Northern Colorado had triple digit rise in conceal handgun permit applications before new gun law took effect

A new Colorado law aimed at making it more difficult to obtain a concealed handgun permit spurred a triple-digit spike in applications in Larimer and Weld counties before going into effect. The law, HB24-1174, added additional criteria to make obtaining a concealed handgun permit more timely and educational.

The law, which was signed by Gov. Jared Polis in 2024, went into effect on July 1 of this year.

However, in the final weeks leading up to the law going into effect, the two most populated counties in Northern Colorado saw applications spike. Weld County, known for its conservative roots, saw applications rise more than 300% at the deadline as residents tried to obtain their permit under the previous, less-stringent guidelines.

"The responsibility of being a smart and trained gun owner has resonated with me," said Mike Benavidez of the Makhaira Group.

The Makhaira Group is one of Northern Colorado's most utilized firearms training organizations. Primarily operating out of Liberty Firearms Institute in Johnstown, Makhaira has been teaching advanced concealed handgun permit training courses in the region for years.

"It is imperative. If we are going to carry a tool that is designed to take a life, we need to understand the operations of that tool, we need to understand the laws it is governed by, and we need to understand how it functions so we don't inadvertently hurt someone we didn't intend to," Benavidez said.

Benavidez said his organization has worked hard over the years to make sure its clients are receiving the training they need, not just that which the state law requires. He said it is always great to see when clients are seeking to obtain their permits.

"It is better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it," he said.

In Colorado, it's illegal to carry a hidden firearm unless you have a concealed handgun permit. For decades, obtaining a permit was relatively easy. Those with overall clean legal criminal records had to take a relatively quick training course, pay fees, get fingerprinted, and then wait for their permit to be approved and issued by their sheriff's office.

"(If applicants wanted the easiest route) they would just go to a hotel conference room, sit in there for 90 minutes, pay $50 and get their conceal carry handgun permit," Benavidez said.

However, following the signing of HB24-1174, the process to qualify for a CHP application became much more involved.

Under the new law, first-time applicants in Colorado must be trained by sheriff-certified instructors, attend eight hours of in-person classroom training, pass a written test with an 80% score or better, fire at least 50 rounds with 70% shooting accuracy, and more.

"When July 1 happened, that changed everything," Benavidez said. "We have definitely seen a change in attitude in the students coming through our classrooms."

With the new law going into effect on July 1, many Colorado residents rushed to get their less-stringent training requirements completed and applications submitted through the sheriff's offices.

"On June 30, when I came to work, there was a line of people waiting to get into this building," said Weld County Sheriff's Capt. Matt Turner. "That has never happened before."

Turner said the WCSO saw a record number of applications coming into its office in the final two months before the new law took effect. He said some days leading up to the deadline were so busy in the office that people were not able to get their applications submitted.

"We actually had to turn people away that day, which has never had to be done," Turner said.

CBS News Colorado obtained records from Northern Colorado's two most populous counties, Weld and Larimer counties. The data obtained showed how applications in the two regions skyrocketed in the final two months before the law changed.

The data compared the applications received in May and June of 2024 to the number of applications received in May and June of 2025.

For May, Weld County saw a jump of 123% in permit applications in 2025. Larimer County experienced a jump of 36%.

As for June, Larimer County had an increase of 137% at the deadline.

In Weld County, applications spiked by more than 324% compared to the previous year.

"What it told me was people were worried. What it told me was people knew tomorrow, 'I won't have access to this the same way I did today,'" Turner said.

Turner and Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams have been outspoken critics of the bill from the start.

"Only because we don't favor anything that makes it more difficult for law-abiding citizens to have access to their Second Amendment rights," Turner said. "It delays access, it creates more fees. For some people, that may make it unattainable."

Unlike many courses before the change in law, Makhaira was already requiring its students to attend extended in-person classes and to conduct live fire.

"We felt it was important to know these individuals we were giving a certificate to were proficient and not going to hurt themselves," Benavidez said.

Benavidez and his team have added a few extra subjects to their courses to meet state standards. He says, aside from the time component, the biggest change most students are noticing is that the average price of a permit course has drastically risen. Benavidez said that's the result of courses becoming more time-consuming and also requiring insurance, lane rentals, and the cost of obtaining a gun and firing rounds.

As someone whose company makes its money off of training, Benavidez said he personally thinks it's great that more Coloradans are getting more firearms training and working to become more responsible gun owners.

He still personally opposes the law, however.

"I 100% support more training. What I don't like is being told I have to do it," Benavidez said.

Colorado is actively moving forward with further gun laws and restrictions, including one law that makes obtaining long guns with detachable magazines more difficult.

While new laws are being implemented, Benavidez still encourages Colorado residents to complete their training and apply for a concealed handgun permit. He said, even if doing so is more time-consuming and costly, in the end, he believes it's worth it when it comes to being legally prepared to protect yourself and others.

"In the event you end up potentially in what is the worst day of your life, you are the one walking away from that threat event," Benavidez said. "You were able to protect yourself, an innocent bystander, or your loved ones."