Colorado Firearms Safety System Application: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough
Updated July 21, 2026
Colorado’s new Firearms Safety System has created a lot of confusion about what applicants must do before they can take the required course and purchase a covered firearm.
After submitting my own Colorado Firearms Safety System application, I discovered that the online application is only the first step. Applicants must still work with their county sheriff, obtain a third-party name-based background check, provide a vendor attestation, and complete additional requirements before enrolling in the required firearms safety course.
This step-by-step walkthrough explains the actual application process using the official notifications Colorado Parks and Wildlife sent after my application was submitted.
Important: This article explains the process based on official communications I received from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Your county sheriff determines eligibility and may establish local procedures for appointments, document submission, fees, and application review.
Pueblo County Applicants: Please Wait for the Rollout
The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office has indicated to me that it does not expect to be ready to review Firearms Safety System applications before the statewide rollout on August 1, 2026.
Pueblo County applicants should avoid making an unnecessary trip or placing additional pressure on Sheriff’s Office personnel while they prepare to implement a completely new state process.
Before visiting the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office, check its website or contact the office to confirm that applications are being accepted and reviewed.
Waiting for the official rollout gives the Sheriff’s Office time to establish its procedures and may save applicants from a wasted trip.
Colorado Firearms Safety System Application Process
The process involves more than simply completing an online form. Based on the notifications I received, applicants should expect to move through several separate stages:
- Hunter Education verification, when applicable
- Submission of the Firearms Safety System application
- Review of county sheriff instructions
- Obtaining a third-party name-based background check
- Submission of required documents to the sheriff
- Sheriff review and eligibility determination
- Completion of the required 4-hour or 12-hour course
- Instructor reporting of successful course completion
- Completion of the firearm purchase through a licensed dealer
Step 1: Hunter Education Verification
Applicants seeking to qualify for the shorter 4-hour Firearms Safety Course based on Hunter Education will have their Hunter Education records reviewed through the Firearms Safety System.
After my records were reviewed, I received an email with the heading:
Hunter Education Verification Successful
The email stated that Colorado Parks and Wildlife had successfully verified my Hunter Education records and directed me to log back into the Firearms Safety System to view additional details.
Step 2: Submit the Colorado Firearms Safety System Application
After completing and submitting the online application, I received a second email with the heading:
Step 1 Completed – Colorado Firearms Safety System Application
This wording matters. Submitting the online application completes only Step 1. It does not mean the applicant has been approved, issued an eligibility card, or authorized to enroll in the course.
Step 3: Read the Important Notice
The confirmation email included an important warning:
Not all Colorado County Sheriff’s offices will be reviewing applications until August 1, 2026.
Applicants are instructed to check their county sheriff’s website for the most current information.
This means an applicant should not assume that submitting the state application makes the local sheriff immediately ready to complete the next step. Each county must establish its own procedures for receiving and reviewing the required documents.
Step 4: Review Your County Sheriff’s Instructions
Colorado Parks and Wildlife directs applicants to review their county sheriff’s guidelines for specific directions.
County procedures may differ regarding:
- Whether an appointment is required
- When applications will begin being reviewed
- Where documents must be submitted
- Whether paper or digital copies will be accepted
- Accepted payment methods
- Local office hours
- Additional county instructions
The confirmation email says an applicant may be asked to provide a completed copy of the application. It does not say that every applicant must automatically bring a printed copy.
Check your sheriff’s instructions before printing documents or making a trip to the office.
Step 5: Obtain the Required Background Check
The background-check requirement is one of the most important parts of the application process.
According to the confirmation email, applicants are required to provide the results of a completed name-based background check covering:
- National public criminal history databases
- Colorado public criminal history databases
- Colorado judicial databases
The check must be completed by a third-party vendor that performs these types of checks as a normal part of its business.
The applicant must also obtain an attestation from the vendor confirming that the vendor performed the background check.
The Applicant Must Provide the Background Check
The wording in the confirmation email places responsibility on the applicant to provide both:
- The completed background-check results
- The third-party vendor’s attestation
Do not assume that the sheriff will automatically perform this check for you.
Step 6: Gather the Required Documents
Based on the official confirmation email, applicants will be required to provide the following items to complete the sheriff’s portion of the application process:
Application Checklist
☐ Valid government-issued identification
☐ Completed third-party name-based background-check results
☐ Vendor attestation confirming that the background check was performed
☐ A copy of the completed application, if requested by your sheriff
☐ Any other documents or payment required by your county sheriff
Applicants should confirm that the background check includes the required national, Colorado, and judicial database information before submitting it.
Step 7: Sheriff Review and Eligibility Determination
After the required documents are submitted, the county sheriff reviews the application and determines whether the applicant qualifies to proceed.
The sheriff—not the firearms instructor—makes the eligibility decision.
Processing times may differ among counties, particularly during the first weeks of the new system. Applicants should expect the rollout to take time as sheriff’s offices establish procedures and begin handling applications.
Step 8: Register for the Required Course
After the applicant has been approved to proceed, the next step is completing the required Firearms Safety System training.
Depending on the applicant’s qualifications, the required course will be either:
- A 4-hour Firearms Safety Course for applicants who qualify for the shorter course, or
- A 12-hour Firearms Safety Course for applicants who do not qualify for the shorter course.
Have Gun Will Train Colorado is certified to teach both the 4-hour and 12-hour Firearms Safety System courses.
Step 9: Complete the Training
Students must complete the curriculum established for the applicable course and pass the required examination.
The Firearms Safety System course is not the same as a Colorado Concealed Handgun Permit class. The Firearms Safety System course does not include a live-fire shooting qualification.
After the student successfully completes the course, the instructor reports the completion through the state’s Firearms Safety System.
Step 10: Complete the Firearm Purchase
Completing the Firearms Safety System requirements does not replace the normal firearm transfer process.
The purchaser must still complete the transaction through a federally licensed firearms dealer and comply with all other applicable federal and Colorado requirements.
The firearms dealer ultimately determines whether the firearm being transferred is covered by the new requirements and whether the purchaser has completed the required process.
What the Two CPW Emails Confirm
The official emails I received confirm several important points:
- Hunter Education verification is a separate part of the process for applicants claiming that qualification.
- Submitting the online application only completes Step 1.
- The county sheriff handles the next stage of the application process.
- Applicants must provide valid government-issued identification.
- Applicants must obtain and provide the required third-party background check.
- The background-check vendor must provide an attestation.
- A copy of the completed application may be required depending on county procedures.
- Some sheriff’s offices will not begin reviewing applications until August 1, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does submitting the online application mean I have been approved?
No. Submitting the online application only completes Step 1. The county sheriff must still review the required documents and determine whether the applicant is eligible to proceed.
Do I have to print my application?
Not necessarily. The confirmation email says applicants may be asked to provide the completed application. Check your county sheriff’s instructions before your appointment or visit.
Who obtains the third-party background check?
The applicant is required to obtain and provide the completed background-check results and the vendor’s attestation.
Can I use any background-check website?
The state says the check must be completed by a third-party vendor that performs such checks as a normal part of its business. The check must cover the required national and Colorado public criminal history and judicial databases and must include the vendor’s attestation.
Applicants should make sure the vendor can satisfy all of those requirements before paying for a report.
Can I visit the Pueblo County Sheriff before August 1?
The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office has indicated to me that it does not expect to be ready to process these applications before August 1, 2026.
Check with the Sheriff’s Office before making a trip. Giving the office time to prepare for the rollout may prevent an unnecessary visit and reduce confusion during implementation.
Does the firearms instructor decide whether I qualify?
No. Eligibility is determined through the application and sheriff-review process. The instructor provides the required training after the applicant has been approved to proceed.
Does the course include shooting?
No. The Firearms Safety System course does not include a live-fire qualification.
My Experience With the Application
After completing the online application myself, one thing became clear: this is not simply an online course-registration system.
The online application is only the beginning. Applicants must also work with their county sheriff, obtain the required third-party background check, provide the vendor attestation, and follow county-specific procedures before completing the required training.
Applicants can avoid confusion by slowing down, reading every notice, and waiting until their county sheriff is ready to process applications.
Firearms Safety System Training in Pueblo
Have Gun Will Train Colorado is certified to provide both the 4-hour and 12-hour Colorado Firearms Safety System courses.
Course scheduling information will be updated as the state system becomes fully operational and Pueblo County begins processing applications.
Official Resources
Applicants should always verify the most current requirements using the official Colorado resources below:
Final Thoughts
Colorado’s new Firearms Safety System creates several administrative steps before an applicant can complete the required training and purchase a covered firearm.
During the initial rollout, patience will be important. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, county sheriffs, instructors, background-check vendors, and firearms dealers are all implementing a process that has not previously existed.
For Pueblo County applicants, the best course of action is to review the available information, gather the required documents, and wait until the Sheriff’s Office confirms that it is ready to begin processing applications.
This page will be updated as Colorado Parks and Wildlife and county sheriff’s offices release additional verified instructions.
This information is provided for general educational purposes and is not legal advice. Requirements, forms, procedures, fees, and agency guidance may change. Applicants should verify current instructions directly with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and their county sheriff.
