How to buy a specified semiautomatic firearm in Garfield 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 Garfield 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.
Your next step in Garfield County
Not implementedAnnounced, but not running
Garfield County said a process was coming and has not stood one up. The law has been in effect since August 1, 2026, and as of 2026-08-15 the county has published no fee, no application channel, and no start date. I have asked repeatedly through every channel I have.
Email me when this county changesCall Garfield County Sheriff's Office: 970-945-0453
- Sheriff fee
- Not published
- How to apply
- Not published
- Fees before the firearm
- Not published
- Last checked
- 2026-08-15
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 Garfield County publishes.
Create a Firearm Safety System (FSS) profile online at coloradofss.com. The application portal is live as of July 20, 2026.
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 Garfield County
Announced, but not running.
Garfield County has not published the operational detail for this step — no hours, form, or document list. What it does publish is quoted below. Been through it? Tell me what they asked for.
The sheriff reviews the application and issues an eligibility card if approved. The card is valid for 5 years.
Find a sheriff-verified firearms instructor anywhere in Colorado. The instructor checks your FSS record to determine which course you need.
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.
Pass a written exam and a hands-on practical with a score of 90% or better.
A passing course score is valid for 5 years from the date you complete it.
At the time of sale, the dealer checks your eligibility in the FSS before completing the transfer.
What it costs in Garfield County
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Sheriff eligibility-card feeNot published by this county | Varies |
| CPW record fee (statewide)Collected by the sheriff, forwarded to Colorado Parks and Wildlife | $52 |
| Name-based background checkThird-party vendor; price varies | Varies |
| Firearms safety course4-hour or 12-hour course; instructor sets the price | Varies |
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 Garfield County actually published
"PROCESS TO ACQUIRE A SSF CARD AFTER AUGUST 1, 2026:"
Public-info verification only. Garfield County Sheriff publishes an SSF eligibility-card information page describing the post-August-1 process through the Sheriff's Office. No local sheriff fee or application channel was located during this pass.
Who to contact
Garfield County Sheriff's Office
Get told when this changes
Training and related pages
The statewide version of these steps is onhow to apply for an eligibility card. Course requirements are on the firearms safety course page, and reported prices are on the compliance-cost page. A Colorado concealed carry permit (CHP) is a separate sheriff-issued permit and does not replace the eligibility card or any step above.
Teach the SB25-003 safety course in Garfield County, or host one at your range or shop? List it here, free — verified listings appear on this page.
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