SB25-003, in plain English
This page summarizes what the law says, with each statement sourced to state materials. It is a reference, not legal advice.
What the law does
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SB25-003, "Semiautomatic Firearms & Rapid-Fire Devices," was signed April 10, 2025. Its purchase requirements take effect August 1, 2026.
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The act defines a specified semiautomatic firearm as a semiautomatic rifle or semiautomatic shotgun with a detachable magazine, or a gas-operated semiautomatic handgun with a detachable magazine, with specific firearms and models excluded.
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From August 1, 2026, buying a specified semiautomatic firearm from a licensed dealer requires a firearms safety course eligibility card — issued by a county sheriff after a background check — plus a qualifying safety course.
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The state publishes a list of covered makes and models as guidance. The definition is characteristics-based, so the list is non-exhaustive and is updated on an ongoing basis; the statute controls.
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Look up a specific make and model with the list search, or read the current list version with its source PDF.
What it does not change
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Background checks and courses completed for a concealed handgun permit (CHP/CCW) do not count toward this program.
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Firearms already possessed before August 1, 2026 are not affected by this law.
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Rapid-fire devices (for example bump stocks and binary triggers) were classified as dangerous weapons when the governor signed the bill, April 10, 2025. No grandfather provision applies.
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Key dates
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2025-04-10 — SB25-003 signed (rapid-fire device ban takes effect)
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2026-07-20 — FSS application opens
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2026-08-01 — SB25-003 effective
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All tracked dates, in one place: /dates.
Where to go from here
- The purchase pipeline — the step-by-step sequence from FSS profile to dealer transfer.
- Colorado county eligibility-card status and fees — what each of the 64 sheriffs has published, with sources.
- Colorado firearms safety course requirements — 4-hour vs 12-hour paths, exam thresholds, and instructor verification.
- Compliance costs — fees and time, documented.
- Litigation tracker — active court challenges, from public dockets.