheriff-issued permit under Article 12, Part 2 is that authority. Open carry, by contrast, needs no statewide permit, but local governments may restrict it in posted buildings and areas.
What "constitutional carry" means — and why Colorado isn't one
"Constitutional carry" (also called permitless carry) is shorthand for a state that lets a person who may lawfully possess a handgun carry it concealed without a government permit. Colorado does not do that. Concealed carry runs entirely through the permit system in Article 12, Part 2 of the criminal code, and carrying a concealed firearm without that authority is a class 1 misdemeanor under C.R.S. § 18-12-105.
The permit is not optional and not automatic: a county sheriff issues it only to applicants who meet the statutory criteria.
(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... (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;
So the answer to "can I carry concealed without a permit in Colorado?" is no. If you want to carry concealed, you go through the permit process — see how to get a Colorado concealed carry permit and the concealed carry hub.
Open carry is different: no statewide permit required
Colorado has no state statute that generally bans open (visible) carry of a firearm by an adult who may lawfully possess one. The core weapons-offense statute, § 18-12-105, reaches concealed carry — its title is "Unlawfully carrying a concealed weapon" — not open carry. This is an absence of any statewide open-carry prohibition, not an affirmative statutory grant of a right. So statewide, no permit is required to open carry.
That statewide baseline has a major local exception. Under Colorado's local-firearms-regulation framework (SB21-256), firearm regulation is "a matter of state and local concern," and local governments may restrict open carry in specific buildings and areas, provided they post signs. The concealed-carry statute itself points to that open-carry authority:
If a local government or governing board prohibits carrying a concealed handgun in a building or specific area, the local government or governing board shall post signs at the public entrances to the building or specific area informing persons that carrying a concealed handgun is prohibited in the building or specific area. The notice required by this section may be included on a sign describing open carry restrictions posted in accordance with section 29-11.7-104.
The cross-reference to § 29-11.7-104 is the statute under which a local government may prohibit open carry in designated buildings or areas with posted signage. In other words: open carry needs no permit statewide, but a city or county can post specific places off-limits. Denver in particular has its own rules — see can you open carry in Denver and the open carry hub.
Carrying in a vehicle
Carrying a handgun in a private vehicle follows its own set of rules, separate from the concealed-permit and open-carry questions above. Those rules are covered in Colorado gun laws in a vehicle and can I have a loaded gun in my car in Colorado.
Bottom line: Colorado requires a permit for concealed carry (not constitutional carry), allows open carry without a statewide permit, and lets local governments restrict open carry in posted places. A concealed carry permit does not let you carry everywhere — see where you can't carry a gun in Colorado.
Common questions
Do you need a permit to carry a gun in Colorado?
For concealed carry, yes — a sheriff-issued permit under Article 12, Part 2 is required, and carrying concealed without it violates § 18-12-105. For open carry, no statewide permit is required, though local governments may restrict open carry in posted buildings and areas.
Is open carry legal in Colorado without a permit?
Yes, statewide — Colorado has no general statute prohibiting open carry by an adult who may lawfully possess a firearm, and no permit is required. But under SB21-256, local governments can prohibit open carry in specific buildings or areas as long as they post signs (§ 29-11.7-104).
Did Colorado pass constitutional carry?
No. Colorado still requires a permit to carry concealed. The concealed-carry permit scheme in §§ 18-12-201 to 216 remains in force, and a 2024 law (HB24-1174) actually added training requirements rather than removing the permit requirement.
What is the difference between open and concealed carry in Colorado?
Concealed carry — a handgun kept out of ordinary sight — requires a permit statewide. Open carry — a visibly carried firearm — requires no statewide permit, but can be restricted by local governments in designated places. The § 18-12-105 offense targets concealed carry specifically.