How to Get Your Colorado Hunting License

A Colorado hunting license is required for hunters of any age to legally take wildlife in the state. Residents pay $38.49 for the annual small game license, the qualifying license most hunters buy first, while non-residents pay $104.86. Hunters born on or after January 1, 1949 must complete a CPW-approved hunter education course before buying or applying for any license, though the course itself isn't required to purchase a license.

Licenses are sold at cpwshop.com, at CPW offices, and at authorized retailers statewide. Colorado's small game license runs April 1 through March 31 of the following year, while big game licenses carry their own printed expiration date.

This guide walks you through how to get your Colorado hunting license and Hunter Education Certificate, step by step.

What Is a Hunting License in Colorado?

A Colorado hunting license is the legal document that allows you to take wildlife in the state. It's issued by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and works on a qualifying-license system: nearly every hunter starts with the annual small game license, since it's required before applying for any big game draw or purchasing an over-the-counter big game tag.

The license itself is separate from your Hunter Education Certificate. The certificate proves you completed a CPW-approved safety course, and once you earn it, it's valid for life. The small game license, on the other hand, expires every March 31 and must be purchased again for the next license year.

Who Needs a Hunting License in Colorado?

Colorado law requires a hunting license for any person, regardless of age, who hunts wildlife in the state. Unlike most states, Colorado's hunter education requirement isn't tied to age at all: it's tied to birth year, and the cutoff is broad enough that it covers nearly every hunter alive today.

Anyone born on or after January 1, 1949 must complete a CPW-approved hunter education course before buying or applying for a license. There's no minimum age to get certified, but a few age-based rules apply on top of that:

1. Under 12: cannot hunt big game under any circumstances, though small game is allowed with a license and hunter education.
2. Age 12 through 15: may hunt big game only when personally accompanied by, and in voice and visual contact with, someone 18 or older who holds a hunter education certificate or was born before January 1, 1949.
3. Under 16, hunting small game: must be accompanied by a mentor 18 or older who meets the hunter education requirement.
4. Any age, born before January 1, 1949: exempt from hunter education, but still needs a license.

Colorado also offers an Apprentice Hunter Certificate, which waives the hunter education requirement for one year at a time, up to twice in a hunter's lifetime, for those 10 and older (12 and older for big game) who hunt with a qualifying mentor.

How to Get Your Colorado Hunting License (Step-by-Step)

Getting licensed in Colorado means working through its qualifying-license system, so it helps to know whether you're hunting small game only or planning to apply for big game. Here's the full process from start to finish.

1. Complete a CPW-approved hunter education course if you were born on or after January 1, 1949, or use the one-time Apprentice Hunter Certificate instead.
2. Purchase your qualifying license at cpwshop.com, at a CPW office, or at an authorized retailer.
3. Select your license type: resident small game ($38.49) or non-resident small game ($104.86).
4. Add the Habitat Stamp ($12.76) if you're 18 to 64, and apply for any big game draw or purchase an over-the-counter tag for species like deer, elk, or bear.
5. Carry your digital or printed license, plus your Hunter Education Certificate, any time you hunt.

Once you've completed these steps, you're fully licensed and ready for the field. The sections below cover the hunter education course and license purchase in more detail.

Step 1: Complete a CPW-Approved Hunter Education Course

Colorado requires an in-person component no matter which path you choose, since there's no fully online option.

1. Online course plus Conclusion Class: The Hunter-Ed Colorado course costs $34.95. You must pre-register for a Conclusion Class before starting the online portion, then attend that 4- to 6-hour in-person session to finish certification.
2. Traditional classroom course: A fully in-person option, at least 10 hours split across two or more days, for a cost of up to $10.
3. Test-Out option: Residents and non-residents 50 or older, plus U.S. military personnel, can take a one-time 30-minute online exam for $34.95 and skip the class entirely with a passing score of 90% or higher.

Passing the online course doesn't guarantee a spot in a Conclusion Class, so register for both before you rely on a specific hunting season.

Step 2: Purchase Your License

Once you have your Hunter Education Certificate, if it applies to you, you can buy your license through the CPW website, at a CPW office, or at an authorized retailer.

You'll need a government-issued photo ID, proof of hunter education if required, and payment.

Step 3: Apply for Big Game and Go Hunting

A Colorado small game license doesn't cover deer, elk, pronghorn, bear, moose, bighorn sheep, or mountain goat. Most of these require either a drawn permit-tag through CPW's primary draw, typically in March and April, or an over-the-counter purchase where available. Each species carries a separate application fee: $8.93 for residents, $11.49 for non-residents.

Once your license and any tags are in hand, you're ready to hunt. Before you head out, review general hunting safety practices to make sure you're field-ready.

Colorado Hunting License Requirements by Age

Let's take a look at the requirements for hunting licenses in Colorado by age.

Habitat Stamp: Required for hunters ages 18 through 64 at a cost of $12.76, regardless of license type.

Season dates and bag limits vary by species and game management unit, so check before you plan a hunt.

Hunter Safety Course: Format and Cost

Colorado's hunter education always includes an in-person component, whether that's a Conclusion Class after online study or a fully in-person classroom. The chart below offers a quick overview of those formats and costs.

Once you earn your certificate, no matter which path, it's good for the rest of your hunting life. Only the annual small game license needs to be renewed, and that happens every March 31.

What to Bring When Buying Your License

Make sure you have the right documentation handy to purchase your Colorado hunting license. You'll need:

• Government-issued photo ID
• Hunter Education Certificate, if required for your birth year
• Payment (credit or debit card online or by phone, or check or card in person)
• Proof of Colorado residency, if applying for resident rates
• Social Security number or ITIN, if you're 12 or older

Colorado Hunting Laws and Penalties

Hunting without a required license in Colorado is a misdemeanor. The fine is twice the cost of the license involved: for a non-big-game license, that means twice its purchase price, and for big game, twice the cost of the most expensive license for that species.

Violations also carry license suspension points, and accumulating 20 or more points within five years can result in a suspension of hunting privileges.

Make sure you review Colorado's hunting laws and regulations for the full requirements.

What About Reciprocity?

Colorado accepts hunter education certificates from any U.S. state or Canadian province, since the state's own program is built to IHEA-USA standards. Other IHEA-USA-compliant states and provinces return the favor and accept a Colorado Hunter Education Certificate.

The hunting license itself, however, is not transferable. Hunters visiting from out of state still need to purchase a Colorado non-resident license.

Out-of-State Visitors

Non-residents can hunt in Colorado with the non-resident small game license ($104.86), plus any big game tags they draw or purchase over the counter. Big game costs run dramatically higher for non-residents. An elk tag runs $845.16 compared to $70.40 for residents, and a bighorn sheep, moose, or mountain goat tag runs $2,823.53 compared to $385.66 for residents.

Start Your Colorado Hunter Safety Course Today

The Hunter-Ed Colorado course is approved by CPW. Complete the online portion, attend your Conclusion Class, and get your lifetime Colorado Hunter Education Certificate.

Approved by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) | Last verified August 7, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Do I need a hunting license in Colorado?

A: Yes, for any age. Younger hunters have additional restrictions, including a ban on big game hunting under 12 and supervision requirements through age 15.

Q: How old do you have to be to get a Colorado hunting license?

A: There's no minimum age. Younger hunters can hold a license, but face species and supervision restrictions until they're old enough to hunt big game unaccompanied.

Q: How much does a Colorado hunting license cost?

A: A resident small game license costs $38.49. A non-resident small game license costs $104.86. Big game licenses cost significantly more and vary by species and residency. Prices reflect CPW's current 2026 fee schedule.

Q: Does a Colorado hunting license expire?

A: The small game license expires March 31 each year. Big game licenses carry their own printed expiration date tied to the specific hunt.

Q: Can I take the Colorado hunter education course entirely online?

A: No. Colorado requires an in-person Conclusion Class after the online portion, unless you qualify for the Test-Out option at 50 or older or as military personnel.

Q: Do I need hunter education in Colorado?

A: Yes, if you were born on or after January 1, 1949. That cutoff covers nearly every hunter today, though the one-time Apprentice Hunter Certificate lets beginners hunt with a mentor first.

Q: What if I'm visiting Colorado to hunt?

A: Non-residents need the non-resident small game license ($104.86) plus any big game tags. Non-resident big game costs run significantly higher than resident rates across every species.

Q: What's the penalty for hunting without a license in Colorado?

A: It's a misdemeanor with a fine equal to twice the cost of the license involved, plus license suspension points that can lead to a hunting privilege suspension if they accumulate.