How to apply in Colorado

Anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1949, is required to have a hunter education card to hunt in Colorado. 2. A hunter education card is required to apply for or buy a hunting license.

Colorado honors hunter education cards from other states, provinces and countries.

An apprentice certificate can be obtained for hunters who are at least 10 years old (age 12 for big game) and who must be accompanied by a mentor in the field. This hunter education waiver can be obtained twice in a lifetime

All applicants must first purchase (online, by phone or in person at sales agents) or hold a qualifying hunting license for the current license year before applying for either the primary or secondary draws.

Qualifying licenses: annual resident and nonresident small game; annual resident combo small game/fishing; annual resident senior combo small game/fishing

A 2026 Habitat Stamp will be automatically added when purchasing your qualifying license, if applicable.

Second-, third-, fourth-choice, over-the-counter, leftover limited licenses and the secondary draw don’t use or generate points.

Priority goes to those with the most points, except when the license quota or nonresident cap would be exceeded, and except for the hybrid draw.

Preference points are not transferable between hunters. Points are awarded for specific species, not for hunt codes, sex, unit(s), season(s) or method of take.

Preference points are only used during the primary draw; they do not apply to the secondary draw.

Points accumulate until you draw a first-choice license. If an applicant fails to apply for a species or has not purchased a license for that same species during any given 10-year period, all accumulated preference points for that species become void.

If you are issued a first-choice license, all accumulated preference points for that species become void and return to zero.

One preference point is awarded per species applied for to hunters who apply properly and are unsuccessful in drawing a license for a first-choice hunt code in the primary draw for big-game species in this brochure.

Preference point fee: The preference point fee does not apply to deer, elk, pronghorn or bear.

Do not submit a separate application for preference points, or both applications will be disqualified.

Preference point hunt code: You can gain a preference point as a first choice on your application to use another year; specific preference-point hunt codes are listed at the beginning of each species section in this brochure.

Nonresident (age 18 or older) $100

Resident (age 18 or older) $50

To apply for a Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep preference point, enter hunt code S-P-999-99-P as your first choice hunt.

To apply for a preference point, enter B-P-999-99-P as your firstchoice hunt code on your primary draw application.

To apply for a point, enter D-P-999-99-P as your first-choice hunt code on your application.

To apply for a point, enter E-P-999-99-P as your first-choice hunt code on your application.

To apply for a preference point only, enter M-P-999-99-P as your first-choice hunt code on your application.

To apply for a mountain goat preference point, enter hunt code G-P-999-99-P as your first choice hunt.

To apply for a preference point, enter A-P-999-99-P as your first-choice hunt code on your application.

Point-only hunt codes: T-M-999-99-P (spring) or T-E-999-99-P (fall) as first choice; Habitat Stamp required

Hunt codes that require 10 or more resident preference points: up to 20% of the available licenses may be issued through a random (hybrid) drawing among applicants with at least five preference points who list the code as first choice

10% of limited licenses are allocated to nonresidents

Up to 20% of licenses for hunt codes that required six or more points for an adult Colorado resident to draw (marked + in the unit tables)

Up to 25% of licenses for hunt codes that required fewer than six points for an adult Colorado resident to draw

Group application priority is based on the member with the fewest points.

In a group of applications made up of both residents and nonresidents, all nonresidents in the group will count against the nonresident allocation; if all nonresident allocation is gone, the group will not draw.

Group applications are not accepted.

Group applications are not accepted for moose, desert bighorn sheep or hybrid draw licenses.

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep: 2 individuals.

Elk, Deer, Pronghorn, Bear and Turkey: any number of people.

Mountain Goat: 2 individuals.

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep: 2 individuals. Residents and nonresidents may not apply together.

Mountain Goat: 2 individuals. Residents and nonresidents may not apply together.

Group application priority is based on the member with fewest points.

Group applications are processed based on the member with the fewest points.

Lifetime bag limit of one bull moose (auction, raffle, rewards program and special management licenses excepted)

Once in a lifetime: after harvesting a desert bighorn sheep you cannot take part in future desert bighorn drawings

After harvesting a mountain goat, wait five years (sixth year after harvest) before applying for another mountain goat license

After harvesting a Rocky Mountain bighorn ram, wait five years (sixth year after harvest) before applying for another ram license; ewe licenses may be applied for meanwhile without accruing points

Posted to the applicant's Colorado online account; Colorado emails successful applicants

Posted online (check your online account); Colorado emails successful applicants

Any licenses remaining after the secondary draw (except for Ranching for Wildlife licenses) will be placed on the Leftover List and available for purchase starting Aug. 4 at 9 a.m. MT.

This draw does not use preference points, and you cannot apply for them.

Returned sheep or goat licenses are manually reissued to one of the first five unsuccessful applicants on the primary draw list; otherwise placed on the Reissue Preview List

Secondary draw (replaced the leftover draw): open to everyone, whether or not they applied in the primary draw; remaining limited licenses from the primary draw; youth ages 12–17 get priority; no preference points

Nonresident $11.49

Resident $8.93

Nonresident application processing fee (per species & nonrefundable) $11.49

Resident application processing fee (per species & nonrefundable) $8.93