Colorado’s gun shop owners are facing fresh hoops to jump through after a new law kicked in on July 1 — bringing new state-level permits, employee fingerprinting, and yearly training on top of already strict federal licensing.
Double Licensing Now Mandatory
House Bill 24-1253 now requires all firearms dealers in Colorado to get a state-issued firearms dealer permit in addition to their federal license. No permit? The price tag could hit $250,000 in fines — enough to sink a small shop in no time.
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Chris Walker from Jerry’s Outdoor Sports in Grand Junction says they saw it coming and tried to prep early, but got tangled up in the fine print. Employee fingerprinting, for example, couldn’t even start until July 1 — and it closes again on the 7th.
Fingerprinting Rush Amid Holiday Week
If you’ve ever worked retail, you know holiday weeks are chaos. Now imagine trying to cycle every staff member through a certified fingerprinting process during peak business.
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“We tried to be ahead of the power curve,” Walker said, but the timing of the new requirement meant they’re scrambling to get everyone fingerprinted during the July 4th rush.
New Training Rules, Restricted Hours
It doesn’t stop there. The law says every dealer and employee must complete an annual training course approved by the Colorado Department of Revenue.
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There’s also a new twist: shops are now banned from selling or transferring firearms outside of their posted business hours. No more last-minute deals after closing time.
Here’s a quick snapshot:
| New Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| State Firearms Dealer Permit | $400, valid for 3 years |
| Employee Fingerprinting | Must be completed during set window |
| Annual Training | Required for all dealers and staff |
| Restricted Sale Hours | No sales outside posted business hours |
| Penalty for Non-Compliance | Up to $250,000 fine |
Gun Stores Say It’s ‘Burdensome’
For Walker and other store owners, these rules feel like déjà vu — but with extra paperwork and privacy headaches for employees who already pass federal background checks.
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“It’s bothersome because it is far more intrusive into our employees’ lives,” Walker said, adding that many staffers have already been through background checks multiple times just to buy their own firearms.
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He says it feels like extra layers that don’t really make anyone safer — just harder for legitimate dealers to stay in business.
Shops Forced to Adapt or Risk Big Fines
Despite the grumbling, shops like Jerry’s Outdoor Sports say they’ll do what it takes to keep their doors open and stay on the right side of the law.
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“Unfortunately, as we see with a lot of this regulation, it’s ultimately impotent in what it’s trying to achieve,” Walker said. “But it just makes it far more burdensome for us as a business and other FFLs and firearm dealers to continue to operate.”
