New Licensing Requirements for Gun Owners in Colorado

Starting in August, gun owners in Colorado will encounter a new licensing system aimed at purchasing some of the country’s most sought-after rifles.

In April 2025, Democratic Governor Jared Polis enacted a law that mandates anyone seeking to buy a modern semi-automatic firearm—like the AR-15—must first obtain a firearms safety course qualification card. Additionally, they have to complete a firearms safety course within five years. This legislation emerged as an alternative to outright bans on so-called “assault weapons” passed in other Democratic-led states, such as California, New Jersey, and Virginia.

Democratic state Senator Tim Sullivan emphasized in a statement that this law is part of a broader strategy to create evidence-based solutions to reduce various forms of gun violence. He mentioned, “Coloradoans demand that we do something about the public health crisis of gun violence, and we intend to do just that.”

A 152-page document detailing the law includes hundreds of images of modern semi-automatic firearms, some of which have not been manufactured for years. This document serves as a guide to what will be regulated under the new law.

Colorado has previously implemented a ban on standard-capacity magazines holding more than 15 rounds following a mass shooting in Aurora in 2013. While organizations like Everytown and the Giffords Law Center have commended Colorado’s regulations, the Trump administration challenged Denver’s blanket ban on modern semi-automatics in court.

John Comerford, the Executive Director of NRA-ILA, criticized the new law, saying it restricts law-abiding citizens’ access to their constitutional rights. He argued that the mandatory training programs are filled with a biased agenda against gun ownership and that criminals will continue to disregard such laws.

Some Second Amendment advocates speculate that if the Supreme Court strikes down lawsuits aimed at completely banning modern semi-automatic firearms based on the Second Amendment, other states might follow Colorado’s lead.

Adam Kraut, Executive Director of the Second Amendment Foundation, noted that states might impose similar requirements under the guise of safety while still limiting the places where firearms can be carried. He expressed concern that blue states could adopt similar measures as a workaround.

The Firearms Policy Coalition reacted strongly to the law, asserting that it reflects a continuous effort by those in power to tighten gun control measures. They stated, “Freedom is a promise, not a destination, and the FPC Grassroots Army will continue to fight until each of these immoral laws is destroyed, one by one.”