How long is a Colorado concealed carry permit good for?
Last verified against primary sources: · Updated
Five years. A Colorado concealed handgun permit is valid for five years from the date of issuance and is effective statewide except in the places listed in § 18-12-214 (C.R.S. § 18-12-204(1)(b)). You can renew within the 120 days before it expires, and if you miss that, a six-month grace period lets you renew late with a $15 fee — after which the permit permanently expires and you must reapply from scratch (§ 18-12-211).
Five-year validity
A permit is valid for a period of five years after the date of issuance and may be renewed as provided in section 18-12-211. A permit issued pursuant to this part 2, including a temporary emergency permit issued pursuant to section 18-12-209, is effective in all areas of the state, except as otherwise provided in section 18-12-214.
The clock runs from the issuance date printed on the permit, not from when you applied or took your class. Note the two exceptions folded into the same sentence: a temporary emergency permit is not on this five-year track — it lasts only 90 days (§ 18-12-209) — and even a valid permit does not authorize carry in the places listed in § 18-12-214.
The renewal window: 120 days before expiration
You may start renewing up to 120 days before your permit expires. Since HB24-1174, renewal is no longer a bare affidavit — you must again demonstrate handgun competence, typically with a refresher-class certificate obtained within the previous six months, and pay a renewal fee capped at $50.
(1)(a) Within one hundred twenty days prior to expiration of a permit, the permittee may obtain a renewal form from the sheriff of the county or city and county in which the permittee resides or from the sheriff of the county or city and county in which the permittee maintains a secondary residence or owns or leases real property used by the permittee in a business and renew the permit by demonstrating competence with a handgun, as described in subsection (3) of this section, and submitting to the sheriff a completed renewal form; an affidavit stating that the permittee remains qualified pursuant to the criteria specified in section 18-12-203 (1)(a) to (1)(g); and the required renewal fee not to exceed fifty dollars, as set by the sheriff pursuant to section 18-12-205 (5). The renewal form must meet the requirements specified in section 18-12-205 (1) for an application.
If your permit expires: the six-month grace period
Missing your expiration date does not immediately send you back to square one. There is a six-month grace period during which you can still renew — you just pay a $15 late fee on top of the renewal fee.
(2) A permittee who fails to file a renewal form on or before the permit expiration date may renew the permit by paying a late fee of fifteen dollars in addition to the renewal fee established pursuant to subsection (1) of this section. No permit shall be renewed six months or more after its expiration date, and the permit shall be deemed to have permanently expired. A person whose permit has permanently expired may reapply for a permit, but the person shall submit an application for a permit and the fee required pursuant to section 18-12-205...
What "permanently expired" means
Once six months pass after expiration, the permit is permanently expired — it cannot be renewed at any price. To carry again you must file a full new application under § 18-12-205: a fresh training class (an initial 8-hour class, not the 2-hour refresher, because a refresher certificate is valid only for renewals), new fingerprints, a new background check, and the full application fee. In practical terms, an expired permit means you no longer have the legal authority to carry a concealed handgun; carrying on a permanently expired permit is carrying without a permit. On the cost of reapplying, see Colorado concealed carry class and permit cost.
An expired or permanently-expired permit is no defense to a carrying charge. If your permit has lapsed, do not carry concealed until you have renewed within the grace period or obtained a new permit.
Keep your address current
Separately from renewal, you must report any change of the address on your permit to the issuing sheriff within 30 days; failing to do so is a civil infraction (§ 18-12-210(1)).
Common questions
How long does a Colorado concealed carry permit last?
Five years from the date of issuance (§ 18-12-204(1)(b)). A temporary emergency permit is different — it lasts only 90 days.
When can I renew my Colorado CCW?
Within the 120 days before it expires. You renew by demonstrating handgun competence (usually a refresher-class certificate obtained within the prior six months), submitting a renewal form, and paying a fee capped at $50 (§ 18-12-211(1)).
What happens if my Colorado concealed carry permit expires?
You have a six-month grace period to renew late by paying a $15 late fee plus the renewal fee. Six months or more after expiration, the permit permanently expires and cannot be renewed — you must submit a full new application and fee (§ 18-12-211(2)).
Can I still carry on an expired Colorado permit?
No. An expired permit is no longer valid authority to carry concealed. If it is within the six-month grace period you can renew it, but until you do, carrying concealed is carrying without a permit under § 18-12-105.