How to Get a California Liquor License

By StartBusinessByState·Publisher: Robert Smith·Research process

Last updated: November 4, 2026

For California alcohol businesses, license type and local availability come before the lease. Ordinary general licenses covering spirits can be population-limited, with priority drawings and transfers as important routes; special statutory authorizations can also apply. The 2026 priority application window, September 14–25, has closed. Separately, covered on-premises servers and their managers need RBS certification, generally within 60 days of starting employment; the ABC registration/exam fee is $3 and training costs extra.

RBS Certification for Covered Servers and Managers

RBS training has applied to covered on-premises alcohol servers and their managers since July 1, 2022. Covered duties include checking identification for alcohol service or entry, taking alcohol orders, pouring and delivering alcoholic drinks. Managers who train, hire or supervise servers are also covered. ABC lists specific license types and exemptions; off-sale retail work is not automatically an RBS-covered job.

• 60 days from your first day of employment to complete the entire process.
• Three steps: register in the RBS Portal, train with an ABC-authorized provider, then pass the ABC Alcohol Server Certification exam.
• $3 exam fee, included in registration, covering three attempts within 30 days of your confirmed training. Passing score is 70%.
• Training costs extra and varies — providers set their own prices and ABC does not negotiate group or corporate rates.
• Certification lasts three years. Renewal opens 90 days before expiration and requires registration/payment, approved training and the exam again. This is not a 90-day grace period after expiration; track each employee’s date.

The Business License: What ABC Actually Issues

California uses numbered license types. The common retail choices below differ in spirits privileges, meal service, minors rules and availability. Ordinary general licenses can be population-limited, but special statutory authorizations exist; “beer and wine” does not mean unlimited availability either.

• Type 47 — On-Sale General, Eating Place: beer, wine and spirits for on-premises consumption, plus off-sale beer and wine. It requires a bona fide eating place with suitable kitchen facilities and actual, substantial meal sales. Minors are permitted. General-license availability and premises approval still need review.
• Type 48 — On-Sale General, Public Premises: the common bar/tavern license, without a food-service requirement. Minors are generally prohibited, subject to narrow statutory exceptions; do not treat it as a family restaurant license.
• Type 21 — Off-Sale General: the liquor store license — beer, wine, and spirits for consumption off the premises. Quota-limited.
• Type 41 — On-Sale Beer and Wine, Eating Place: beer and wine, without spirits, at a bona fide eating place. It is not subject to the ordinary population quota or annual priority drawing. Year-round application availability does not guarantee approval: premises, local conditions and other licensing requirements remain.
• Type 20 — Off-Sale Beer and Wine: outside the priority drawing, but subject to its own statutory population rules. Section 23817.5 generally sets one per 2,500 city or county inhabitants, with a combined Type 20/21 limit of one per 1,250 in a consolidated city and county. Statutory exceptions, including §23817.7, mean reaching a ratio is not proof that buying an existing license is the only possible route. Ask ABC to assess the specific premises and application.
• RBS is a separate staffing obligation for covered on-premises operations. An ABC business license does not certify individual staff, and individual RBS certification does not license the premises.

What It Costs

Item	Cost	Notes
RBS exam (per server)	$3	Included in RBS Portal registration; 3 attempts in 30 days
RBS training (per server)	Set by the provider	ABC authorizes providers but does not set prices
New general license (Types 21, 47, 48) — priority	$19,840	The original application fee — not the first-year total; the annual fee and fingerprint fees are collected at formal application too
Unsuccessful priority drawing entry	Refund less $100 service charge	Follow ABC’s refund-request instructions
Non-general application — common Types 20 / 41	$1,135	No priority drawing; Type 20 availability and all other approval rules still apply
Person-to-person transfer — general	$1,565	ABC’s fee to move an existing license; $420 non-general
Annual renewal — Type 47/48	$985–$1,545	By population tier
Annual renewal — Type 21 / 41 / 20	$1,009 / $565 / $500	Off-sale general, on-sale beer & wine, off-sale beer & wine
California LLC	$70	Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1)
Annual tax for an ordinary California LLC	Generally $800/year	Corporate elections and narrow statutory exceptions differ; broad first-year exemption ended after qualifying 2021–2023 tax years

ABC adjusts application and annual fees every January by the consumer price index — a 2.72% increase took effect January 1, 2026 and a 3.31% increase is scheduled for January 1, 2027. Confirm the current amount on ABC’s fee schedule before budgeting.

Check License Availability and the Applicable Application Route

Ordinary general-license availability is limited by county population rules. A transfer from an existing licensee may be needed when no suitable new license is available. However, ABC also administers special statutory authorizations with their own criteria. Check the actual county, license type and premises instead of assuming every full quota leaves only one route. ABC priority and special-legislation announcements.

The 2026 priority application period was September 14–25 and is now closed. ABC scheduled drawings during the week of October 26 where applications exceeded available licenses. Check its current drawing notices and results for your county; those dates are not an invitation to submit a new priority application now.

For a transfer, negotiate the private purchase price separately from ABC’s processing charges. Its 2026 person-to-person transfer fee is $1,565 for a general license. There is no single official resale price; compare current offers and transfer conditions for the actual county and premises before committing.

A restaurant that only needs beer and wine can compare Type 41 with Type 47. Type 41’s 2026 application fee is $1,135, versus the $19,840 ordinary general-priority application fee; annual and other applicable charges are separate. Type 41 avoids that priority drawing, but still requires an eligible eating place and licensing approval.

How to Get Licensed, In Order

1. Choose the privileges and premises type first: Types 47/48/21 include spirits; Types 41/20 do not. Check each type’s availability rules rather than treating every beer-and-wine application as unrestricted.
2. Check your county’s availability in ABC’s priority drawing announcements before you sign a lease.
3. Choose the legal structure and complete the filings it requires. If forming an ordinary LLC, budget $70 for articles, $20 for the initial Statement of Information and generally $800 annual LLC tax; an LLC is not the only possible licensee structure.
4. Use the applicable application route. The September 14–25, 2026 priority window has closed; non-general applications, transfers and special statutory routes have their own eligibility and timing. Check ABC’s current instructions before filing.
5. Have covered servers and managers complete RBS registration, authorized training and the exam within the applicable 60-day new-hire period. Confirm any specific exemption with ABC’s guidance.
6. Track three-year RBS expirations; renewal opens 90 days before expiration, not afterward.

Staying Licensed

Renew the ABC license annually. In 2026, Type 47/48 annual fees are $985–$1,545 by population tier, Type 21 is $1,009 and Type 41 is $565; January CPI adjustments can change these amounts. RBS certifications have individual three-year terms, with renewal opening 90 days before expiration. Entity taxes are separate: an ordinary LLC generally owes the $800 annual tax even when inactive, subject to applicable exceptions and termination rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need a license to bartend in California?

Covered on-premises alcohol servers and their managers need California RBS certification, generally within 60 days of starting employment. Register in the RBS Portal, complete authorized training and pass the ABC exam. ABC lists the covered duties, license types and exemptions. This personal certification does not replace the business’s alcohol license or applicable local approvals.

How much does RBS certification cost in California?

The ABC exam costs $3 and is included in your RBS Portal registration, covering three attempts within 30 days of your confirmed training. The training itself is separate — authorized RBS training providers set their own prices, and ABC does not negotiate or cap them. You need a 70% score to pass.

How long does California RBS certification last?

RBS certification lasts three years. Renewal opens 90 days before expiration and requires payment, authorized training and the exam again. The exam must be completed within 30 days after training is confirmed. Do not treat the renewal window as a grace period after certification lapses.

How much is a liquor license in California?

For 2026, ABC’s application fee for an ordinary new general license through the priority process is $19,840, with annual and fingerprint charges collected at formal application as well. Type 21’s annual fee is $1,009; Type 47/48 fees are $985–$1,545 by population tier. A private transfer adds the negotiated purchase price and applicable transfer fees. Availability depends on the license and county, including any special statutory authorization. Fees change with the annual CPI adjustment.

Is a Type 20 beer and wine license easy to get in California?

Type 20 is outside the annual priority drawing but has population limits under §23817.5: generally one per 2,500 city or county inhabitants, and a combined Type 20/21 limit of one per 1,250 in a consolidated city and county. Statutory exceptions can apply, including §23817.7. Type 41 does not have the ordinary population ratio, but requires a qualifying eating place and approval. Do not infer availability from the ratio alone.

What is the difference between a Type 47 and a Type 41 license in California?

Type 47 permits beer, wine and spirits at a bona fide eating place; Type 41 permits beer and wine without spirits at an eating place. For 2026, the ordinary general-priority application fee is $19,840 and the common non-general application fee is $1,135. Annual charges, availability, premises approval and your operating concept also matter; application fees alone do not establish the best choice.

When can I apply for a new California liquor license?

The 2026 ordinary priority application period was September 14–25 and has closed, with drawings scheduled during the week of October 26 where needed. Check ABC’s current notices for results and future application announcements. Non-general applications, transfers and special statutory authorizations follow their own rules; ordinary priority availability is county-specific.

Forming the company, taxes, insurance, and hiring are covered in our full guide to starting a business in California.

Sources

Source	What It Covers
California ABC — RBS Training Program	The mandatory RBS program under AB 1221 and AB 82, effective July 1, 2022
California ABC — RBS Frequently Asked Questions	Covered duties and exemptions, 60-day new-hire period, $3 registration/exam, three attempts in 30 days, three-year term and renewal opening 90 days before expiration
California ABC — License Fees	Annual CPI adjustment: 2.72% effective 1/1/2026, 3.31% scheduled 1/1/2027
California ABC — Application Fee Schedules	General-priority $19,840, non-general $1,135, person-to-person transfer $1,565 / $420
California ABC — Annual Fee Schedule	Annual renewals: Type 47/48 $985-$1,545 by population tier, Type 21 $1,009, Type 41 $565, Type 20 $500
California ABC — Priority Registration Drawings	County availability and special routes; the September 14–25, 2026 priority window is closed; current drawing notices/results
California ABC — License Types	Type 21, 47, 48, 41 and 20 privileges, the bona fide eating place and meal-sales test for Type 47, and minors rules
California BPC § 23817.5	Off-sale beer-and-wine population ratios; also review statutory exceptions in ABC’s current Act compilation
California ABC — ABC-521 Instructions	Original general application fee, annual and fingerprint fees collected at formal application, and the $100 service charge retained from an unsuccessful drawing refund
California Franchise Tax Board — Limited Liability Company	Ordinary LLC annual tax, expired broad first-year exemption, exceptions and separate filing obligations
California Secretary of State — Business Entities Fee Schedule	Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) filing fee of $70.00