Citywide report
Chicago permit processing times
Across 196,519 issued permits since 2021, the citywide median was 1 day. The range changes sharply by permit type and location.
Source: City of Chicago Building Permits · Issued-permit cohort · Updated Sep. 16, 2026
The short answer
For Chicago permit processing times, 196,519 issued permit records show a median processing time of 1 day; 75% were issued within 17 days and 90% within 71 days, covering January 2021 through September 15, 2026.
The median was unchanged from the previous 12 months.
Chicago permit processing times: wait distribution
For Chicago permit processing times, 196,519 issued permits are distributed across five elapsed-time bands from same-day issuance through waits of 91 days or longer.
Change over time
Chicago permit processing times: annual permit timing
Chicago permit processing times has 6 publishable issue-year cohorts spanning 2021–2026, representing 196,519 issued records in the annual table.
| Issue year | Records | Median | 75th percentile | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 38,444 | 0 days | 8 days | 55 days |
| 2022 | 37,656 | 0 days | 8 days | 53 days |
| 2023 | 33,708 | 0 days | 13 days | 72 days |
| 2024 | 32,923 | 5 days | 26 days | 77 days |
| 2025 | 31,706 | 6 days | 26 days | 82 days |
| 2026* | 22,082 | 6 days | 29 days | 90 days |
*2026 is partial through Sep. 15. Year labels use the permit issue date, not the application date.
Context
Chicago permit processing times: Community areas with the shortest overall medians
Chicago permit processing times has 196,519 issued records, a 1 day median, and a 17 days 75th-percentile wait in this release.
| Report | Median | 75% within | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Armour Square | 0 days | 17 days | 755 |
| Avalon Park | 0 days | 11 days | 1,045 |
| Calumet Heights | 0 days | 9 days | 1,129 |
| Chicago Lawn | 0 days | 12 days | 2,383 |
| Dunning | 0 days | 9 days | 1,934 |
| East Side | 0 days | 8 days | 823 |
| Edison Park | 0 days | 18 days | 735 |
| Forest Glen | 0 days | 17 days | 1,297 |
| Hegewisch | 0 days | 5 days | 700 |
| Jefferson Park | 0 days | 13 days | 1,489 |
More Chicago permit processing times comparisons
The Chicago permit processing times cohort contains 196,519 issued records; related links retain separate location and permit-category cohorts.
Express Permit Program 1 dayRenovation & Alteration 28 daysEasy Permit Process 0 daysSigns 23 daysNew Construction 27 daysElevator Equipment 0 daysWrecking & Demolition 0 daysReinstated Permit 0 daysScaffolding 0 days