Colorado: Is it legal to pump your own gas?
Colorado has no ban on self-service gas; state rules require stations to follow the national fuel code that covers self-service.
Colorado's Division of Oil and Public Safety requires retail fuel dispensers to meet NFPA 30A, the national motor fuel code, which covers attended and unattended self-service. The state rules also separate attended stations, where an operator controls or monitors dispensing, from unattended cardlock sites. No Colorado law found bars drivers from pumping their own gas, so this answer is an inference from the adopted code. Some cities, such as Grand Junction, have their own self-service ordinances.
What the law says
All retail and non-retail motor fuel dispensers must comply with the minimum standards as prescribed by the applicable sections of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 30A.
Sources
- 7 CCR 1101-14, Section 1.5-1(b) (eff. Jan. 1, 2025) Official · sos.state.co.us
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Division of Oil and Public Safety
- Phone
- (303) 318-8547
- Website
- ops.colorado.gov
How bordering states compare
- Arizona Self-serve allowedArizona allows self-service gas; the State Fire Code adopts the model fire code's fuel-station rules, which permit self-service.
- Kansas Self-serve allowedKansas allows drivers to pump their own gas. State law and fire marshal rules expressly cover self-service stations.
- Nebraska Self-serve allowedNebraska has no ban on self-service gas; its fire code adopts the national motor fuel code, which covers self-service.
- New Mexico Self-serve allowedNew Mexico allows self-service gas; state law refers to self-service islands and the state fire code covers self-service stations.
- Oklahoma Self-serve allowedOklahoma's statewide fire code covers self-service fuel stations, including unattended ones; no state ban on pumping your own gas was found.
- Utah Self-serve allowedUtah allows self-service gas; its State Fire Code adopts the International Fire Code, which permits self-service stations.
- Wyoming Self-serve allowedWyoming allows self-service gas; the state adopts the International Fire Code, which permits self-service stations.