Delta County Residents Face New $52 Fee and Training for Semi-Automatic Rifle Purchases

The wind cuts straight through the valley floor, rattling the windows of the Delta County courthouse. Inside, clerks are prepping for a shift that changes how locals buy their rifles. Starting Aug. 1, buying a semi-automatic gun with a detachable magazine isn’t just a walk-in-and-pay transaction anymore. It’s a bureaucratic hurdle.

The rule comes from Senate Bill 25-003. Democrats passed it last year. It bans the sale and manufacture of those specific firearms — AR- and AK-style rifles and pistols. But it carves out an exception. You can still buy them if you get an eligibility card from your local sheriff and finish a training course.

That’s the short version. The reality is a multistep grind.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is running the show. They’ve got a 150-page draft list of affected guns. It covers hundreds of semi-automatic rifles, shotguns, and gas-operated handguns. You can see the full list at TinyURL.com/CPWfirearmslist. If you’re planning to buy an AR-15 this fall, you need to know if it’s on that list.

The process starts July 20. That’s when the Firearm Safety System application link goes live. You apply there first. Then the system sends your info to your county sheriff’s office. They run a background check. They check your government-issued ID. They charge a $52 fee. That money goes back to the agency.

The sheriff approves or denies your eligibility card. If you get it, you’re not done. You still need to find a certified firearms instructor. Parks and Wildlife will provide the list. You have to take an in-person safety course. The instructor might charge extra on top of that $52.

Here’s where it gets specific for neighbors around here. If you already have a hunting license from the state, you only need four hours of training. No hunting license? You’re stuck with 12 hours. The course covers federal and state laws. It covers de-escalation and crisis intervention tactics. It’s not just about pulling the trigger.

You have to pass a test at the end. Score 90% or better. Your info goes into a state database. Gun dealers can check it. If you pass, you can buy the gun for five years. Then you redo the training.

Officials estimate around 25,000 annual applicants. That’s a lot of folks in the valley going through the system.

The law doesn’t touch guns you already own. It’s only for new purchases. It applies to guns bought outside Colorado too. Federal law says dealers have to follow the purchaser’s state rules. So if you drive up to Glenwood Springs and buy a rifle, you still need that permit and training.

Make no mistake: this changes the market. It adds cost. It adds time. It adds a layer of oversight that didn’t exist before. The $52 fee is just the start. You’re looking at hours of your life, plus instructor fees, to unlock the right to buy.

The application link opens July 20. The law kicks in Aug. 1. That’s a narrow window. If you miss the application prep, you miss the start of the new normal.

The full list of impacted firearms is at TinyURL.com/CPWfirearmslist. Check it. Then check your local sheriff’s office. They’re the ones holding the cards.