Time to renew your CCW permit? Get registered here!
Time to renew your CCW permit? Get registered here!
You didn’t wake up one day and decide to think about self-defense. Something changed. Maybe it was a late-night walk to your car, a story on the news, or realizing that protecting your family starts with you. Whatever brought you here, you’re not looking for a hobby. You’re looking for a plan.
This page is that plan. It covers everything you need to get or renew your concealed handgun permit (CHP) in El Paso County: the right class, the Sheriff’s Office application, fees, deadlines, and what comes after. Our concealed carry classes in Colorado Springs are taught by instructors who have walked hundreds of local residents through this exact process.
Most people run into the same problem. They know they want to carry legally, but the process feels like a maze. Which class counts? What does the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office need from me? What does it cost, and how long does it take?
Left alone, that confusion turns into delay. And delay means going through life without the protection and confidence you came here for.
You don’t need another confusing government webpage. You need a guide who has done this before.
At Colorado Handgun Safety, we’ve spent years training residents across Colorado Springs and greater El Paso County to carry safely, legally, and confidently. Our courses meet current Colorado requirements, and our certificates are issued by verified instructors, which is exactly what the Sheriff’s Office checks for.
We’ve watched a lot of students walk out of class standing a little taller. That’s why we do this.
Most applicants prove competence with a training certificate, but Colorado law gives some applicants other options. You may be exempt from the class if you can show:
Even if you qualify for an exemption, many veterans and experienced shooters take a class anyway to get current on Colorado’s carry laws, which have changed significantly in the last few years.
Step 1
Your certificate must come from a verified instructor listed on a Colorado county sheriff’s website, and it must be dated within one year of your application. The Sheriff’s Office requires the original certificate with your instructor’s printed name and signature. Copies aren’t accepted, and a refresher-class certificate won’t work for a first-time application.
Our full concealed carry class covers:
Want to know exactly what to expect? Read our full breakdown of everything you need to know about our concealed carry class.
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
State law gives the Sheriff’s Office up to 90 days to process your application. Most delays come from missing documents or incorrect information, so double-check everything before you submit. Once approved, your permit is valid for five years.
Your permit is good for five years, and renewal is where a lot of people get caught off guard. Yes, you need a new training certificate to renew. Here’s what that looks like.
Renewing applicants can take either:
Either way, you’ll leave with an original, signed certificate that the Sheriff’s Office accepts.
Renew through the same online system. You’ll upload your current permit, your Colorado ID, and your new certificate, then pay the $63 renewal fee.
Once your class is done, everything runs through the Sheriff’s Office Concealed Handgun Program.
El Paso County Sheriff’s Office: Concealed Handgun Program
27 East Vermijo Avenue
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Phone: (719) 520-7249
Email: CHP@elpasoco.com
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (closed weekends and federal holidays; call ahead in bad weather)
Nothing kills momentum like a surprise fee. Here’s what to budget for:
Permit type | Fee |
New application | $135 (covers state and national background checks, fingerprinting, and your permit card) |
Renewal | $63 |
Replacement (lost, stolen, or destroyed) | $15 |
Fees are paid by card during the online application and are not refunded if an application is denied, suspended, or revoked. Fees can change, so confirm current rates with the Sheriff’s Office before you apply.
A Colorado permit is honored in a large group of states, but not everywhere, and the list changes as other states update their laws. Before any trip, check both the state you’re visiting and every state you’ll drive through.
A few things to know:
Maybe not. Current military service or an honorable discharge within the last three years (or ten years with pistol qualification listed) can satisfy the training requirement for a new permit. Service members stationed here can apply without a Colorado ID by using a military ID, orders, and a home-state ID.
Standard permits require you to be 21. Applicants 18–20 may qualify for a temporary emergency permit in limited circumstances. Email CHP@elpasoco.com to ask.
Generally you apply in the county where you live. You may qualify in El Paso County if you have a valid Colorado license and a second residence here, or own or lease business property here.
It’s quick, about 15–20 minutes. Staff take your photo, signature, and fingerprints. Your paperwork and payment are already handled online.
Fees aren’t refunded for denied applications. If you have any concerns about your eligibility, contact the CHP unit before you apply.
Yes. El Paso County offers a 5-year retired peace officer permit and an HR-218 permit for qualified retired or separated officers, each with its own requirements. See the Sheriff’s Office page for details.
Up to 120 days before it expires. Take your renewal class within six months before you apply.
Not if it’s been less than six months. You can still submit a renewal during the grace period, but you can’t carry until the new permit is issued. After six months, you’ll need to reapply as a new applicant.
Yes, unless you qualify for an exemption. The 2-hour refresher is the most common option.
Moving within El Paso County: file an address change with the Sheriff’s Office. Moving to another Colorado county: file the address change now, then renew in your new county when the time comes. Moving to El Paso County from another Colorado county: renew here.
Request a replacement permit through the Sheriff’s Office online form. If it was stolen, consider filing a report as well.
Submit a name change with a legal document showing your new name. You may be asked to schedule new fingerprints.
Colorado expanded its list of prohibited places in 2024. Off-limits locations now include K-12 schools, licensed child care centers, college campuses (permit holders may carry in parking areas), polling places, and many state and local government buildings and courthouses. Federal facilities such as post offices and military installations are off-limits too, as is private property where the owner prohibits firearms. The rules change often, so our classes cover the current list in detail.
Colorado permits are honored in many states, but the list changes. See the Colorado reciprocity page for the current list and verify before every trip.
Treat every firearm as if it’s loaded. Keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to fire. Never point your firearm at anything you’re not willing to destroy. Know your target and what’s beyond it. We reinforce these rules in every class.
Your permit is the beginning, not the finish line. Clean and inspect your firearm regularly, secure it whenever it’s not on your body, practice often so your skills don’t fade, and keep up with Colorado law as it changes.
Both. The safety habits you build apply everywhere your firearm goes, including safe storage away from children and secure transport in your vehicle. See our Colorado firearm storage guide.
It turns safety rules into instinct. Under instructor supervision, you’ll handle real recoil, practice muzzle awareness and trigger discipline, and make decisions under pressure. That preparation separates someone who holds a permit from someone who’s ready to carry.
Every day you wait is another day you’re relying on hope instead of preparation.
The path forward is simple: take a class with a verified instructor, apply online, complete your appointment, and carry knowing you did it right. We’ve guided hundreds of El Paso County residents through this process, and we’re ready to guide you.
