Labrynth, a regulatory intelligence company dedicated to streamlining permitting approvals across government and industry, today announced the launch of the Red Tape Index. This new index provides the first comprehensive, data-driven benchmark designed to track and compare how efficiently U.S. states process building permits, zoning changes, and related approvals.

The Red Tape Index is launching initially with state-level data aggregated from a vast array of public sources, including building departments, zoning boards, and state environmental agencies.

According to the first set of rankings, 6 of the top 10 cities in the US hail from the top 3 states: issuing an average of 195 permits per 100,000 residents.

The index website identifies the following states as the top 10 using a weighted scoring system:

*For more information on the data in the above table, including how this list was compiled/created visit https://www.redtapeindex.com/state-of-states

In the next 30 days, detailed city and county level insights will be published, this phased approach prioritizes transparency and collaboration. Local governments and stakeholders are invited to engage by submitting or verifying data to ensure accuracy and relevance. To view the full list and explore detailed metrics visit www.redtapeindex.com.

Measuring What Matters Now

“You can’t fix what you don’t measure,” said Stuart Lacey, CEO of Labrynth. “The Red Tape Index brings long-overdue transparency to one of the most frustrating and costly challenges in American infrastructure. By spotlighting inefficiencies and highlighting success stories, we’re giving public officials and private developers the tools they need to move faster, smarter, and with greater confidence.”

Permitting delays remains a significant barrier to building new infrastructure, costing businesses time and money. The Index aggregates publicly available data and integrates direct input from local governments and developers, creating a living platform that will be updated quarterly. This evolving resource aims to provide actionable insights that help public officials identify bottlenecks and enable investors and developers to compare permitting efficiency across regions.

Infrastructure development—from data centers and energy projects to housing—relies on timely regulatory approvals. Delays that stretch projects from months into years risk economic growth and competitiveness. Labrynth’s Red Tape Index offers a new level of clarity into these critical processes, supporting smarter decision-making for communities and investors alike.

A Roadmap, Not Just a Ranking

Beyond rankings, the Red Tape Index is part of Labrynth’s broader commitment to enabling faster, more transparent project approvals through ongoing initiatives including:

• The Red Tape 100: A quarterly leaderboard showcasing the top 100 most efficient permitting cities nationwide.
• The Red Tape Report: Monthly feature highlighting successful reforms and operational innovations built on the successful implementation of new systems and tools driving efficiency..
• Monthly Insights: Summary and analysis of trends, regulatory changes, and policy developments nationwide.

Get Involved: Help Build a Clearer Regulatory Future

Labrynth invites state, county, and city governments to participate actively in refining the Red Tape Index. By submitting or verifying your latest permitting data, they can ensure their jurisdiction’s profile accurately reflects their operational reality and improvements.

Engagement is simple and vital:

• Visit www.redtapeindex.com to register for the submission portal.
• Provide key permitting and licensing data or confirm existing information.
• Join a growing network of local governments using data-driven insights to reduce delays, improve efficiency, and attract investment.

Together, we can build a transparent, actionable benchmark that powers smarter economic development and regulatory clarity nationwide.

About Labrynth
Labrynth is the first transparent AI company purpose-built to solve regulatory bottlenecks at scale. Its outcome-based models compress permitting timelines, reduce compliance risks and unlock faster revenue for PROPEL industries and local governments. Spun out from AI and agentic innovation powerhouse Invisible Technologies, and backed by AI HoldCo platform Infinity Constellation, Labrynth blends cutting-edge AI with human expertise to build a smarter, faster, and fairer regulatory system. Learn more at www.labrynth.ai.

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