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

Community area × permit type

Express Permit Program permits in Loop

The typical express permit program permit issued in Loop took 2 days. The 75th-percentile wait was 15 days.

Records checked9,4442021–Sep. 15, 2026

The short answer

Typical wait2 daysmedian issued permit
Usually within15 days75% of records
Long-wait edge38 days90% of records
Evidence9,444issued permits

The median was unchanged from 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
38.8%
1–7 days
28.5%
8–30 days
19.4%
31–90 days
9.9%
91+ days
3.3%

Change over time

Annual permit timing

Issue yearRecordsMedian75th percentile90th percentile
20211,6090 days18 days36 days
20221,5581 day27 days49 days
20231,6955 days29 days104 days
20241,8903 days16 days33 days
20251,6472 days6 days14 days
2026*1,0452 days6 days14 days

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

Context

Express Permit Program timing in comparable community areas

ReportMedian75% withinRecords
Bridgeport2 days8.2 days692
East Garfield Park2 days8 days616
Grand Boulevard2 days9 days676
Loop2 days15 days9,444
Montclare2 days10 days294
North Lawndale2 days8 days1,020
Uptown2 days10 days1,063
West Town2 days12 days2,616