what's happening with sb25-003?
WHAT IS A SPECIFIED SEMIAUTOMATIC FIREARM?
Colorado gun laws 2026 just got significantly more complicated, and the deadline is less than three months away. On August 1, 2026, the most significant change to firearm purchase law in Colorado in years goes into full effect. Senate Bill 25-003 was signed by Governor Jared Polis on April 10, 2025, and while some provisions kicked in right away, the main permit-to-purchase requirement drops this summer.
If you own or plan to buy a semiautomatic rifle, shotgun with a detachable magazine, or a gas-operated semiautomatic pistol, this law DIRECTLY AFFECTS YOU!
What Colorado Gun Laws 2026 Actually Require Under SB 25-003Colorado Senate Bill 25-003 targets what the law calls “specified semiautomatic firearms” – defined as semiautomatic rifles, semiautomatic shotguns with detachable magazines, and gas-operated semiautomatic handguns with detachable magazines. Starting August 1, 2026, you cannot legally purchase or receive a transfer of one of these firearms in Colorado unless you have first completed a state-approved firearms safety course and obtained a Firearms Safety Course Eligibility Card from your county sheriff.
The training requirement breaks down like this: if you have a Colorado Parks and Wildlife certified hunter education certificate on record (within the last 5 years), you qualify for a shorter four-hour Basic Course. If you do not have that hunter education background, you must complete a 12-hour Extended Course. Both courses must be taken in person and include a final written exam with a minimum passing score of 90 percent.
What the law does not do is take away firearms you already own. Possession of currently-owned firearms is completely unaffected. It also does not apply to most hunting rifles with fixed magazines, recoil-operated handguns (which cover the vast majority of the pistol market), or a number of other exempt categories.
Who Is Exempt and What Firearms Are NOT Affected?It is worth being clear about what this law does not touch, because a lot of the coverage has focused on restrictions without explaining the scope of exemptions.
Recoil-operated semiautomatic handguns – the category that includes the overwhelming majority of popular pistols like the ever popular Glock, Smith & Wesson, Sig Sauer, Taurus, Rock Island Armory, Canik and most 1911 variants, and similar platforms – are not affected by SB 25-003. The law specifically targets gas-operated semiautomatic pistols with detachable magazines (such as the Walther CCP, Magnum Research Desert Eagle and a few others). Estimates suggest that over 90 percent of the handgun market falls outside the law’s reach.
Transfers to heirs are exempt. Transfers to licensed firearms dealers are exempt. Transfers to individuals residing in another state are exempt. Law enforcement (with a letter from their chain of command specifying that the need for the weapon to be used in the line of duty) are the only ones that are exempt.
Fixed-magazine semiautomatic firearms are not covered. Most hunting shotguns are not covered. And critically, the law does not change anything about where or how you can use a firearm you already own.
The Department of Revenue, through Colorado’s state firearms dealer permit program, is required to publish and maintain a specific list of covered models so dealers and buyers know exactly what falls under the new requirements. That list will be available through Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s website.
The Training and Permit Process – How It Works
Here is the step-by-step path for anyone who wants to purchase a covered semiautomatic firearm after August 1, 2026.
First, you apply to your county sheriff’s office for a Firearms Safety Course Eligibility Card. The sheriff conducts a background check, verifies you can legally possess a firearm, and issues the card. There are fees involved at the sheriff level, and each county sets its own processing fee based on direct costs.
Second, once you have the eligibility card, you enroll in either the Basic Course (four hours, for those with hunter education) or the Extended Course (12 hours). Colorado Parks and Wildlife is developing and approving the course curriculum and will certify instructors statewide. CPW will not teach the courses itself – certified private instructors will deliver them.
Third, after completing the course and passing the written exam at 90 percent or better, you receive your certification, which qualifies you to complete your firearm purchase through an FFL dealer.
The whole process could take weeks to months depending on sheriff office workload and course availability.
*SEE THE BREAKDOWN OF THESE STEPS AS EXPLAINED BY CPW HERE.