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

Community area × permit type

Renovation & Alteration permits in Loop

The typical renovation & alteration permit issued in Loop took 3 days. The 75th-percentile wait was 21 days.

Records checked2,8312021–Sep. 15, 2026

The short answer

Typical wait3 daysmedian issued permit
Usually within21 days75% of records
Long-wait edge56 days90% of records
Evidence2,831issued permits

The median was 3 days 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
40.9%
1–7 days
20.1%
8–30 days
20.5%
31–90 days
13.4%
91+ days
5.2%

Change over time

Annual permit timing

Issue yearRecordsMedian75th percentile90th percentile
20215180 days0 days49 days
20225580 days0 days0 days
20234400 days18 days52 days
202446014 days35 days76 days
202550514 days34 days74 days
2026*35010 days29 days71 days

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

Context

Renovation & Alteration timing in comparable community areas

ReportMedian75% withinRecords
Loop3 days21 days2,831
Ohare6 days39 days304
Near West Side8 days52 days2,042
Burnside8.5 days67 days28
Near North Side13 days50 days2,586
Fuller Park20 days98 days68
Hyde Park20 days60 days448
East Side21 days71 days96