The Customer
The Los Angeles Police Department serves one of the largest cities in the country - and before adopting PermitDirector, their CCW permit processing reflected that scale in all the wrong ways: paper applications, manual payment handling, and physical file transfers between buildings across a sprawling department.
Since implementing Permitium's CCW permit software in 2024, LAPD has cut processing time in half, eliminated transcription errors entirely, and grown from 150 to 500+ applications per month - without the need to add staff.
The Challenge
LAPD’s CCW unit managed one of the highest-volume concealed carry permit programs in California entirely on paper – creating bottlenecks at every step of the process.
- Manual, error-prone applications: Without an online CCW application system, applicants submitted handwritten forms in person, often with illegible handwriting, missing fields, or no application at all. Staff spent interview time fixing forms instead of reviewing qualifications.
- Multi-building approval delays: Each application had to be physically carried to supervisors and command staff across multiple buildings for review, then returned to the investigator to complete – adding days or weeks to every case.
- Payment processing burden: LAPD only accepted cashier checks or money orders. Staff manually copied, tallied, and delivered payments to the fiscal department for every one of the 150 applications processed each month.
The Solution
LAPD implemented PermitDirector, Permitium’s cloud-based CCW permit software, to digitize their entire application and approval process – at no cost to the agency through Permitium’s fee-pass-through model.
- Online CCW applications with required field validation: Applicants enter their own information, upload documents, and pay online before their interview – arriving prepared and error-free.
- Digital approval workflows: Applications route automatically to supervisors and command staff for review and sign-off, replacing the physical transfer process with a single click.
- Automated payment processing: Permitium collects all applicant payments and sends checks directly to LAPD, removing manual payment handling from staff entirely.
The Impact
Since switching to PermitDirector, LAPD has processed more than three times the application volume in less time – with fewer errors and significantly less administrative work per case.
- Processing time cut in half: Average CCW permit processing dropped from 60+ days to 3-4 weeks, with the fastest cases completing in 3 weeks when applicants arrive with all requirements ready.
- Application volume more than tripled: Monthly volume grew from 150 to 500+ applications – handled by the same team, faster than before.
- Errors eliminated, staff time recovered: Applicant-entered data removed transcription mistakes entirely. Staff no longer correct forms during interviews, supervisors approve applications in minutes, and automated status tracking eliminated the steady flow of “where’s my application?” calls and emails.
