Is a Montana Non-Resident Permit Valid in Colorado?

Why

• Montana does not issue carry permits to non-residents (permit requires at least 6 months' montana residency, us citizenship or lawful permanent residence, and montana id (mca 45-8-321; mt doj). no non-resident permits are issued).

Colorado honors a permit only if the issuing state honors Colorado's CHP, the holder is 21+, is a RESIDENT of the issuing state, and carries a matching driver's license or state ID from that state. Colorado explicitly does not recognize any permit issued to a non-resident of the issuing state - a Colorado resident also cannot carry in-state on another state's non-resident permit (C.R.S. 18-12-213; CBI reciprocity page).

Carry rules in Colorado

Crossing into Colorado swaps the rulebook. Here is what changes for a visiting carrier.

• No duty to volunteer. Permittee must carry the permit plus valid photo ID whenever carrying and must produce both upon demand by a law enforcement officer; failure is a class 1 petty offense (C.R.S. 18-12-204(2)(a)).
• Colorado limits magazine capacity to 15 rounds — a limit that applies to visitors, and one of the easiest laws to break by accident.
• Colorado is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Colorado recognizes.
• A person who may lawfully possess a handgun may carry it, loaded, in a private automobile without any permit for a legal use including self-defense (C.R.S. 18-12-204(3)(a)); this does not extend onto school grounds under 18-12-105.5.

Off-limits places in Colorado

Colorado bans carry in 6 kinds of places. The first on the list:

• K-12 public school grounds (permittee's handgun may remain in a locked vehicle)
• Public buildings with permanent security screening and guards at each entrance

See all 6 places you can't carry in Colorado →

Montana vs Colorado: what changes at the state line

Crossing from Montana into Colorado changes 3 rules: permitless carry (Yes → No); magazine limit (None → 15 rounds); out-of-state permits honored (43 states → 34 states).

Going the other way, a Colorado non-resident permit in Montana: no such permit issued.

Driving on from Colorado

How a Montana non-resident permit fares in the states bordering Colorado:

• Kansas — No such permit issued
• Nebraska — No such permit issued
• New Mexico — No such permit issued
• Oklahoma — No such permit issued
• Utah — No such permit issued
• Wyoming — No such permit issued

Check a whole route with the Trip Checker →

Frequently asked questions

Does Colorado honor a Montana resident permit?

Recognized — carry with your permit. That differs from the non-resident permit on this page, because Colorado treats the two permit types differently.

Can a Colorado non-resident permit holder carry in Montana?

Colorado does not issue non-resident carry permits, so there is no such permit to carry in Montana.

Does Montana issue non-resident carry permits?

No. Montana issues carry permits to residents only (permit requires at least 6 months' Montana residency, US citizenship or lawful permanent residence, and Montana ID (MCA 45-8-321; MT DOJ). No non-resident permits are issued). Non-residents who want multi-state coverage usually obtain a non-resident permit from a state that offers one, such as those listed in our non-resident permit guide.