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

Community area × permit type

Signs permits in Near North Side

The typical signs permit issued in Near North Side took 32 days. The 75th-percentile wait was 69 days.

Records checked1,5012021–Sep. 15, 2026

The short answer

Typical wait32 daysmedian issued permit
Usually within69 days75% of records
Long-wait edge135 days90% of records
Evidence1,501issued permits

The median was 3 days 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
0.9%
1–7 days
16.7%
8–30 days
31.4%
31–90 days
33.3%
91+ days
17.7%

Change over time

Annual permit timing

Issue yearRecordsMedian75th percentile90th percentile
202122234 days81 days140 days
202229516 days56 days132 days
202327018 days57 days125 days
202430739 days70 days136 days
202524536 days62 days81 days
2026*16247 days94 days204 days

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

Context

Signs timing in comparable community areas

ReportMedian75% withinRecords
Near North Side32 days69 days1,501
Forest Glen33 days138 days55
Lower West Side33 days77 days169
Edgewater34 days62 days181
Greater Grand Crossing35 days71 days57
Hermosa29 days57 days82
Lake View29 days67 days728
Lincoln Park35 days77 days639