The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen fundamentally reshaped America’s concealed carry landscape, invalidating subjective “may-issue” permitting schemes and ushering in a more objective “shall-issue” era. In Los Angeles County—one of California’s most populous and historically restrictive jurisdictions—the ruling triggered a dramatic surge in Concealed Carry Weapons (CCW) applications, overwhelming the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD). Data released via a Public Records Act (PRA) request by attorney Jason Davis of The Davis Law Firm, dated November 13, 2025, provides a rare glimpse into LASD’s processing metrics from 2020 through November 1, 2025. This information, combined with recent federal scrutiny, lawsuits, and settlements, illustrates a department struggling to adapt amid legal pressures and resource constraints.
Prior to Bruen, California’s CCW system was notoriously discretionary, with sheriffs in urban counties like Los Angeles requiring applicants to demonstrate “good cause”—often interpreted as a special need for self-defense beyond the average citizen. Los Angeles County issued fewer than 200 permits annually pre-2022, within a county of nearly 10 million people, favoring celebrities, donors, and connected individuals in what critics dubbed a “pay-to-play” system. The Bruen ruling, decided in June 2022, eliminated such subjectivity, presuming self-defense as sufficient cause and mandating permits for qualified applicants. This led to an immediate application boom nationwide, with California seeing statewide issuances rise from about 100,000 pre-Bruen to over 500,000 by 2025.
In LA County, the shift exposed deep-seated inefficiencies. A March 2025 investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) into LASD’s practices—prompted by complaints of excessive wait times and fees—highlighted potential Second Amendment violations. By September 30, 2025, the DOJ escalated to a landmark lawsuit, alleging LASD engaged in a “pattern and practice” of unconstitutional delays, approving only two of 3,982 new applications from January 2024 to March 2025. Interviews were scheduled up to two years out, rendering the right to carry “meaningless in practice,” per the complaint.
LASD defended its record, citing staffing shortages (only 13-14 employees handling CCW amid a 18,000-person workforce) and claiming over 19,000 approvals since 2020, including more than 5,000 in 2025 alone (2,722 new). The department argued it respected the Second Amendment but faced “unprecedented demand.” The case settled on October 31, 2025, with LASD agreeing to process applications within 90-120 days, clear backlogs, and report progress quarterly—marking a win for gun rights advocates.
The PRA response reveals stark numbers, with 2020 data partial (starting July) and 2025 covering January to November 1. Revocations tracking began in 2024.
| Year | Applications Received | Permits Issued | Permits Denied | Permits Revoked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,090 | 904 | 338 | N/A |
| 2021 | 7,486 | 1,786 | 196 | N/A |
| 2022 | 8,369 | 2,804 | 480 | N/A |
| 2023 | 7,220 | 5,383 | 436 | N/A |
| 2024 | 4,322 | 4,661 | 317 | 22 |
| 2025* | 5,386 | 5,992 | 130 | 39 |
*Partial year (to November 1, 2025).
Applications exploded post-Bruen, peaking at 8,369 in 2022—a 667% increase from 2020—before declining to around 5,000-6,000 annually, signaling pent-up demand easing. Issuances initially lagged (e.g., 24% of received in 2021), creating a backlog estimated at over 11,000 by end-2023. By 2024-2025, issuances exceeded new applications (108% and 111%, respectively), indicating backlog reduction, likely accelerated by the DOJ lawsuit and settlement.
Denials dropped from 31% in 2020 to 2-7% post-Bruen, reflecting objective criteria like background checks and residency verification. Revocations remain minimal (<1% of issuances), aligning with national trends where permit holders rarely violate laws.
Cumulative figures: 33,873 received, 21,530 issued, 1,897 denied, leaving ~10,446 pending by November 2025. Annualizing 2025 data suggests ~6,463 received and ~7,190 issued, potentially clearing the backlog by mid-2026 if efficiencies hold.
Los Angeles County’s 9.8 million residents—making it the most populous county in the U.S. and a dense urban sprawl of 4,000 square miles—dwarf the scale of its CCW program. With just 21,530 cumulative issuances since 2020, these permits represent a mere 0.22% of the population, or roughly one in every 455 residents. This contrasts sharply with more permissive states like Florida (1.5 million permits for 22 million people, or 6.8%) or Texas (1.6 million for 30 million, or 5.3%). Even statewide in California, where issuances have quintupled post-Bruen, the per capita rate hovers below 1.5%.
This low uptake underscores several realities: California’s layered restrictions (e.g., 10-day waiting periods and “sensitive place” prohibitions under Senate Bill 2) deter many, while urban density amplifies compliance burdens like secure storage and training requirements. For context, LA’s CCW holders could fill Dodger Stadium about twice over—impressive growth from pre-Bruen levels, but a drop in the ocean for a county where over 1 million households own firearms legally.
Despite the CCW surge, Los Angeles County has seen no corresponding rise in firearm-related crime—in fact, trends point to declines, challenging pre-Bruen forecasts of inevitable violence from looser permitting. Gun homicides, which peaked at levels not seen in 15 years in 2021 (pre-dating the full Bruen effects), fell 14% in 2024 to 282 total, with shooting victims dropping 19% (225 fewer incidents). Firearms still factor in 75% of homicides, but overall violent crime has trended downward since the 2021 pandemic-era spike, mirroring statewide patterns where gun-involved homicides and aggravated assaults declined 22.5% and 7.1%, respectively, post-2021.
These reductions align with broader national recoveries: 62% of major cities, including Los Angeles, returned to or below pre-pandemic gun homicide rates by 2024. While academic studies on shall-issue laws (like California’s post-Bruen shift) show mixed results—some linking relaxed carry to modest increases in firearm assaults (up to 10-15% in certain states)—empirical data specific to California reveals no such uptick. Factors like enhanced policing, community interventions, and economic stabilization likely play larger roles than the modest CCW expansion. Gun rights advocates hail this as vindication: Low revocation rates (<1%) suggest permittees are overwhelmingly law-abiding, contributing to deterrence without escalation. Detractors, however, warn that long-term effects may emerge, especially in high-density areas where even small upticks could amplify risks.
LASD’s challenges reflect California’s turbulent gun policy environment. Senate Bill 2 (2023) imposed new “sensitive place” restrictions on carry, complicating compliance even as permits increase. Compared to other counties—e.g., Orange County processing in weeks—LA’s delays drew federal ire, setting a precedent for DOJ intervention in blue states.
For LA’s 10 million residents, the growing permit base (potentially 20,000+ active by end-2025) enhances self-defense options but raises safety debates. Critics like gun control advocates argue for stricter vetting, while supporters point to low revocation rates as evidence of responsible ownership. The settlement mandates transparency, but ongoing suits and potential Supreme Court reviews could further evolve standards.
This PRA data and federal actions underscore the tension between constitutional rights and administrative realities – but in the end, the constitutional rights must prevail. And, as more and more Los Angeles residents become aware of their rights and apply for CCWs, the administrative burden will only swell. As Bruen‘s effects ripple on, LA’s story serves as a cautionary tale: Rights delayed are rights denied. Transparency is vital for accountability, ensuring the Second Amendment isn’t just theoretical in America’s largest county.
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.