Open carry in Colorado

Last verified against primary sources: 2026-07-20 · Updated 2026-07-20

The statewide baseline: no general open-carry ban

Colorado's central weapons offense is C.R.S. § 18-12-105, titled "Unlawfully carrying a concealed weapon — unlawful possession of weapons." By its terms it reaches firearms carried concealed, not firearms carried openly and visibly. No statute of general application banning open carry appears anywhere in the Colorado Revised Statutes. Instead, Colorado regulates concealed carry (through the permit system) and carrying in specific enumerated locations.

Because the offense turns on concealment, the line between legal open carry and illegal unlicensed concealed carry matters. The statute itself does not define "concealed." Colorado courts — not the statute — supply the test: "concealed" means placed out of sight so as not to be discernible or apparent by ordinary observation (People ex rel. O.R., Colo. App. 2008). A holstered handgun worn openly on the hip is not concealed; the same handgun tucked under a jacket is.

Local governments can ban open carry (SB21-256)

Colorado used to preempt most local firearm rules. SB21-256 (2021) changed that, declaring firearm regulation "a matter of state and local concern" and letting local governments regulate more strictly than before.

The companion permit statute confirms that a local government that restricts carry in a building or area must post signs — and that a single sign can carry both the open-carry and concealed-carry restriction:

The standalone text of § 29-11.7-104 — the section that spells out the local open-carry-signage authority the cross-reference above points to — is what a city relies on to ban open carry in, for example, a recreation center or a park building. Denver has used this framework to prohibit open carry citywide. If you see posted signage, treat the restriction as binding.

Sensitive places apply to open carry too

Several statewide "sensitive place" bans do not care whether you carry openly or concealed — they prohibit the firearm outright. These come mostly from SB24-131 (2024) and apply regardless of any permit.

Government buildings, courthouses, and the legislature (§ 18-12-105.3)

Because the ban covers "a firearm, whether loaded or not loaded," it applies to open carry the same as concealed carry. It is a class 1 misdemeanor. Narrow exceptions exist for peace officers, on-duty military, security personnel, and court/law-enforcement personnel; a concealed-carry permittee may keep a concealed handgun in the adjacent parking area, but that carve-out is for concealed carry, not open carry.

Schools, colleges, and licensed child care centers (§ 18-12-105.5)

This provision names open carry expressly ("either openly or concealed") and adds licensed child care centers alongside schools and colleges. A violation is a class 1 misdemeanor. SB24-131 also narrowed the concealed-carry-permit exception on campuses — see the prohibited-places page for how the permit exemption now works.

Polling places and drop boxes (§ 1-13-724)

The Vote Without Fear Act originally banned only open carry near voting sites. SB24-131 struck the word "openly," extending the ban to concealed carry as well — so both are now prohibited:

There is a private-property exception for owning and carrying on your own property inside the 100-foot buffer, and for uniformed contract security guards and certain security personnel.

Federal locations

Federal law bars firearms in federal facilities regardless of Colorado law:

A "Federal facility" is a building or part of one owned or leased by the federal government where federal employees regularly work. Federal courthouses are separately and more strictly regulated under § 930(e). U.S. post offices are covered by their own rule:

Parks and public lands

Colorado state parks — carry follows Title 18

Colorado state parks do not add a carry restriction beyond general state law. Colorado Parks & Wildlife regulation ties lawful carry to Title 18 compliance and separately affirms concealed carry by a valid permit holder:

The park-specific restrictions are on discharge, not carry: shooting is unlawful within 100 yards of any designated campground, picnic area, boat ramp, swimming or water-skiing beach, or nature trail and study area, except as otherwise posted, and target shooting is limited to designated ranges.

National parks and national forests

National parks in Colorado (Rocky Mountain, Great Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde, Black Canyon, Colorado National Monument) defer to state law for carry:

So if open carry is lawful under Colorado law, it is generally lawful in a national park here — but federal buildings inside park boundaries (visitor centers, ranger stations) remain off-limits under 18 U.S.C. § 930, and discharge is separately restricted. National forests in Colorado also defer to Colorado state law for carry, with the same federal-building carve-out.