The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) has responded swiftly to a Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit by reducing delays in processing concealed carry permits. The legal action accused the agency of leaving thousands of applications unresolved, with some applicants waiting nearly three years. Federal officials concluded the lawsuit after LASD began meeting California’s permitting timelines due to the addition of staff and new processing software.
The DOJ lawsuit placed the LASD into the spotlight as part of the Trump administration’s focus on enforcing Second Amendment rights. The DOJ described the resolution as a significant victory for residents and gun owners in Los Angeles County.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has recently reached a settlement with the DOJ over extensive concealed carry permit delays.
Filed in September 2025, the DOJ’s affirmative lawsuit was its first to support gun owners’ Second Amendment rights. At that time, the average waiting period for permit decisions exceeded nine months, according to the DOJ.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon from the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division stated, “The sheriff admitted there was an issue and committed significant resources, including new software and additional staff, to reducing wait times dramatically.”
The settlement concludes a battle that started with a March 2025 investigation into the LASD’s management of concealed carry applications.
Initially, the investigation stemmed from numerous complaints regarding how the LASD handled permit applications. Federal officials noted a court case highlighting 18-month waits for applicants. Between January 2024 and March 2025, the LASD processed only two out of 3,982 applications by May 2025, leaving 2,768 pending and 1,210 withdrawn.
The DOJ argued that these extensive delays represented a pattern of depriving citizens of their rights, alleging that the LASD pressure forced some to abandon their applications. California law mandates initial permit decisions within 90 days.
Former Attorney General Pam Bondi remarked on the lawsuit’s filing, “The Second Amendment safeguards the right of law-abiding citizens to bear arms. Los Angeles County must adhere to the Constitution.”
Additionally, separate legal challenges were brought by multiple gun rights organizations against California’s concealed carry restrictions, leading to changes in state law. These changes allow non-residents to apply for permits.
This DOJ case was part of a broader Trump administration strategy to safeguard Second Amendment rights through federal civil rights enforcement, establishing a dedicated Second Amendment Section within the Civil Rights Division.
As per the settlement, LASD will maintain procedures ensuring permit applications meet objective standards and avoid unnecessary delays. The LASD employed more personnel and technology to eliminate the application backlog.
The DOJ’s Second Amendment Section will continue to receive complaints regarding state or local infringement on gun rights.
Efforts to reach the LASD for comments were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.