DOJ and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Reach Settlement to Accelerate Concealed Carry Permits

The Justice Department announced a settlement with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to resolve a lawsuit claiming the agency imposed excessive delays on concealed-carry permit applications. Filed in September 2025, the suit argued that the delays effectively denied Second Amendment rights without outright refusals. Under the agreement, the sheriff’s department must accelerate processing and publicly disclose how long each step takes.

The department has reportedly deployed additional personnel and new processing software to cut the average nine-month wait. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon praised the cooperation, saying the changes align the licensing regime with the Supreme Court’s 2022 Bruen ruling. The settlement also references upcoming Supreme Court cases on assault-weapon bans that could influence future firearm regulations.