← All counties

How to buy a specified semiautomatic firearm in Arapahoe County, Colorado

Buying a specified semiautomatic firearm in Colorado from 2026-08-01 requires a firearms safety course eligibility card, issued by your county sheriff after a name-based background check. This page is the Arapahoe County version of that process: what the county publishes, what it charges, and what is still unanswered.Check your exact model against the state's listbefore you start.

Every step, in order

These 8 steps run in order and are the same statewide. Step 2 is the only one your county controls, so it is expanded with what Arapahoe County publishes.

1. 1

   Create a Firearm Safety System (FSS) profile online at coloradofss.com. The application portal is live as of July 20, 2026.

2. 2

   Take a government-issued photo ID and a name-based background check to your county sheriff's office. Fees are collected at this step.

   In Arapahoe County

   When

   Walk-in Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 7:00 am to 4:00 pm

   Who they take

   Accepts applicants from outside the county

   Card delivery

   Issued electronically by email at no charge; an optional physical plastic card is $5.

3. 3

   The sheriff reviews the application and issues an eligibility card if approved. The card is valid for 5 years.

4. 4

   Find a sheriff-verified firearms instructor anywhere in Colorado. The instructor checks your FSS record to determine which course you need.

5. 5

   Basic course: 4 hours, for applicants with a CPW-verified hunter-education credential. Extended course: 12 hours over at least 2 days, for everyone else.

6. 6

   Pass a written exam and a hands-on practical with a score of 90% or better.

7. 7

   A passing course score is valid for 5 years from the date you complete it.

8. 8

   At the time of sale, the dealer checks your eligibility in the FSS before completing the transfer.

What it costs in Arapahoe County

The sheriff fee and the $52 CPW record fee are separate charges and add together. Course prices and background-check vendor prices are not published by anyone, so the total above is a floor, not a quote. Seewhat this process has actually cost people.

What Arapahoe County actually published

"Option 2: By Email – If you reside in Arapahoe County you may submit your documents by email. ... Please note that you will be required to submit your payment via an on-line payment link and once our review is complete you will need to visit the Sheriff's Office to verify your identity."

Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office accepts in-person, walk-in eligibility-card applications on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 7:00 am to 4:00 pm. Arapahoe County residents may instead submit documents and payment by email, but must still visit the Sheriff's Office in person afterward to verify identity before a card is issued. Sheriff fees are $125 for a nonresident, $100 for an Arapahoe resident without an Arapahoe CHP, $50 for a resident with a valid CHP, and waived for active ACSO employees and LEOs; the separate CPW record fee is $52 in every case. The eligibility card is issued electronically by email at no charge, or an optional physical plastic card is $5.

Report a correction · Report what this process cost · Back to all counties · FIPS 08005