Independent analysis of City of Chicago recordsData through Sep. 15, 2026

Official community area

Loop permit processing times

For 15,467 issued permits in Loop, the median processing time was 2 days; 75% were issued within 15 days.

Records checked15,4672021–Sep. 15, 2026

The short answer

Typical wait2 daysmedian issued permit
Usually within15 days75% of records
Long-wait edge43 days90% of records
Evidence15,467issued permits

The median was 1 day slower than the previous 12 months.

How the waits are distributed

Median is only the middle. This shows how often issued permits fell into each elapsed-time band.

Same day
40.7%
1–7 days
26.6%
8–30 days
18.4%
31–90 days
10.3%
91+ days
4.0%

Change over time

Annual permit timing

Issue yearRecordsMedian75th percentile90th percentile
20212,7880 days12 days39 days
20222,8430 days13 days42 days
20232,8372 days25 days70 days
20242,7175 days19 days43 days
20252,5864 days11 days31 days
2026*1,6964 days11 days34 days

*2026 is partial through Sep. 15. Year labels use the permit issue date, not the application date.

Context

Nearby points in the citywide timing distribution

ReportMedian75% withinRecords
Avondale2 days21 days2,361
Bridgeport2 days24 days1,920
Brighton Park2 days19 days1,507
Englewood2 days24 days2,131
Lake View2 days23 days6,844
Logan Square2 days29 days5,067
Loop2 days15 days15,467
Lower West Side2 days31 days2,358