This one isn't SB25-003. It's a separate bill — HB25-1133, "Requirements for Sale of Firearms Ammunition" — and it took full effect on July 1, 2026. We're covering it here because we keep getting the question, and because it's easy to blur it together with the SSF rollout since both are landing on Colorado gun owners in the same few months.

The short version

HB25-1133 does two things: it changes who can buy ammunition and how it's displayed in stores, and it changes how ammunition can be shipped to your door. Neither piece has anything to do with the "specified semiautomatic firearm" definition, magazine capacity, or the eligibility-card process. This is strictly about the ammunition transaction itself.

In-store changes

Retail ammunition now has to be sold with vendor assistance — the "grab a box off the shelf and walk to the register" model is gone. Expect ammo behind the counter or in a controlled display case, similar to how some stores handle certain over-the-counter medications.

The purchase age also rises from 18 to 21. There are real exceptions, though: you can still buy at 18–20 if you're an active-duty servicemember or veteran, hold a hunter education certificate, are protected by a protection order, were born on or before January 28, 2007 (a grandfather cutoff written into the bill), or are buying for on-site use at a shooting range. Rimfire ammunition sales and sales to on-duty peace officers are excepted outright.

Violations sit on the seller, not the buyer: a first offense is a civil infraction, a second or subsequent one is a class 1 misdemeanor.

Shipping changes — the part most people ask about

If you order ammunition online, the retailer shipping it to you now has to use a delivery service that verifies you're 21 or older. The package itself can't be labeled on the outside as containing ammunition, but the shipper is required to notify the carrier in writing of what's inside.

On the delivery end, the driver has to verify the recipient is 21+ and get a written acknowledgment of receipt before handing over the package — no more leaving it on the porch. That verification requirement doesn't apply if the shipper never told the carrier the package contained ammunition in the first place, and it doesn't apply to anyone covered by the same January 28, 2007 grandfather date.

Practically, this means a signature and an ID check for shipped ammo, where before there often wasn't one. If you're not going to be home to sign for a delivery, that's worth planning around — some buyers are expected to shift toward in-person purchases at a local shop simply to avoid the scheduling hassle.

What this doesn't touch

This law doesn't change anything about SB25-003, the eligibility card, the safety course, or which firearms count as a "specified semiautomatic firearm." It also isn't the same as the federal Stop Online Ammunition Sales Act (H.R. 7166) — a bill reintroduced in Congress in January 2026 that would go much further (in-person-only ammo sales nationwide, vendor licensing, bulk-purchase reporting). That federal bill is still sitting in committee. It is not law, and nothing about it is currently in effect anywhere, including Colorado.

Bottom line

Starting July 1, 2026, buying ammunition in Colorado means showing ID and being 21 (with the exceptions above) whether you're at the counter or having it shipped, and shipped ammo now requires an adult signature at delivery. It's a real, current change — just not one that has anything to do with the gun-classification questions the rest of this site focuses on.

As always, we are not lawyers — just Colorado citizens trying to understand the new law and share what we learn. The information on this website is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice, nor does it create an attorney/client relationship. The accuracy, completeness, or currency of the content is not warranted. Your use of content on this website is at your own risk. Consult an attorney about your specific circumstances.