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

Community area × permit type

New Construction permits in Loop

The typical new construction permit issued in Loop took 1 day. The 75th-percentile wait was 7 days.

Records checked5542021–Sep. 15, 2026

The short answer

Typical wait1 daymedian issued permit
Usually within7 days75% of records
Long-wait edge16 days90% of records
Evidence554issued permits

The median was 1 day faster 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
38.4%
1–7 days
39.4%
8–30 days
15.3%
31–90 days
3.8%
91+ days
3.1%

Change over time

Annual permit timing

Issue yearRecordsMedian75th percentile90th percentile
2021640 days0 days40 days
2022940 days0 days18 days
20231030 days2.5 days14 days
20241033 days8 days17 days
20251024.5 days11 days15 days
2026*883 days7 days16 days

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

Context

New Construction timing in comparable community areas

ReportMedian75% withinRecords
Hyde Park1 day5.2 days120
Loop1 day7 days554
Near South Side1 day12 days251
North Park2 days70 days39
Armour Square3 days70 days80
Oakland5 days114 days25
Near North Side7 days48 days350
South Shore7.5 days126 days30