Getting a permit is the easy part. Carrying well, every day, for years, is the skill.
Concealed carry is a responsibility you take on the moment you put the gun on your belt. These are the things I would want anyone doing it to get right, starting with the ones people skip.
Start with the law, not the gun
Colorado changed the rules on July 1, 2025. To apply for a permit you now need 8 hours of in-person training from an instructor verified by a county sheriff, completed within one year of applying. It used to be ten years. You also pass a written test at 80 percent and a live-fire test at 70 percent. No online course counts.
That certificate only means something if the person who signed it is on a sheriff’s verified list, so check. Mine is Douglas County instructor number 25037, and it is published on the sheriff’s site. The class that meets the requirement is Basics of Pistol Shooting.
Already have a permit? It lasts five years, and after it expires you have a six-month window, statewide, to renew. Miss it and you start over as a first-time applicant with the full course. I wrote up what renewal takes in 2026, and the 2-hour refresher is built for it.
Buy a real holster
The holster matters as much as the gun. A good one does four things:
- Covers the trigger guard completely, so nothing can get in there.
- Holds the gun securely while you sit, bend, and walk.
- Stays open so you can put the gun back without looking or using your other hand to pry it open.
- Stays where you put it, instead of sagging or rotating during the day.
Avoid pocket carry with no holster, a bare waistband, and the cheap one-size-fits-all holsters. Those are the setups behind negligent discharges.
Carry the same way every time
The gun should be in the same place, on the same side, every day. If you have to think about where it is, you are not going to find it under stress. Pick a carry method you will actually stick with, not the one that looks best in a photo. Comfort is not a luxury here. A gun that is uncomfortable ends up in the glove box or at home, and it is no use there.
Practice what you cannot see at the range
Range time builds the fundamentals: grip, sight alignment, trigger control, and a safe draw. Between range days, dry practice at home keeps them sharp. Do it safely. Unload the gun, check it, then check it again, and keep all ammunition out of the room before you begin. Never dry practice while distracted.
The qualification standard in the permit class is a minimum. Treat it that way.
The best fight is the one you never have to win
Situational awareness is cheaper than any skill with a gun. Pay attention to where you are, who is around you, and where the exits are. Leave early. Choose a different parking spot. Walk away. Most problems are solved by not being there when they start.
Know what the law says about force, and what comes after
Carrying a gun does not change when force is legal. You need to understand where you may and may not carry, when the law allows you to use force, and what happens legally and practically after a defensive incident. That is part of the classroom portion of our permit class, because it is where good people make the worst mistakes.
Decide where the gun goes when it is off your body
Even if you carry all day, the gun spends hours off your body: at home, in the car, in the gym locker. Decide in advance where it goes, and make sure children and visitors cannot reach it. Do it the first time, not after a scare.
Keep learning
A permit class is where this starts, not where it ends. If you want help with the handgun, holster, or how you carry, we offer private instruction, and there is an Intermediate Pistol class for people who have the basics. When you are ready, reserve a seat or call 720-464-SHOT (7468).
John Rader is a Douglas County verified firearms instructor (#25037), an NRA certified instructor, and a Colorado Parks and Wildlife verified instructor. Teaching since 1993. More than 30,000 students. This article is general information, not legal advice. Your county sheriff’s office is the final word on your permit.