2023 Colorado Revised Statutes
Title 18 - CRIMINAL CODE (§§ 18-1-101 — 18-26-102)
Article 12 - OFFENSES RELATING TO FIREARMS AND WEAPONS (§§ 18-12-101 — 18-12-508)
Part 3 - LARGE-CAPACITY AMMUNITION MAGAZINES (§§ 18-12-301 — 18-12-303)
Section 18-12-302 - Large-capacity magazines prohibited - penalties - exceptions

• (1)
  • (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, on and after July 1, 2013, a person who sells, transfers, or possesses a large-capacity magazine commits a class 2 misdemeanor.
  • (b) Repealed.
  • (c) Any person who violates this subsection (1) commits a class 6 felony if the person possessed a large-capacity magazine during the commission of a felony or any crime of violence, as defined in section 18-1.3-406.

• (2)
  • (a) A person may possess a large-capacity magazine if he or she:
    • (I) Owns the large-capacity magazine on July 1, 2013; and
    • (II) Maintains continuous possession of the large-capacity magazine.
  • (b) If a person who is alleged to have violated subsection (1) of this section asserts that he or she is permitted to legally possess a large-capacity magazine pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (2), the prosecution has the burden of proof to refute the assertion.

• (3) The offense described in subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to:
  • (a) An entity, or any employee thereof engaged in his or her employment duties, that manufactures large-capacity magazines within Colorado exclusively for transfer to, or any licensed gun dealer, as defined in section 18-12-506(6), or any employee thereof engaged in his or her official employment duties, that sells large-capacity magazines exclusively to:
    • (I) A branch of the armed forces of the United States;
    • (II) A department, agency, or political subdivision of the state of Colorado, or of any other state, or of the United States government;
    • (III) A firearms retailer for the purpose of firearms sales conducted outside the state;
    • (IV) A foreign national government that has been approved for such transfers by the United States government; or
    • (V) An out-of-state transferee who may legally possess a large-capacity magazine; or
  • (b) An employee of any of the following agencies who bears a firearm in the course of his or her official duties:
    • (I) A branch of the armed forces of the United States; or
    • (II) A department, agency, or political subdivision of the state of Colorado, or of any other state, or of the United States government; or
  • (c) A person who possesses the magazine for the sole purpose of transporting the magazine to an out-of-state entity on behalf of a manufacturer of large-capacity magazines within Colorado.

Amended by 2021 Ch. 462,§351, eff. 3/1/2022.

Amended by 2018 Ch. 8,§7, eff. 10/1/2018.

Added by 2013 Ch. 48,§1, eff. 7/1/2013.

L. 2013: Entire part added, (HB 13-1224), ch. 48, p. 145, § 1, effective July 1. L. 2018: IP(3)(a) amended, (SB 18-032), ch. 8, p. 153, § 7, effective October 1.

2021 Ch. 462, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).