Colorado’s new gun law will require an eligibility card for purchasing AR-15 and similar firearms beginning August 2026, adding extensive vetting procedures while gun rights groups prepare for legal battles.
Key Takeaways
- Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed legislation requiring eligibility cards for purchasing certain semiautomatic firearms with detachable magazines, taking effect August 1, 2026.
- Purchasers must complete 4-12 hours of training, pass background checks, and be vetted by county sheriffs to receive an eligibility card.
- The law specifically targets weapons like AR-15 and AK-47 rifles while exempting most handguns, shotguns, and hunting rifles.
- Gun rights organizations including the Colorado State Shooting Association and Rocky Mountain Gun Owners are preparing legal challenges to the law.
- Critics argue the law creates financial barriers to exercising Second Amendment rights, while supporters claim it will reduce mass shootings and gun violence.
New Eligibility Requirements for Semiautomatic Firearm Purchases
Colorado has enacted one of the nation’s most restrictive gun laws outside of states like California and New York. The legislation, signed by Democratic Governor Jared Polis, requires potential buyers of certain semiautomatic firearms to obtain an eligibility card from their county sheriff’s department. The process mirrors Illinois’ Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) system but specifically targets weapons with detachable magazines like AR-15 and AK-47 style rifles, which lawmakers have associated with mass shootings. The law explicitly exempts most handguns, shotguns, and traditional hunting rifles from these restrictions.
Unlike an outright ban that was initially proposed, the final version allows Coloradans to purchase these firearms if they complete extensive vetting processes. Eligibility requirements include passing criminal background checks and completing mandatory training courses ranging from 4 hours (for those with hunter safety certification) to 12 hours for others. The training must cover topics including firearms safety, Colorado’s red flag law, mental illness, and “victim awareness and empathy” components not typically found in standard firearms courses.
“This isn’t about safety — it’s about control.” — @MrColionNoir slams Colorado’s new gun law as a power grab, not protection. https://t.co/nqNss0tmls
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) April 14, 2025
Polis Defends Law as Safety Measure, Not a Ban
Governor Polis has emphasized that the law is not a firearms ban, positioning it instead as a safety and training requirement. “I am focused on improving public safety and making Colorado one of the top ten safest states in the country,” Polis stated. “This bill ensures that our Second Amendment rights are protected and that Coloradans can continue to purchase the gun of their choice for sport, hunting, self-defense, or home defense. This law is not a ban, and I have been clear that I oppose banning types of firearms.”
Polis has pledged to keep training costs under $200 and is exploring financial assistance options for lower-income residents. The governor also signed companion legislation to improve the state’s response to mass shootings, requiring the Division of Criminal Justice to seek federal grants to support victim services. The legislation also maintains the state’s existing ban on magazines holding more than 15 rounds and prohibits rapid-fire conversion devices like bump stocks.
Gun Rights Organizations Prepare Legal Challenges
Gun rights advocates have condemned the new requirements as unconstitutional restrictions on Second Amendment rights. Both the Colorado State Shooting Association and Rocky Mountain Gun Owners have announced plans to challenge the law in court. Critics argue the legislation creates financial and logistical barriers to firearms ownership that disproportionately affect lower-income citizens. Ian Escalante, representing gun owners, stated the law forces citizens to essentially “buy back” their constitutional rights. “All they want to do is they want to chip away, once again, at the Second Amendment. It’s completely arbitrary. You’re going to have to go through this long, drawn-out process of buying your rights back. And the legislators up there, they don’t really seem to care,” remarked Escalante.
The Colorado State Shooting Association issued a particularly strong rebuke, with spokesperson Huey Laugesen declaring, “Polis might think he’s scoring points with the anti-gun crowd, but as far as we’re concerned, he has just handed us a rallying cry. This fight is far from over, and we’re playing for keeps.” Many critics also note that the legislation doesn’t address how criminals typically acquire firearms through illegal channels, focusing instead on law-abiding citizens who follow legal purchasing procedures.
Implementation and Impact
The law won’t take effect until August 1, 2026, giving state agencies time to establish training standards and administrative processes. Current owners of affected firearms are grandfathered in, with the restrictions applying only to new purchases. Colorado officials point out that federal law prevents residents from circumventing these requirements by purchasing guns in neighboring states with less restrictive laws. Sheriffs’ departments will maintain a database of eligibility card holders, creating what some critics call a de facto firearms registry for the affected weapons categories.
State Representative Tom Sullivan, whose son was killed in the 2012 Aurora theater shooting, has been instrumental in passing nearly two dozen gun laws since 2019. Sullivan sponsored this bill, calling it “lifesaving” legislation. “We have been able to add to the safety of each and every Coloradan,” Sullivan stated after the bill’s passage. However, critics remain skeptical about its actual impact on gun violence, pointing to issues with enforcement of existing gun laws and the legislation’s focus on specific firearms types rather than illegal acquisition methods.
Sources:
Polis signs watered-down semiautomatic gun restriction bill into law
Colorado now has one of the most restrictive gun laws in the country
Colorado to Require ‘Eligibility Card’ for Would-Be AR-15 Purchasers
