Colorado SB25-003 Firearms Safety Course

AT A GLANCE

What changed in Colorado

SB25-003 became law in 2025. The purchase/transfer provisions affecting specified semiautomatic firearms apply beginning August 1, 2026. The law created a sheriff-issued Firearms Safety Course Eligibility Card and a CPW Firearms Safety System used by sheriffs, verified instructors, and firearm dealers.

5 yearsEligibility Card validity

4 hoursBasic course pathway when FSS verifies eligibility

12 hoursExtended course; taught on at least 2 different days

90%Minimum exam score; practical also required

INTERACTIVE CHECKLIST

Colorado SB25-003 customer process

Check each item as you complete it. The checklist is for your convenience and does not store personal information.

0 of 7 completeProcess progress

1. Create and submit your CPW Firearms Safety System application.Use the Colorado Firearms Safety System. If you have Hunter Education, add that information to your application.Open Colorado FSS 2. Obtain the required third-party name-based background check.For El Paso County, the Sheriff currently requires a national and Colorado public criminal-history background check completed within 90 days, plus the vendor attestation.

TRIPLE A COACH RECOMMENDATION

TruDiligence / MyTruSeal

Triple A Coach recommends TruDiligence for the SB25-003 background-check step. TruDiligence currently offers a Colorado SB25-003 option through MyTruSeal. This is a Triple A Coach recommendation — not a recommendation or endorsement by CPW or the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.

Start TruDiligence Check Review TruDiligence SB25-003 information

3. Submit the required documents to a Colorado sheriff.Provide the name-based background check and a government-issued photo ID. The sheriff collects the CPW fee and any sheriff fee during this step. El Paso County uses an online Sheriff Application.Open El Paso County Sheriff application 4. Receive the Firearms Safety Course Eligibility Card.The sheriff reviews the documentation and determines eligibility. If approved, the card is valid for five years, and the sheriff enters the Eligibility Card information into the Firearms Safety System. 5. Enroll with a verified Firearms Safety Program instructor.The instructor checks FSS and verifies whether you are eligible for the Basic 4-hour or Extended 12-hour pathway. Triple A Coach offers both current CPW pathways. 6. Complete the assigned course, exam, and hands-on practical.CPW requires in-person instruction. You must pass the final exam with at least 90% and successfully complete the hands-on practical. The instructor records the result in FSS. 7. Complete the firearm purchase/transfer through an FFL.The firearm dealer checks FSS to confirm that the applicable training requirements are satisfied before beginning the purchase process.

COURSE PATHWAY

Which CPW course applies?

Use the selector for a quick orientation. Your Firearms Safety System record and the verified instructor control the final course pathway.

4-Hour Basic Firearms Safety Course

CPW states that Hunter Education by itself does not qualify a person to purchase a specified semiautomatic firearm. A person with CPW-verified Hunter Education must also complete the applicable Basic Firearms Safety Program course. The instructor verifies your FSS eligibility before training.

Open 4-Hour Basic Enrollment

EL PASO COUNTY

Current local application information

El Paso County publishes the following requirements and fees. Verify the Sheriff’s current page before submitting because county procedures and fees can change.

Background-check timing and documents

Third-party name-based national and Colorado public criminal-history background check
Background check completed within 90 days of application submission
Vendor attestation that the check was performed in the regular course of the vendor’s business
Government-issued photo ID

El Paso County Firearms Safety Course Eligibility Card information

Published application fees

CPW administrative fee$52

El Paso County resident sheriff fee$0

Nonresident sheriff fee$35

These are the fees published by the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office when this landing page was prepared. Training and background-check vendor charges are separate.

ENROLL WITH TRIPLE A COACH

CPW 4-hour and 12-hour training

Both pathways continue through the existing Triple A Classroom. Create an account or sign in, then complete the enrollment and scheduling steps for the course FSS shows you are eligible to take.

BASIC PATHWAY

CPW 4-Hour Basic Firearms Safety

For customers whose Firearms Safety System record verifies eligibility for the Basic course.

Create Account & Enroll

EXTENDED PATHWAY

CPW 12-Hour Extended Firearms Safety

For customers whose Firearms Safety System record requires the Extended course. CPW requires the 12 hours on at least two different days.

Create Account & Enroll

QUESTIONS

Colorado SB25-003 FAQs

Do I upload my Eligibility Card into the CPW application?

Current CPW guidance says the sheriff enters the Eligibility Card information into the Firearms Safety System after approving the application. The current customer journey does not instruct the applicant to upload the card back into the CPW application.

Can I use TruDiligence for the background check?

Triple A Coach recommends TruDiligence / MyTruSeal, which currently offers a Colorado SB25-003 background-check option. El Paso County does not recommend a specific vendor, so this recommendation is made by Triple A Coach and not by the Sheriff or CPW.

Is Hunter Education alone enough?

No. CPW states that Hunter Education alone does not satisfy the training requirement for purchasing a specified semiautomatic firearm. A person using the Hunter Education pathway also completes the applicable 4-hour Basic Firearms Safety Program course.

When is the 12-hour Extended course required?

CPW states that a person who has never completed Hunter Education or a CPW Firearms Safety Program course must enroll in the Extended course. Prior training history can affect the route, so the verified instructor checks FSS before finalizing the course pathway.

What score is required?

CPW requires a minimum score of 90% on the final exam and successful completion of the hands-on practical.

How long is the Eligibility Card valid?

The sheriff-issued Firearms Safety Course Eligibility Card is valid for five years.

AUTHORITATIVE SOURCES

Verify current requirements before applying

This page summarizes current public guidance and Triple A Coach training options. For the controlling state process, use Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the Colorado General Assembly, and the sheriff handling your Eligibility Card application.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife — Specified Semiautomatic Firearms Colorado General Assembly — SB25-003 El Paso County Sheriff — Firearms Safety Course Eligibility Card

Colorado SB25-003 Specified Semiautomatic Firearms Safety Program