On September 8, 2025, KDVR ran a piece titled “Firearms instructors get lesson on Colorado concealed carry law”. The segment featured comments from US Law Shield president and attorney about how concealed handgun permits are handled in Colorado. The problem? The information was flat-out wrong—and it’s dangerous when large organizations with big budgets mislead both the public and firearms instructors. Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/0PBHiH3vM0g
The False Claim
According to the KDVR report, sheriffs supposedly have local control over how concealed handgun permits are issued—making it sound like Colorado is a “may-issue” state where each sheriff can make their own rules. That’s not just a slip of the tongue. It’s a complete misreading of the law. And because it came from a lawyer with a platform, many people will take it at face value.
KDVR deserves some criticism here too. A journalist’s job is to fact-check, not just repeat what someone says on camera. In this case, the station amplified a legal inaccuracy without digging into the actual statutes.
What the Law Actually Says
Colorado is, and has been, a shall-issue state. That means if an applicant meets the requirements laid out in statute, the sheriff must issue the permit. The authority doesn’t rest with local sheriffs to make up new rules—it’s set in black and white by state law.
Here’s the key language from CRS 18-12-201:
“It is necessary that the state occupy the field of regulation of the issuance of concealed handgun permits because there is a prevailing state interest in ensuring that no citizen is arbitrarily denied a concealed handgun permit.”
and
“The general assembly does not delegate to the sheriffs the authority to regulate or restrict the issuance of permits provided for in this part 2 beyond the provisions of this part 2. An action or rule that encumbers the permit process by placing burdens on the applicant beyond those sworn statements and specified documents detailed in this part 2 or that creates restrictions beyond those specified in this part 2 is in conflict with the intent of this part 2 and is prohibited.”
It couldn’t be clearer. The legislature specifically prohibited sheriffs from adding their own restrictions or criteria. Their role is administrative—processing applications, verifying instructor credentials, and issuing permits when applicants meet the requirements. They are not lawmakers.
Local Government (not sheriffs) does have some local control, but only over where concealed carry is allowed within their jurisdictions—not over who and/or how one qualifies for a permit.
Instructor Verification
Another point of confusion raised in the KDVR/US Law Shield discussion was about verified instructors. Colorado law spells out exactly how instructor verification works:
- A sheriff shall verify an instructor whose principal place to conduct firearms training is in the sheriff’s county and who: holds a valid CHP and is certified by a recognized firearms training organization (like Guns For Everyone National), a law enforcement agency, or a firearms school.
- That verification is valid for ten years.
- The sheriff’s office must maintain and publish a list of verified instructors.
Nowhere in statute does it say sheriffs can pick and choose which instructors are allowed to teach—or require all classes to be taught by verified instructors from within their county. The law gives applicants the discretion to choose their training class in 18-12-203 (1)(h)(VI).
Why This Matters
Misinformation like this is more than just an annoyance. It actively harms the Second Amendment community in Colorado. When people believe sheriffs have unlimited discretion, it strengthens the hand of those who want to restrict carry rights further. It also undermines trust in instructors and organizations who actually know the law.
It only takes a quick read of the Colorado Revised Statutes—or even a basic search—to prove the US Law Shield president wrong. Instead, a false narrative got broadcast to the public, and now Coloradans are left confused.
The Bottom Line
Colorado is not a “may-issue” state. Sheriffs cannot invent new requirements for concealed handgun permits. The law is uniform across the state, and the role of sheriffs is administrative, not legislative.
When powerful organizations and media outlets get this wrong, it’s on the rest of us to set the record straight. The Second Amendment community deserves facts, not fearmongering or sloppy legal takes.
Call to Action
If you saw the KDVR story or heard US Law Shield’s claims, don’t take them at face value. Read the law yourself: Colorado Revised Statutes Title 18, Article 12, Part 2.
Then, let KDVR know they got it wrong—politely but firmly. Journalists need to hear when they’ve misled the public. And if you’re a US Law Shield member or instructor, demand accuracy from the people who claim to represent you.
The Second Amendment fight in Colorado is hard enough without bad information coming from inside the gun community. Let’s hold each other accountable.