fullscreen

eFinder

eFinder

Home › Article

Is it legal to store an unsecured handgun in a car in Colorado?

Coloradosun · · 212 words · By Cassis Tingley
headphones Listen to the eFinder podcast briefing
Generate a natural audio summary of this story
Daily briefing

What to know about Is it legal to store an unsecured handgun in a car in Colorado?

Handguns left in an unattended vehicle must be stored in a locked and rigid container out of plain view.

Claims checked 7
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center100%
Right0%

2 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Handguns left in an unattended vehicle must be stored in a locked and rigid container out of plain view.

Why it matters

Violating storage rules for handguns left in vehicles is a civil infraction punishable by a fine up to $100.

Common ground

Colorado law also requires that stored firearms be kept inaccessible to children and people who are legally barred from possessing a gun.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://coloradosun.com/2026/07/24/colorado-handgun-storage-laws/

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 7 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 3
cancel Disputed 2
info Single Source 1
verified Verified 1
info
Claim 1: “The vehicle must also be locked.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While evidence confirms the handgun must be in a locked container, the provided search results do not explicitly state that the vehicle itself must also be locked as a separate legal requirement for this specific storage rule.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Colorado law requires that gun owners store their weapons in a safe or with a trigger or cable lock. Unlawful storage of a firearm is a Class 2 misdemeanor, punishable by up to 120 days in jail and a …
https://coloradosun.com/2026/02/04/evergreen-high-school-sho…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Learn how to properly secure your handgun for interstate travel. Ensure your safety and compliance with laws by using a locked, safe storage option for your firearm.
https://quartzmountain.org/article/can-i-store-handgun-locke…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — laws (waiting periods, universal background checks, gun locks, and open carrying. regulations) on suicide rates.that state laws that restrict exposure and. access to handguns are robustly associated w…
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280997383_Suicide_R…
check_circle
Claim 2: “Handguns left in an unattended vehicle must be stored in a locked and rigid container out of plain view.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources, including the Colorado General Assembly (HB24-1348) and Giffords, confirm that handguns in unattended vehicles must be stored in a locked, hard-sided (rigid) container out of plain view.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A person who is considered to have a disability who stores a firearm in a locked soft-sided container does not violate the requirement to store a firearm in a hard-sided container. The act includes ex…
https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1348
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Research Colorado state laws on guns in vehicles, including what is regulated and what's not. Find related gun law details from Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence today.
https://giffords.org/lawcenter/state-laws/guns-in-vehicles-i…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — HB24-1348 requires handguns in unattended vehicles to be stored in a locked, hard-sided container that is out of plain view to help prevent them from being stolen. Other firearms must be stored in a h…
https://www.senatedems.co/newsroom/gov-signs-legislation-to-…
check_circle
Claim 3: “Violating these gun storage rules is a class 2 misdemeanor, carrying up to 120 days in jail and fines up to $750.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources, including the Colorado Revised Statutes (C.R.S. 18-12-114) and the Colorado Department of Public Safety, explicitly state that unlawful storage of a firearm is a class 2 misdemeanor.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2019–20 Colorado drone sightings were a series of widely sighted unidentified drones observed in the skies of northeastern Colorado and western Nebraska between December 2019 and January 2020. Acc…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019–20_Colorado_drone_sightin…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Philip Jacob Weiser (born May 10, 1968) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the attorney general of Colorado since 2019. He is the Hatfield professor of law and telecommunications, …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Weiser
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Tina Marie Peters (born September 11, 1955) is an American politician who served as County Clerk of Mesa County, Colorado, from 2019 to 2023. In 2021, she was temporarily suspended by the Colorado Sec…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tina_Peters_(politician)
+ 3 more evidence sources
cancel
Claim 4: “Colorado is one of 26 states with child access prevention laws.”
DISPUTED
The claim states Colorado is one of 26 states with child access prevention laws, but the RAND evidence explicitly states that as of January 1, 2025, 35 states and the District of Columbia have such laws.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2024 United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado were held on November 5, 2024, to elect the eight U.S. representatives from the State of Colorado, one from each of the state's co…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_United_States_House_of_Re…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Colorado is a landlocked state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, and part of the Southwestern United States, sharing the Four Corners regio…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Colorado River (Spanish: Río Colorado) is one of the principal rivers (along with the Rio Grande) in the Southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The 1,450-mile-long (2,330 km) river, th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_River
+ 3 more evidence sources
cancel
Claim 5: “Violating storage rules for handguns left in vehicles is a civil infraction punishable by a fine up to $100.”
DISPUTED
There is a direct contradiction regarding the fine. One source states it is a civil infraction with a fine up to $100, while another source states a first-time offense is a civil infraction with a fine of up to $500.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — John Wright Hickenlooper Jr. ( HIK-ən-loop-ər; born February 7, 1952) is an American politician, geologist, and businessman serving as the junior United States senator from Colorado since 2021. A memb…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hickenlooper
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, 584 U.S. 617 (2018), was a case in the Supreme Court of the United States that addressed whether owners of public accommodations can refuse ce…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masterpiece_Cakeshop_v._Colora…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Robert "Bob" Marshall is an American politician who is a member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 43rd district, which includes most of Highlands Ranch. He was elected in 2022 and assu…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Marshall_(Colorado_politic…
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
Claim 6: “Firearms must be stored in a locked safe or secured with a locking device such as a trigger lock, each protected with a combination, a key or biometric data.”
VERIFIED
Colorado state law (§18-12-114 C.R.S.) and General Assembly documents (HB21-1106) confirm the requirement for responsible and secure storage using locking devices to prevent unauthorized access.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The act requires licensed gun dealers to provide with each firearm, at the time of a firearm sale or transfer, a locking device capable of securing the firearm.
https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb21-1106
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Colorado state law requires that firearms be responsibly and securely stored when they are not in use to prevent access by unsupervised juveniles and other unauthorized users (§18-12-114 C.R.S.). Unla…
https://cdphe.colorado.gov/gun-storage
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — § 18-12-114. Secure firearm storage required - penalty - exceptions. (1) Firearms must be responsibly and securely stored when they are not in use to prevent access by unsupervised juveniles and other…
https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-18/article-12/pa…
check_circle
Claim 7: “Colorado law also requires that stored firearms be kept inaccessible to children and people who are legally barred from possessing a gun.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources, including reports on Colorado's safe storage laws and legal summaries, confirm that firearms must be stored securely and rendered inaccessible to children or prohibited persons.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — “Colorado is one of the many states that has taken action on this issue to save lives,” Suplina added. “Since July 2021, a person who does not ensure that their firearms are both stored securely and r…
https://www.salon.com/2021/09/10/lauren-boebert-allows-8-yea…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Vermont's Secure Storage Law requires gun owners to store firearms in a locked container or equip them with a safety device whenever a child or “prohibited person” is likely to gain access to them. Eq…
https://childrens.dartmouth-health.org/stories/article/how-t…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Retailers in other states are prohibited from selling such magazines to Colorado residents. If a minor or prohibited person resides in a home with a firearm present, the state’s safe storage laws requ…
https://sonsoflibertymedia.com/what-states-have-the-strictes…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.