The ranks of lawful concealed carry in Colorado (permit holders) continues to climb. Complete Colorado reported that 25,218 Colorado adults submitted applications for a Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP) in 2023, in addition to 36,291 existing permit holders who renewed their permits.

Unlike New York where conceal weapon permit holders “have a legally recognized reason for wanting to possess or carry a firearm,” Colorado is a “shall issue” state where applicants who meet the qualifications for a CHP are granted one. The process to obtain a permit in Colorado requires applicants to subject themselves to a background check, commit to training and their application is reviewed by the local chief law enforcement officer, usually a Sheriff (in Denver it is the Chief of Police).

Even so, the Crime Prevention Research Center estimated that just over 16 percent of Coloradans 21 years or older holds a conceal carry permit.

The Risks of Legal Concealed Carry in Colorado

Colorado CHP permit holders, like anyone who carries a concealed weapon legally, assume a substantial risk from potential criminal charges and civil lawsuits. If you have decided to obtain a Colorado CHP, know that carrying a firearm for self-defense comes with significant risks and responsibilities that you may not have considered.

READ MORE: A Self-Defense Story: Deadly Encounter at the Pizzeria

Not all jurisdictions are friendly to citizens who legally carry a concealed weapon for self-defense. An ambitious prosecutor may decide to make an example of you, or the family of an injured assailant might try to drain your bank account with a spurious civil suit. That is where prepaid legal defense plans like those from Second Call Defense can step in and give you a vigorous legal defense against both criminal and civil liability.

READ MORE: When It’s Too Late to Buy CCW Insurance

If you have been involved in a self-defense incident, Second Call Defense steps in with immediate financial and legal resources, providing you with the means to mount a vigorous defense against both criminal charges and civil “lawfare.”

If you are a Colorado CHP holder, you owe it to yourself and your family to take a look at our legal defense plans, which provide the most comprehensive legal protection for armed self-defense with immediate up-front legal protection with nothing out of pocket, nothing to repay.

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*Second Call Defense is not insurance and does not sell or promote insurance products.  Second Call Defense is a membership organization that provides its members access to the “Second Amendment Support Foundation, Inc.,” which provides the means necessary to protect Second Call Defense members from the legal aftermath of exercising their right to self-defense. For an overview of the differences between Second Call Defense Member Benefits and traditional insurance, click here