2024 Big Game Limited License Application Guide

Helpful Resources:

Application & Correction Deadline is April 2, 2024 at 8 p.m. MTN.


  1. From CPW.STATE.CO.US, click on “Buy & Apply” to sign in to your Colorado Parks and Wildlife account to purchase a qualifying license and to submit your big game applications.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife Homepage

  1. Click “Sign In or Create Account” to begin.

CPWshop.com Homepage

  1. Customers that do not know if they already have a Colorado Parks and Wildlife account, meaning you have made a Colorado State Parks camping reservation, hunted, fished or have an OHV, Boat, or Snowmobile Registration in Colorado, please “LOOK UP YOUR PROFILE” before creating a new account.

Once you have created your account or looked up your existing account, you will login using the CID number or other identifier on file and enter the password you have created.

CPWshop.com Sign-in Page

  1. The system will require you to review your Customer Details. If all your information is correct, please click the “Confirm Details” at the bottom of the screen.

Note: Youth under the age of 18 do not require an identifier.

CPWshop.com Customer Details Page

  1. Purchase your qualifying license and Habitat Stamp (18-64)

Required & nonrefundable

CPWshop.com Account Summary Page showing the go hunting and fishing dropdown menu at the top of the page. Image shows to click on buy small game and combo licenses link.

2024 Qualifying license list

  1. If you are a Colorado Resident, please select the ‘Resident’ button and enter the appropriate date you became a CO resident using the following format: MMYYYY. Learn more about Colorado residency.

Nonresidents will select the ‘Non Resident’ option button and then click “Proceed”.

CPWshop.com residency page

  1. Click “Purchase” for your qualifying license and add it to your cart. A habitat stamp will automatically be added, if required.

    NOTE: The image below is showing a resident purchasing a Resident Small Game Hunting & Fishing Combo Annual License

CPWshop.com resident small game license options page

The pop-up box below will appear if you have not paid for your annual habitat stamp. If required, the system will automatically add the habitat stamp to the cart. Click “OK” to continue.

Alert indicating a habitat stamp will be added to the transaction

  1. After clicking “Purchase you may be required to provide additional information and answer questions as shown below. Make a selection and click “Add to Cart”.

NEW FOR 2024: The Harvest Information Program (HIP) has been added to the Integrated Parks and Wildlife System (IPAWS). Hunters are now able to obtain their HIP registrations when purchasing hunting licenses. Moving forward, hunters will no longer receive a HIP number. Hunters will not have to write a HIP number or a Sandhill Crane permit number on their license to prove their HIP registration. If you are NOT hunting small game, you do not need to register for HIP. For additional information regarding the Harvest Information Program please click here.

CPWshop.com proof of hunter education page with the option to add a harvest information program registration and additional specialty permits.

NOTE: Anyone born on or after January 1, 1949, is required to have a hunter education card to buy or apply for licenses or preference points in Colorado. Colorado Parks and Wildlife honors hunter education cards from other states, provinces and countries. If your hunter education has not been manually verified to your customer account, you will be required to enter your hunter education as shown above. To get your hunter education card verified, take your hunter education card to a Colorado Parks and Wildlife office or Colorado State Park.

  1. If you wish to register for the Harvest Information Program (HIP) now, please click the “Yes” radio button and select any specialty permits and click “Add to Cart”. You will receive a notice of the products you are adding to your transaction.

Notice alert regarding the specialty permits selected that will be added to the transaction

  1. When registering for HIP, please complete the following questions and click “Add to Cart” to continue with your transaction.

Harvest Information Program registration questions

  1. You can now see your qualifying license and any additional products that have added to your cart in the upper right-hand corner.

    Now that the qualifying license is in your cart, please hover-over “
    Go Hunting & Fishing” and click on “Buy Big Game Licenses” to begin the application process.

CPWshop.com go hunting and fishing dropdown menu to click on buy big game licenses

  1. You will now see a list of species you can apply for. Please click the “+” next to the species you wish to apply for.

CPWshop.com big game application species page

  1. After clicking the “+” for the species you wish to apply for, click the “Apply Now” button.

Elk application dropdown with apply now button

  1. Are you hunting in a group? Please read how to apply as a group.

Make your selection and click “Proceed”.

Applying as an Individual

individual application selection

Applying as a Group Leader

Group leader application selection

Applying as a Group Member

Group member application selection

  1. Applicants can enter up to 4 hunt code choices per species. Please enter hunt codes as shown in the Big Game Brochure.

    Once an applicant has entered their desired hunt codes and have selected their unsuccessful option, please click “
    Confirm Choices”.

Elk application hunt code page with the preference point code (E-P-999-99-P) entered as a first choice and hunt code E-F-028-O4-R entered as a second choice. Third and fourth choice options are left blank

  1. After confirming your choices, please review your hunt codes. To continue, click “Add to Cart”.

Review of the preference point code and hunt code entered from the previous page

  1. If you would like to apply for another species, scroll down the page and click on the “+” and then click “Apply Now”. If you are done with your application(s), please click on your cart icon in the upper right-hand corner to continue with the submission process or click the “Go to Cart” button at the bottom of the page.

CPWshop.com big game species page, highlighting the shopping cart in the upper right-hand corner

  1. Please review the application(s) you are submitting. If you are processing this transaction with your qualifying license in the cart, please “Select a Fulfillment Method”.

    NOTE: No discount codes are available, please scroll down the page and click “Proceed To Checkout”.

Standard Shipping

Items sent via standard shipping may be delayed due to high volume. If you need your product sooner, you can select Pickup at Sales Location, use the Temporary Authorization Number (TAN) on your confirmation receipt, or use the MY CPW APP. Hunters purchasing licenses with carcass tags must have the physical license in the field.

Overview of the customers shopping cart. Image is highlighting the Fulfillment Method selection for standard shipping. Image is also highlighting that no promo code is available. Proceed to check out button is located at the lower right-hand corner of the image

  1. Cart Summary: Please review your personal information and hunt codes one last time!

    This is your final payment screen before you submit your application.

CPWshop.com final checkout page and order review. Customers must enter their credit card information to pay for the current order. Customers also have the option to add a card to their account if they are awarded a license. Customer must read the terms and conditions, agree to the terms and conditions and click the reCAPTCHA box to click the submit payment button in the lower right-hand corner of the screen

  1. Confirmation Page: Please Print This Page for Your Records

    Note: You will also be receiving an emailed purchase confirmation receipt to your email address on file.

Review of the customers confirmation page with order details

Confirmation Letter Example:

A copy of the confirmation letter is always sent to the email address on file when the transaction is completed. Note, if the customer has not received an email of their transaction, confirm the email address on their account and have the customer view their SPAM Folder.

IMPORTANT: ALWAYS REVIEW THIS CONFIRMATION LETTER!

Application modifications are accepted until April 2, 2024 at 8 p.m. MTN. Colorado Parks and Wildlife does not charge a fee for application modifications. Please see our 2024 Big Game Application Modification Guide.

Example of the customers emailed confirmation receipt