The U.S. Department of Justice has concluded its lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) following a significant reduction in delays for concealed carry permits. The DOJ had accused the LASD of leaving thousands of applications in limbo, with some applicants waiting up to three years for a decision.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division stated that the sheriff's department acknowledged the issue and allocated substantial resources, including new processing software and additional personnel, to drastically cut waiting times. The LASD is now reportedly meeting California's statutory deadlines for permit processing.
The resolution marks the end of the DOJ's first affirmative lawsuit aimed at enforcing Second Amendment rights for gun owners, which was filed in September 2025. At the time the lawsuit was initiated, the DOJ alleged that applicants faced an average wait of more than nine months for decisions on their permits. The department now reports that these waits have been dramatically reduced.
The legal action began in March 2025 with a DOJ Civil Rights Division investigation into whether the LASD was effectively denying residents their constitutional right to bear arms through excessive permit delays. The DOJ had received numerous complaints regarding the department's handling of concealed carry applications. Federal officials cited a court case where applicants experienced waits of approximately 18 months.
The federal lawsuit, filed on September 30, 2025, alleged that between January 2024 and March 2025, the LASD received 3,982 applications for new concealed carry licenses but had only approved two by May 2025. Approximately 2,768 applications remained pending, with another 1,210 withdrawn, according to the complaint. The government claimed applicants waited an average of 281 days for action on their applications, with a median delay of 372 days, and some individuals waiting as long as 1,030 days.
California law requires licensing authorities to issue an initial approval or denial within 90 days. The DOJ contended that these delays constituted a "pattern or practice" of depriving individuals of their constitutional rights, suggesting that some applicants were forced to abandon their efforts.
This federal action occurred alongside separate litigation challenging California's concealed carry restrictions, brought by organizations such as the California Rifle & Pistol Association and Gun Owners of America. That case led to a preliminary injunction allowing qualifying non-residents to apply for permits, prompting California to revise its law to permit such applications.
The DOJ's Civil Rights Division has established a dedicated Second Amendment Section to pursue challenges related to firearms laws and permitting practices across various jurisdictions. Under the terms of the settlement, the LASD will maintain procedures designed to ensure concealed carry applications are processed according to objective standards and without prolonged delays. The DOJ indicated that its Second Amendment Section continues to accept complaints from individuals who believe their right to keep or bear arms has been infringed by state or local governments.