Colorado hunting license

How much is a Colorado hunting license?

A resident Colorado hunting license for small game costs $38.49 for 2026, as listed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife for the current license year. Hunters 18 to 64 must also buy the $12.76 Habitat Stamp, which is added at checkout, so most resident adults pay that stamp on top of the license price.

The $38.49 fee already includes two small surcharges: $1.25 for search and rescue and $1.50 for the Wildlife Education Fund. The license covers small game and furbearers. It does not cover deer, elk, pronghorn or other big game, which each need their own license.

Here is what a typical resident adult pays to hunt small game for the year: $38.49 for the license plus $12.76 for the Habitat Stamp. A nonresident adult pays $104.86 plus the same stamp. Hunters under 18 skip the stamp and can buy the $2.53 youth license instead. Big game licenses are separate purchases on top of these amounts, and their prices depend on the species and whether you live in Colorado.

This small game license matters even if you only hunt big game. CPW uses it as the qualifying license for the big game draw, so deer and elk hunters who apply in the draw need it too. The table below shows the nonresident price, one-day options, youth fees and the free lifetime combo for qualifying veterans, all from the CPW small game page. Some older CPW pages still show lower fees from a past year, so trust the price you see at checkout.

Who needs hunter education in Colorado?

Anyone born on or after January 1, 1949 must complete an approved hunter education course before buying a license or applying for one. If you were born before that date, Colorado does not require the course.

You have two ways to get certified. The traditional classroom course includes a live-fire session. The other route is an online course followed by a required in-person conclusion class that runs about 4 to 6 hours. Either way, plan for some time in person, because there is no online-only path.

Colorado also offers an Apprentice Hunter Certificate. It is a free, one-year waiver of the hunter education requirement. The apprentice must hunt with a mentor in the field, no matter how old or experienced the apprentice is. It is a good way to try hunting before committing to a course. Find classes on the CPW hunter education page.

Out-of-state hunters take the same route: Colorado requires approved hunter education for every hunter born on or after January 1, 1949, wherever they live.

Where can you buy a license to hunt in Colorado?

The easiest place is CPWShop.com, the official Colorado Parks and Wildlife store. You can also call 1-800-244-5613 or buy in person at CPW offices and license sales agents around the state.

The Habitat Stamp is added during the same purchase, so you do not need a separate stop for it. If you plan to apply for the draw, buy your qualifying license before or during the application window so your application counts.

Have your hunter education details ready, since anyone born on or after January 1, 1949 must complete the course before buying or applying.

1. Finish hunter education, or get a free Apprentice Hunter Certificate if you will hunt with a mentor.
2. Go to CPWShop.com, call 1-800-244-5613, or visit a CPW office or license agent.
3. Buy the annual small game license and the $12.76 Habitat Stamp if you are 18 to 64.
4. Apply for deer, elk or other big game licenses in the primary draw, or buy an over-the-counter elk license where one is offered.

Buy a Colorado hunting license on the official site

How do elk and deer licenses work in Colorado?

Deer, elk, pronghorn, bear, moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat each need a species license, and most of them come through the primary big game draw. You must hold a qualifying license, such as the annual small game license, to apply.

The 2026 primary draw took applications from March 1 to April 7, 2026, closing at 8 p.m. Mountain Time. It covered bear, bighorn sheep, deer, elk, moose, mountain goat and pronghorn. Dates for the next draw are posted on the CPW primary draw page, so check there early in the year.

Elk is the exception for many hunters. Some over-the-counter elk licenses are sold for certain units, so you can hunt elk without drawing in those areas. Rules vary by unit, so confirm your unit before you buy.

Some rifle-season deer hunt codes also require you to submit the head of your deer for chronic wasting disease testing. Read your hunt code details so you know whether that applies to you.

Because the qualifying license is required to apply, buy it first, then submit your draw applications. If you do not draw, your small game license still lets you hunt small game and furbearers for the rest of its 13-month term.

What does a youth hunting license cost in Colorado?

Hunters under 18 can buy the Youth Small Game and Furbearer license for $2.53, whether they live in Colorado or not. A young hunter using it must hunt with a mentor who is 18 or older.

Big game has its own age window. Youth big game hunters must be 12 to 17. A hunter who is 11 can buy a big game license if they will turn 12 before the season ends. A resident youth deer or elk license costs $20.30, far less than the adult price.

Young hunters born on or after January 1, 1949, which means every young hunter today, need hunter education or an Apprentice Hunter Certificate before they buy.

Because the youth small game license is so cheap, it is an easy way to bring a new hunter along on a grouse or rabbit outing while they learn.

What is the Colorado hunting license price for nonresidents?

A nonresident Colorado hunting license for small game costs $104.86 for 2026, plus the $12.76 Habitat Stamp for hunters 18 to 64. Like residents, nonresidents use this license to qualify for the big game draw.

Short trips are cheaper. The Small Game One Day license costs $21.90 for nonresidents, and each additional day is $9.13. Residents can buy the same one-day license for $18.07.

Doing the math helps. A nonresident hunting small game for two days pays $21.90 plus $9.13, or $31.03, before any stamp. Someone planning several trips during the year will usually come out ahead with the $104.86 annual license, which also qualifies them for the big game draw.

For elk, CPW lists a nonresident adult elk and fishing combo at $845.16. Nonresidents follow the same hunter education rule as residents, and Colorado accepts the same course types. Hunting near the border too? Compare the Utah hunting license and Wyoming hunting license guides, or start from our hunting license by state page.

What other Colorado rules should hunters know?

Small game and furbearer licenses and Habitat Stamps are valid from March 1 through March 31 of the following year, which gives you 13 months of use. Here are a few other rules worth knowing.

• Fluorescent orange or pink: when you hunt deer, elk, pronghorn, moose or bear with any firearm license, wear at least 500 square inches of solid daylight fluorescent orange or pink on an outer garment above the waist, plus an orange or pink head covering. Camo orange does not count.
• Seniors: CPW sells a resident senior small game and fishing combo for $38.03. CPW pages list the starting age as both 64 and 65, so confirm it before you buy.
• Veterans and first responders: resident veterans with a 50% or higher service-connected disability or a Purple Heart, and disabled first responders, can get a free lifetime small game and fishing combo.
• Lifetime license: CPW does not list a general lifetime hunting license for sale, so most hunters renew each year.
• Military: active-duty military stationed in Colorado pay resident rates.
• Landowners: CPW pages we checked do not describe a landowner exemption, so check with Colorado Parks and Wildlife before hunting your own land.