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Colorado SB25-003: What AR-15 Builders Need to Know Before August 1, 2026
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If you live in Colorado and you have been planning a new AR-15 build or thinking about adding another complete rifle to the safe, there is a date you need on your calendar: August 1, 2026. That is the day Colorado SB25-003 takes effect, and it is the day the legal landscape for new AR-platform rifle purchases in Colorado changes significantly.
This guide is written for our Colorado customers and for builders across the country who want to understand what is happening in the state. It is a plain-English summary of what the law does, what it does not do, and what your options are if you still have parts on the build list.
This article is informational, not legal advice. Always verify the details with a Colorado-licensed attorney or your local FFL before making a decision about a specific firearm or transaction.
TL;DR- Too Long Didn’t Read
Colorado’s SB25-003 law, effective August 1, 2026, significantly impacts AR-15 purchases in the state, necessitating a thorough understanding for firearm enthusiasts. This guide outlines the changes and requirements introduced by the law.
- SB25-003 targets semiautomatic rifles/shotguns and gas-operated handguns with detachable magazines.
- Exemptions apply to certain caliber firearms, manual-action guns, and specific semiautomatic models.
- Current firearm owners before the effective date are grandfathered in, restricting new acquisitions post-law.
- New safety and eligibility criteria, including system registration and course completion, are mandated.
- Rapid-fire conversion devices are banned under this law.
- Plan AR-15 purchases before August 2026 to avoid stringent post-law purchase processes.
What SB25-003 Actually Does
Colorado SB25-003 was signed into law by Governor Jared Polis on April 10, 2025. It restricts the manufacture, distribution, transfer, sale, and purchase of what the bill calls a specified semiautomatic firearm, or SSF. A specified semiautomatic firearm is defined as a semiautomatic rifle with a detachable magazine, a semiautomatic shotgun with a detachable magazine, or a gas-operated semiautomatic handgun with a detachable magazine.
For the AR-15 community, that definition lands squarely on most complete AR-platform rifles. If it is semiautomatic, accepts a detachable magazine, and is not on the exemption list, SB25-003 covers it.
What Is Exempt
SB25-003 carves out several categories of firearms. Exemptions include rimfire firearms of .22 caliber or smaller unless the firearm has a separate upper and lower receiver, firearms that are manually operated by a bolt, pump, lever, or slide action, semiautomatic firearms with a permanently affixed magazine limited to 15 rounds or fewer, and single- or double-action semiautomatic handguns that use recoil rather than gas to cycle the action. Most semiautomatic hunting shotguns also fall outside the SSF definition. The Department of Revenue is finalizing an official list of specific makes and models before the effective date.
What Is Grandfathered
If you legally own a covered firearm before August 1, 2026, SB25-003 does not require you to surrender it, register it, or modify it. Existing possession is grandfathered. The law restricts new acquisitions inside Colorado after the effective date, not lawful ownership that predates it.
The New Eligibility and Safety Course Requirement
This is where the law is more involved than many builders realize. Starting August 1, 2026, purchasing or transferring a covered SSF requires completing a multi-step process before the transaction can happen.
First, buyers must create a profile in the new CPW Firearm Safety System and apply for a firearms safety course eligibility card through their county sheriff’s office. That application requires a valid state ID, a background check, and a fee. The sheriff reviews the application and issues an eligibility card to qualified applicants. Anyone who cannot lawfully possess a firearm under state or federal law will be denied.
Once you have the eligibility card, you take the required in-person firearms safety course. If you have completed a CPW-certified hunter education course, you qualify for the 4-hour Basic Course. If you have not, you must complete the 12-hour Extended Course, which must be provided across at least two separate days. Both courses include a final exam requiring a score of 90 percent or better. The course must have been completed within the five years prior to the transaction.
One important and commonly misunderstood point: a Colorado CCW or CHP permit does not exempt anyone from these requirements. Even experienced shooters and concealed carry holders must complete the new process when purchasing covered firearms after August 1, 2026.
Rapid-Fire Devices
SB25-003 also bans the purchase and sale of rapid-fire conversion devices, including bump stocks and binary triggers. Colorado now classifies these as dangerous weapons under state law. If you are considering any aftermarket trigger group for a Colorado address, confirm with your FFL before ordering.
What This Means for Your Build List
The straightforward read is this: if you have been planning a complete AR-15 purchase and you live in Colorado, the cleanest window is between now and July 31, 2026. After that, the purchase process for covered firearms becomes significantly more involved.
Complete rifles are the most directly affected category. If you are eyeing a complete AR-15, sooner is better. Stripped lowers, uppers, and parts kits are not firearms in the same statutory sense once you get below the serialized lower receiver, but the lower itself is. Talk to your FFL about timing on lower transfers. Magazines over 15 rounds have been illegal to sell or transfer in Colorado since 2013. That is not new under SB25-003, and AR15Discounts.com does not ship over-15-round magazines to Colorado addresses.
How AR15Discounts.com Is Handling Colorado Orders
Between now and August 1, 2026, we are moving Colorado orders to the front of the fulfillment queue. Same wholesale pricing, same customer service, just faster out the door. If you are a Colorado customer and you have something on your wish list, this is the window.
Final Word
SB25-003 is a substantial change to Colorado firearm law, and some implementation details are still being finalized. The official guidance from the Department of Revenue is expected in July 2026, with the Firearm Safety System application going live on July 20, 2026. Read the bill text on the Colorado General Assembly’s website at leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb25-003, keep an eye on guidance from Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Department of Revenue, and check in with a Colorado FFL or attorney about your specific build plans.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Firearms laws change frequently and vary by jurisdiction. Verify the current status of SB25-003, its implementing regulations, and any local restrictions with a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction or your local FFL before relying on any of the information above.