ABC Announces New Liquor License Authorizations

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Eric Hirata, Director of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, announced authorization for the issuance of new on-sale general and off-sale general licenses and authorization for the intercounty transfer of on-sale general and off-sale general licenses.

This year, based on statutory authorizations and limitations, the following counties will be eligible for additional on-sale general and off-sale general licenses, as follows:

Abc License Sale

From September 14, 2020, through September 25, 2020, in counties where such licenses are available, applications for new original on-sale general and off-sale general licenses will be accepted at local ABC offices.  During the same period, priority applications will be accepted for the intercounty transfer of on-sale general and off-sale general licenses, as authorized.

Only one priority application will be accepted from any one applicant per county for each type of license.  A fee of $15,835 is to be paid when filing an application for a new original general license and a fee of $6,000 is to be paid when filing a priority application for the intercounty transfer of a general license.

If the number of applicants within a county for a particular type of license/transaction is equal to or less than the number of licenses available, all applicants will be notified that they have 90 days to complete a formal application for their specific premises.

If the Department receives more applications than there are licenses available, a virtual drawing will be held.  To participate in such a drawing, an applicant must have been a resident of California for at least 90 days prior to the date of the scheduled drawing.  Successful drawing participants will be notified that they have 90 days to complete a formal application for their specific premises.

Unsuccessful drawing participants will be automatically refunded their application fee (minus a $100 service charge) within 90-120 days of the priority drawing but will retain their priority ranking until a new priority list is established in 2021.  Successful participants who file a formal application for a priority license who then decide to withdraw their application, will be entitled to a refund in accordance with Business and Professions Code Section 23320.  Please note that B&P Section 23320 was amended as of July 1, 2019.

Applicants are encouraged to file their applications early in the filing period to avoid a lengthy wait.

In the coming weeks, additional information and instructions regarding applications for original and intercounty transfer of general licenses will be made available on the Department’s website.

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