← Colorado firearms laws›Open Carry
Colorado Open Carry Laws (2026)
Conditional: State law does not ban open carry of a handgun and requires no permit, but cities and counties may ban it in buildings or areas they post, and Denver bans open carry.
State law does not ban open carry of a handgun and requires no permit, but cities and counties may ban it in buildings or areas they post, and Denver bans open carry. Open or concealed, firearms are banned on the grounds of schools, licensed child care centers and colleges, in courthouses, and in buildings that house the legislature or a local governing body, including their adjacent parking areas. A permit holder may carry concealed in the parking areas of those government buildings, but not those of schools, child care centers or colleges. Check local rules before carrying openly.
Official source: cbi.colorado.gov →
General legal information, not legal advice — verify important decisions with a licensed attorney.
Open Carry in states bordering Colorado
The same rule in each neighboring state LawLert has verified, from that state’s own official source.
- ArizonaPermitted
Open carry of a handgun is allowed in Arizona without a permit, and the minimum age is 18.
Verified May 31, 2026 · Source: azdps.gov · Full Arizona rule →
- KansasPermitted
Open carry of a handgun is legal in Kansas without a license for anyone 18 or older who may lawfully possess one. Some places are off limits, such as school grounds and buildings posted against open carry.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: ag.ks.gov · Full Kansas rule →
- NebraskaPermitted
Open carry of a handgun needs no permit in Nebraska if you are 18 or older and not a prohibited person. A handgun counts as concealed only if it is entirely hidden from view, and the state concealed-carry rules cover only concealed handguns. Firearms are barred at schools, with limited exceptions. Since July 18, 2026, firearms are also barred in the State Capitol unless you have prior State Patrol approval. State law largely bars cities and counties from adding their own firearm rules, but check locally.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: statepatrol.nebraska.gov · Full Nebraska rule →
- New MexicoPermitted
Open carry of a loaded handgun is legal in New Mexico without a license for anyone who can lawfully possess one, generally 19 or older, and location restrictions apply.
Verified May 31, 2026 · Source: dps.nm.gov · Full New Mexico rule →
- OklahomaPermitted
Open carry of a handgun is legal in Oklahoma without a license for eligible people 21 or older, or 18 and older for military members and veterans.
Verified May 31, 2026 · Source: oklahoma.gov · Full Oklahoma rule →
- UtahPermitted
Open carry is legal in Utah without a permit. At 21 or older it may be loaded or unloaded. At 18 to 20 without a permit, the firearm must be unloaded. Utah counts a firearm as loaded when a round is in the firing position; a handgun is also loaded when one manual operation of any mechanism would fire a round, and a muzzle-loader is loaded when capped or primed with a powder charge and ball or shot. Open carry is barred in some places, including on or about school and college premises.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: bci.utah.gov · Full Utah rule →
- WyomingPermitted
Open carry of a handgun is legal in Wyoming with no permit at 18 or older for anyone who may lawfully have a gun. The concealed carry permit rules do not apply to open carry. State and local governments may ban open carry in their facilities and on their campuses, and private owners may bar guns from their property.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: wyomingdci.wyo.gov · Full Wyoming rule →
We watch the official sources behind Colorado firearms rules. If a tracked rule changes, you get one short email — never more than one a week. Free, unsubscribe anytime.