Citywide permit type
Signs processing times
Across Chicago, 13,362 issued signs permits had a median processing time of 23 days.
Records checked13,3622021–Sep. 15, 2026
The short answer
Typical wait23 daysmedian issued permit
Usually within61 days75% of records
Long-wait edge138 days90% of records
Evidence13,362issued permits
The median was 4 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.
Change over time
Annual permit timing
| Issue year | Records | Median | 75th percentile | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,281 | 13 days | 78 days | 182 days |
| 2022 | 2,587 | 7 days | 38 days | 134 days |
| 2023 | 2,371 | 10 days | 42 days | 111 days |
| 2024 | 2,310 | 33 days | 65 days | 146 days |
| 2025 | 2,411 | 33 days | 67 days | 126 days |
| 2026* | 1,402 | 37 days | 76 days | 138 days |
*2026 is partial through Sep. 15. Year labels use the permit issue date, not the application date.
Context
All permit types, from shortest to longest median
| Report | Median | 75% within | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy Permit Process | 0 days | 1 day | 33,486 |
| Elevator Equipment | 0 days | 0 days | 6,546 |
| Reinstated Permit | 0 days | 0 days | 1,775 |
| Scaffolding | 0 days | 0 days | 1,019 |
| Wrecking & Demolition | 0 days | 55 days | 4,023 |
| Express Permit Program | 1 day | 8 days | 91,329 |
| Signs | 23 days | 61 days | 13,362 |
| New Construction | 27 days | 92 days | 8,073 |
| Renovation & Alteration | 28 days | 85 days | 36,906 |