# Colorado gun permit law implementation and legal challenges > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/colorado-gun-purchase-permit-law > Updated: 2026-08-13T17:33:38.000Z. Sources: 12. Developments: 5. Colorado’s “permit‑to‑purchase” law, signed by Gov. Jared Polis in April 2025 and effective as of 1 August 2026, requires an eligibility card, a 12‑hour safety course, and a three‑day waiting period for buyers of semiautomatic rifles or high‑capacity magazines. In the weeks leading up to the deadline, gun stores reported rapid sell-outs of modern semiautomatic firearms. Dealers such as SDS Guns in Colorado Springs reported multiple restocks, while the Pikes Peak Courier noted one shop was “jam‑packed” with customers. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recorded a historic 59,452 background checks in July 2026—a 195% increase over the same month a year earlier. To manage the surge, the CBI’s InstaCheck Unit utilized extra staff and overtime to ensure all checks were processed within the statutory 72‑hour window. Following the law’s implementation, legal challenges have intensified. The Colorado State Shooting Association, supported by the National Rifle Association and the Mountain States Legal Foundation, is seeking a preliminary injunction to block the system. Plaintiffs argue the requirements are “unconstitutionally onerous,” noting that the written exam is stricter than those required for police officers and that many counties lack available in-person trainers. They further claim that administrative hurdles have caused many customers to decline firearm purchases since the scheme began. While supporters like Colorado Ceasefire’s Eileen McCarron argue the measure prevents mass shooters from obtaining dangerous weapons, opponents continue to fight the law in court. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-13: Colorado firearm permit system faces legal injunction attempt The Colorado State Shooting Association and the NRA are seeking an injunction to block a new state permit-to-purchase system for semi-automatic firearms. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colorado-firearm-permit-system-faces-legal-injunction-attempt ### 2026-08-07: Colorado records surge in background checks ahead of new gun law Colorado logged nearly 60,000 background checks in July, triple last year, as the state readied for the Aug. 1 start of SB 25‑003, which adds safety‑course and testing requirements for certain semiautomatic gun 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colorado-records-surge-in-background-checks-ahead-of-new-gun-law ### 2026-08-03: Colorado background checks surge ahead of new gun law Colorado’s CBI processed a record 59,452 gun background checks in July 2026, a 195% rise, as buyers rushed before the Aug 1 start of Senate Bill 25‑003’s new permit‑to‑purchase requirements. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colorado-background-checks-surge-ahead-of-new-gun-law ### 2026-07-30: Colorado Gun Sales Surge Ahead of New Permit‑to‑Purchase Law Colorado gun dealers report a surge in semiautomatic rifle sales as a new permit‑to‑purchase law, signed by Gov. Jared Polis, takes effect on July 28, requiring safety courses and a three‑day waiting period. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colorado-gun-sales-surge-ahead-of-new-permittopurchase-law ### 2026-07-06: Colorado's new permit-to-purchase law for semiautomatic firearms takes effect Aug. 1 Colorado’s new law, effective Aug. 1, requires training, a sheriff review and an exam for most semiautomatic rifles and pistols, while allowing limited purchases without a permit and banning rapid‑fire devices. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/colorados-new-permit-to-purchase-law-for-semiautomatic-firearms-takes-effect-aug-1 --- Cite as: Colorado gun permit law implementation and legal challenges. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/colorado-gun-purchase-permit-law