Los Angeles County Cuts Gun Permit Wait Times After US Justice Department Lawsuit

August 14, 2026
By Mintesinot Nigussie

Applicants for firearm carry permits in Los Angeles County are now receiving decisions within statutory deadlines after the county sheriff’s department overhauled its processing system following a US Justice Department lawsuit.

The department had previously taken an average of more than nine months to issue permits, according to the Justice Department. The agency said the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded by adding personnel and introducing new processing software, substantially reducing the delays.

The changes form part of a settlement reached between the Justice Department and the sheriff’s department over its procedures for issuing firearm carry permits. Under the agreement, the department will bring its practices into line with the US Supreme Court’s landmark 2022 Bruen ruling.

The Justice Department said the Second Amendment requires authorities to use objective standards when determining whether to issue carry permits and prohibits lengthy delays in processing applications.

Harmeet K. Dhillon, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said the department welcomed the sheriff’s response to the litigation.

“The sheriff acknowledged the problem and devoted substantial additional resources, including new processing software and additional personnel, to cutting waiting times dramatically,” Dhillon said.

The settlement marks the conclusion of the federal government’s litigation against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The Justice Department said the department is now complying with statutory processing deadlines.

The Supreme Court’s Bruen ruling changed the legal framework governing public-carry restrictions, rejecting requirements that applicants demonstrate a special need to carry a firearm and requiring licensing systems to apply objective criteria.

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said its Second Amendment Section enforces federal laws and executive orders concerning firearm rights, including the Police Pattern or Practice Act and Executive Order 14206.

Source: FSX Business News