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License Refund, Reissue & Exchange
License Refund, Reissue & Exchange

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! ATTENTION HUNTERS !

​​You must include the license and carcass tag to apply for a Big Game refund or preference point restoration.​​ ​​

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​​​​Refund and Preference Point Restoration Process

Note, anyone may request and be given a refund or preference point restoration for a license no later than 30 days prior to the start of the season (14 days for turkey licenses) for which the license is valid. Also, most refunds are now subject to a $15.00 processing fee.

  • To be eligible for a refund or restoration of preference points, a license must be turned into a CPW location or postmarked at least 30 days prior to the start of the season (14 days for turkey licenses)​ for which the license is valid. 

  • No refunds or preference point restorations will be given on exchanged licenses or licenses that cost less than $15.​​​​ This does not apply to youth licenses.

  • A $15 processing fee will be deducted from most refunds to help recover internal costs of processing that request. The $15 processing fee will not be charged for restoration of preference point requests, refunds to youth licenses, extreme medical circumstances, death of the license holder or license holder’s immediate family member, military deployment, jury duty, or CPW error.  

  • Any request of refund or preference point restoration after the 30 day deadline will be limited to extreme medical circumstances, death of the license holder or license holder’s immediate family member, military deployment, jury duty, or CPW error.

  • Once a refund or preference point request form, and license, has been mailed or submitted to a CPW location, there is no way to recover that license. 

  • Individuals must still choose between a refund or restoration of preference points; both will not be awarded.

  • Refunds will not be given on annual licenses, including mountain lion licenses.

  • Preference point restoration is not available on exchanged licenses.

  • Refunds OR restoration of preference points will still be given for any reason prior to 30 days before the start of the season, if submitted or postmarked appropriately.

  • In cases of extreme medical circumstances, death of the license holder or license holder’s immediate family member, or jury duty, applications will be accepted no more than 30 days after the start of the season for which the license is valid, with the exception of military deployment. ​

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​​Reissue of Limited Licenses

MOST limited licenses returned for refund or preference point restoration will now be reissued, pursuant to Colorado Wildlife Regulation Chapter 16, Article​​ IV, #1670. 

ALL reissued licenses are still subject to annual bag limits and refund/preference point restoration regulations. 

Sheep, goat, moose, and public Ranching for Wildlife male and either-sex licenses continue to be reissued to the next person in the draw order as in years past. 

Note: Due to contractual obligations, Public Ranching for Wildlife licenses can no longer be reissued less than 30 days prior to the start of the season for which the hunt code is valid. 

5 or More Preferen​ce Points

Returned deer, elk, pronghorn and bear hunt codes that took 5 or more resident preference points to draw, in the current years draw, will be reissued to the next person in the draw order.​

  • ​These reissued licenses will require the use of preference points as per regulation if accepted.

  • If one of the first 5 customers contacted, per returned license, do not accept it, the license will then be reissued utilizing the current leftover and leftover OTC with cap lists.

4 or Less Preference Points

All other returned limited and over-the-counter (OTC) with caps licenses, excluding public Ranching for Wildlife, will be available to any of the public, who meet licensing and education requirements. 

  • These returned limited and OTC with caps licenses reissued utilizing the current leftover and leftover OTC with cap lists will NOT require the use of preference points.

  • Limited and OTC with caps licenses will continue to be reissued as long as a sufficient number of licenses are returned or unsold.

The Reissue Process

The reissue of big game limited l​icenses begins on August 14, 2018.

  1. All returned licenses that take 4 or less Preference Points in the current years draw will be available for purchase the week after processing is complete. 
  2. Hunt codes will randomly be placed on the current leftover and leftover OTC with cap lists Tuesday through Friday from 9 AM to 4 PM MST.

Exchange Fee

ALL license exchanges will be charged 50% of the cost of the original license, not to exceed $25.00.

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