Pepper Spray Laws
Is Pepper Spray Legal In Colorado?
Pepper spray in CO is Legal.
Legal No Colorado statute specifically regulates the purchase, possession, or carry of pepper spray / OC spray by civilians for self-defense. Colorado does not require a permit or license to buy, carry, or transport pepper spray. Age minimum: No Colorado statute sets a minimum age to purchase or possess pepper spray specifically. Size/concentration limit: No Colorado statute sets a maximum size, volume, or OC concentration for civilian self-defense spray. Carry restrictions: Pepper spray is not a "firearm" and, in ordinary self-defense use, does not meet the statutory definition of "deadly weapon" under Colo. Rev. Stat. Section 18-1-901(3)(e) ("a knife, bludgeon, or any other weapon, device, instrument, material, or substance ... that, in the manner it is used or intended to be used, is capable of producing death or serious bodily injury"), so the school-grounds weapons restriction in Colo. Rev. Stat. Section 18-12-105.5 (which applies to "deadly weapons") does not clearly reach ordinary carry of pepper spray. Misuse — spraying someone without legal justification — can be charged as assault or menacing under Colorado's general criminal statutes, and lawful self-defense use is governed by Colo. Rev. Stat. Section 18-1-704 (use of physical force in defense of a person). Persons legally prohibited from possessing weapons (e.g., under Colo. Rev. Stat. Section 18-12-108, possession of weapons by previous offenders) should confirm with counsel whether that restriction is read to include chemical self-defense sprays, as this has not been definitively resolved in the sources reviewed. Primary source: Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 18, Article 1, Section 18-1-901(3)(e) and Article 12, Sections 18-12-105.5 and 18-1-704, https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-18/ (statute text as codified; official Colorado General Assembly source not directly reachable during this research pass and should be confirmed against https://leg.colorado.gov/colorado-revised-statutes). This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with Colorado authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.