{
  "report": "2026 Los Angeles Permit Approval Timeline Report",
  "source": {
    "portal": "data.lacity.org",
    "dataset": "pi9x-tg5x",
    "dataset_url": "https://data.lacity.org/City-Infrastructure-Service-Requests/Building-and-Safety-Building-Permits-Issued-from-2/pi9x-tg5x",
    "extract_date": "2026-10-11"
  },
  "measure": "calendar months from submitted_date to issue_date on the same permit",
  "matched_window": "January 1 – 9/30, applied to every year",
  "caveats": [
    "The dataset contains only permits that were ISSUED. Applications still in plan check, withdrawn or abandoned are absent entirely, so these figures describe the permits that made it, not what an application faces.",
    "The clock includes applicant time spent revising drawings and answering corrections; the record cannot separate applicant time from city time.",
    "Cohorts are grouped by issue year. Grouping by submitted year is biased because recently submitted applications that are still stuck have not been issued and so are missing from their own cohort; that version is published alongside as an illustration.",
    "Area figures exclude days where 5 or more permits were issued in the same area, which are batch releases of a single development.",
    "Community plan area names were normalised: one area appears under a truncated second spelling, and some rows carry two areas comma-joined.",
    "Wildfire rebuilds are identified by the permit record's own work_desc label ('2025 WILDFIRE REBUILD'), not inferred from location or date. 1,207 such permits appear, all issued in 2025-2026 and almost entirely in one community plan area.",
    "Bldg-Alter/Repair permits are excluded: only 33.7% carry a submitted_date, because most are issued over the counter with no plan-check phase, so the third that do would select for the slow minority. Additions (99.9% coverage) are used as the third category instead."
  ],
  "universe": {
    "new_house": 8132,
    "adu": 9577,
    "addition": 33408
  },
  "median_approval_months_by_issue_year": [
    {
      "issue_year": 2020,
      "new_house_n": 771,
      "new_house_median_months": 9.9,
      "adu_n": 408,
      "adu_median_months": 6.3,
      "addition_n": 2755,
      "addition_median_months": 3.9
    },
    {
      "issue_year": 2021,
      "new_house_n": 857,
      "new_house_median_months": 10.8,
      "adu_n": 693,
      "adu_median_months": 8.6,
      "addition_n": 3554,
      "addition_median_months": 5.2
    },
    {
      "issue_year": 2022,
      "new_house_n": 1032,
      "new_house_median_months": 10.3,
      "adu_n": 1258,
      "adu_median_months": 8.8,
      "addition_n": 4590,
      "addition_median_months": 5.5
    },
    {
      "issue_year": 2023,
      "new_house_n": 888,
      "new_house_median_months": 13.7,
      "adu_n": 1178,
      "adu_median_months": 8.3,
      "addition_n": 3820,
      "addition_median_months": 4.8
    },
    {
      "issue_year": 2024,
      "new_house_n": 703,
      "new_house_median_months": 13.1,
      "adu_n": 1194,
      "adu_median_months": 6.9,
      "addition_n": 3823,
      "addition_median_months": 4.3
    },
    {
      "issue_year": 2025,
      "new_house_n": 979,
      "new_house_median_months": 5.3,
      "adu_n": 1387,
      "adu_median_months": 5.5,
      "addition_n": 4108,
      "addition_median_months": 3.6
    },
    {
      "issue_year": 2026,
      "new_house_n": 1261,
      "new_house_median_months": 5,
      "adu_n": 1425,
      "adu_median_months": 5.4,
      "addition_n": 3547,
      "addition_median_months": 3.7
    }
  ],
  "new_house_distribution_by_issue_year": [
    {
      "issue_year": 2020,
      "n": 771,
      "median": 9.9,
      "q1": 5,
      "q3": 19.5,
      "p90": 27.1,
      "max": 62.8,
      "pct_over_1yr": 41.4,
      "pct_over_2yr": 12.7,
      "pct_over_3yr": 4.3
    },
    {
      "issue_year": 2021,
      "n": 857,
      "median": 10.8,
      "q1": 7.3,
      "q3": 19.2,
      "p90": 27.3,
      "max": 54.1,
      "pct_over_1yr": 46.2,
      "pct_over_2yr": 14.6,
      "pct_over_3yr": 3.6
    },
    {
      "issue_year": 2022,
      "n": 1032,
      "median": 10.3,
      "q1": 6.9,
      "q3": 17.5,
      "p90": 33,
      "max": 77.7,
      "pct_over_1yr": 38.6,
      "pct_over_2yr": 16.2,
      "pct_over_3yr": 5.8
    },
    {
      "issue_year": 2023,
      "n": 888,
      "median": 13.7,
      "q1": 7.4,
      "q3": 21.2,
      "p90": 40.4,
      "max": 99.1,
      "pct_over_1yr": 54.6,
      "pct_over_2yr": 16.2,
      "pct_over_3yr": 11.5
    },
    {
      "issue_year": 2024,
      "n": 703,
      "median": 13.1,
      "q1": 6.2,
      "q3": 24.8,
      "p90": 53.2,
      "max": 123.3,
      "pct_over_1yr": 55.8,
      "pct_over_2yr": 25.9,
      "pct_over_3yr": 15.2
    },
    {
      "issue_year": 2025,
      "n": 979,
      "median": 5.3,
      "q1": 2.6,
      "q3": 13.1,
      "p90": 30.1,
      "max": 79.9,
      "pct_over_1yr": 26.5,
      "pct_over_2yr": 15.5,
      "pct_over_3yr": 7.2
    },
    {
      "issue_year": 2026,
      "n": 1261,
      "median": 5,
      "q1": 3.2,
      "q3": 8.7,
      "p90": 28.5,
      "max": 110.2,
      "pct_over_1yr": 18.3,
      "pct_over_2yr": 10.9,
      "pct_over_3yr": 7.5
    }
  ],
  "wildfire_rebuild_vs_all_other_new_houses": [
    {
      "issue_year": 2020,
      "wildfire_rebuild_n": 0,
      "wildfire_rebuild_median_months": null,
      "all_other_n": 771,
      "all_other_median_months": 9.9
    },
    {
      "issue_year": 2021,
      "wildfire_rebuild_n": 0,
      "wildfire_rebuild_median_months": null,
      "all_other_n": 857,
      "all_other_median_months": 10.8
    },
    {
      "issue_year": 2022,
      "wildfire_rebuild_n": 0,
      "wildfire_rebuild_median_months": null,
      "all_other_n": 1032,
      "all_other_median_months": 10.3
    },
    {
      "issue_year": 2023,
      "wildfire_rebuild_n": 0,
      "wildfire_rebuild_median_months": null,
      "all_other_n": 888,
      "all_other_median_months": 13.7
    },
    {
      "issue_year": 2024,
      "wildfire_rebuild_n": 0,
      "wildfire_rebuild_median_months": null,
      "all_other_n": 703,
      "all_other_median_months": 13.1
    },
    {
      "issue_year": 2025,
      "wildfire_rebuild_n": 275,
      "wildfire_rebuild_median_months": 2.1,
      "all_other_n": 704,
      "all_other_median_months": 8.1
    },
    {
      "issue_year": 2026,
      "wildfire_rebuild_n": 674,
      "wildfire_rebuild_median_months": 3.9,
      "all_other_n": 587,
      "all_other_median_months": 7.8
    }
  ],
  "new_house_by_community_plan_area_2023_2024": [
    {
      "cpa": "Northeast Los Angeles",
      "n": 116,
      "median": 33.9,
      "q1": 14.1,
      "q3": 52.9,
      "p90": 65.1,
      "max": 105,
      "pct_over_1yr": 81,
      "pct_over_2yr": 60.3,
      "pct_over_3yr": 46.6
    },
    {
      "cpa": "Chatsworth - Porter Ranch",
      "n": 48,
      "median": 20.9,
      "q1": 9.9,
      "q3": 23.2,
      "p90": 23.7,
      "max": 47.1,
      "pct_over_1yr": 68.8,
      "pct_over_2yr": 8.3,
      "pct_over_3yr": 2.1
    },
    {
      "cpa": "Silver Lake - Echo Park - Elysian Valley",
      "n": 43,
      "median": 19.9,
      "q1": 12.2,
      "q3": 32.1,
      "p90": 60.7,
      "max": 123.3,
      "pct_over_1yr": 81.4,
      "pct_over_2yr": 39.5,
      "pct_over_3yr": 20.9
    },
    {
      "cpa": "Bel Air - Beverly Crest",
      "n": 30,
      "median": 17.7,
      "q1": 9.3,
      "q3": 23.7,
      "p90": 52.5,
      "max": 57.9,
      "pct_over_1yr": 70,
      "pct_over_2yr": 23.3,
      "pct_over_3yr": 10
    },
    {
      "cpa": "Hollywood",
      "n": 62,
      "median": 14.5,
      "q1": 9.1,
      "q3": 23.7,
      "p90": 45.5,
      "max": 88.3,
      "pct_over_1yr": 58.1,
      "pct_over_2yr": 24.2,
      "pct_over_3yr": 12.9
    },
    {
      "cpa": "West Adams - Baldwin Hills - Leimert",
      "n": 46,
      "median": 12.1,
      "q1": 6,
      "q3": 21.4,
      "p90": 31.6,
      "max": 43.1,
      "pct_over_1yr": 50,
      "pct_over_2yr": 17.4,
      "pct_over_3yr": 6.5
    },
    {
      "cpa": "Sunland-E LaTuna Cyn-Lakevw Ter-Shadow Hls-Tujunga",
      "n": 29,
      "median": 11.9,
      "q1": 7.9,
      "q3": 24.4,
      "p90": 46.2,
      "max": 60.2,
      "pct_over_1yr": 48.3,
      "pct_over_2yr": 27.6,
      "pct_over_3yr": 17.2
    },
    {
      "cpa": "Brentwood - Pacific Palisades",
      "n": 115,
      "median": 10,
      "q1": 6.6,
      "q3": 18.6,
      "p90": 25.4,
      "max": 70.2,
      "pct_over_1yr": 41.7,
      "pct_over_2yr": 13,
      "pct_over_3yr": 2.6
    },
    {
      "cpa": "South Los Angeles",
      "n": 41,
      "median": 9.3,
      "q1": 5.9,
      "q3": 12.4,
      "p90": 26.6,
      "max": 45.3,
      "pct_over_1yr": 29.3,
      "pct_over_2yr": 12.2,
      "pct_over_3yr": 2.4
    },
    {
      "cpa": "Northridge",
      "n": 29,
      "median": 9.2,
      "q1": 5.5,
      "q3": 13.1,
      "p90": 28,
      "max": 38.8,
      "pct_over_1yr": 27.6,
      "pct_over_2yr": 13.8,
      "pct_over_3yr": 6.9
    },
    {
      "cpa": "West Los Angeles",
      "n": 63,
      "median": 9.1,
      "q1": 5.3,
      "q3": 13.8,
      "p90": 23.8,
      "max": 39.6,
      "pct_over_1yr": 36.5,
      "pct_over_2yr": 9.5,
      "pct_over_3yr": 1.6
    },
    {
      "cpa": "Southeast Los Angeles",
      "n": 47,
      "median": 8.6,
      "q1": 5.9,
      "q3": 13.8,
      "p90": 20.4,
      "max": 45.2,
      "pct_over_1yr": 34,
      "pct_over_2yr": 6.4,
      "pct_over_3yr": 2.1
    },
    {
      "cpa": "Canoga Park-West Hills-Winnetka-Woodland Hills",
      "n": 48,
      "median": 8.4,
      "q1": 5.6,
      "q3": 17.4,
      "p90": 37.2,
      "max": 89,
      "pct_over_1yr": 39.6,
      "pct_over_2yr": 16.7,
      "pct_over_3yr": 10.4
    },
    {
      "cpa": "Encino - Tarzana",
      "n": 92,
      "median": 8.1,
      "q1": 4.8,
      "q3": 17.7,
      "p90": 28,
      "max": 99.5,
      "pct_over_1yr": 37,
      "pct_over_2yr": 14.1,
      "pct_over_3yr": 7.6
    },
    {
      "cpa": "Wilshire",
      "n": 31,
      "median": 8,
      "q1": 4.4,
      "q3": 15.3,
      "p90": 25,
      "max": 28.8,
      "pct_over_1yr": 35.5,
      "pct_over_2yr": 12.9,
      "pct_over_3yr": 0
    },
    {
      "cpa": "Reseda - West Van Nuys",
      "n": 44,
      "median": 7.7,
      "q1": 5.4,
      "q3": 13,
      "p90": 20.1,
      "max": 29,
      "pct_over_1yr": 31.8,
      "pct_over_2yr": 4.5,
      "pct_over_3yr": 0
    },
    {
      "cpa": "Sun Valley - La Tuna Canyon",
      "n": 54,
      "median": 7.5,
      "q1": 4.1,
      "q3": 11.1,
      "p90": 13.8,
      "max": 22.7,
      "pct_over_1yr": 20.4,
      "pct_over_2yr": 0,
      "pct_over_3yr": 0
    },
    {
      "cpa": "North Hollywood - Valley Village",
      "n": 68,
      "median": 7,
      "q1": 3.7,
      "q3": 15.5,
      "p90": 20.1,
      "max": 43.3,
      "pct_over_1yr": 29.4,
      "pct_over_2yr": 4.4,
      "pct_over_3yr": 1.5
    },
    {
      "cpa": "Granada Hills - Knollwood",
      "n": 34,
      "median": 7,
      "q1": 4.6,
      "q3": 10.8,
      "p90": 13.8,
      "max": 26.2,
      "pct_over_1yr": 17.6,
      "pct_over_2yr": 2.9,
      "pct_over_3yr": 0
    },
    {
      "cpa": "Palms - Mar Vista - Del Rey",
      "n": 51,
      "median": 6.2,
      "q1": 4.2,
      "q3": 9.2,
      "p90": 17.5,
      "max": 58.5,
      "pct_over_1yr": 15.7,
      "pct_over_2yr": 3.9,
      "pct_over_3yr": 3.9
    },
    {
      "cpa": "Van Nuys - North Sherman Oaks",
      "n": 85,
      "median": 5.9,
      "q1": 3.7,
      "q3": 9.5,
      "p90": 23.5,
      "max": 67.3,
      "pct_over_1yr": 20,
      "pct_over_2yr": 9.4,
      "pct_over_3yr": 7.1
    },
    {
      "cpa": "Sherman Oaks-Studio City-Toluca Lake-Cahuenga Pass",
      "n": 117,
      "median": 5.6,
      "q1": 3.9,
      "q3": 12.9,
      "p90": 24.8,
      "max": 68.1,
      "pct_over_1yr": 25.6,
      "pct_over_2yr": 10.3,
      "pct_over_3yr": 2.6
    }
  ],
  "biased_submitted_year_cohort_illustration": [
    {
      "submitted_year": 2017,
      "permits": 118,
      "median_months": 45.5
    },
    {
      "submitted_year": 2018,
      "permits": 438,
      "median_months": 26.8
    },
    {
      "submitted_year": 2019,
      "permits": 1061,
      "median_months": 12.7
    },
    {
      "submitted_year": 2020,
      "permits": 935,
      "median_months": 9.9
    },
    {
      "submitted_year": 2021,
      "permits": 1269,
      "median_months": 10.8
    },
    {
      "submitted_year": 2022,
      "permits": 1087,
      "median_months": 11.6
    },
    {
      "submitted_year": 2023,
      "permits": 637,
      "median_months": 8.3
    },
    {
      "submitted_year": 2024,
      "permits": 617,
      "median_months": 6.9
    },
    {
      "submitted_year": 2025,
      "permits": 1449,
      "median_months": 3.7
    },
    {
      "submitted_year": 2026,
      "permits": 463,
      "median_months": 3.4
    }
  ],
  "batch_permits_excluded_from_area_figures": 529
}