From September 14-25, 2026, the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (“ABC”) will be accepting applications for priority licenses in eligible California counties, including new and intercounty transfers of on- and off-sale general licenses. This year’s authorization includes new off-sale general licenses in 19 California counties, including Los Angeles, San Diego and Orange, as well as on-sale licenses in 30 counties. A full list of the new license authorizations can be found here.
Applicants for on-sale and off-sale general licenses are eligible to file one priority application per county for each type of license. Priority license fees are $19,840 for a new original general license and $7,515 for an intercounty transfer, to be paid at the time of filing. If the number of applications exceeds the number of licenses available within a county, a virtual drawing will be held. Priority drawings will be held the week of October 26, 2026, with additional details available on October 19, 2026.
To participate in a drawing, an applicant must have established California residency at least 90 days prior to the drawing date. Winners of the virtual drawing will have 90 days to complete their application. Unsuccessful drawing participants are refunded their application fee minus a $100 service charge, but participants retain their priority ranking until August 1st of the following year.
Under recently enacted legislation, ABC has announced original Special Legislation On-Sale General licenses in San Francisco County (10), El Dorado County (9), and Placer County (7). These licenses must be operated as a bona fide eating place and must be located within specifically defined retail centers. In San Francisco, eligible premises must be located in a designated “hospitality zone” as established by local ordinance. Active licensees holding on-sale general licenses in one of the defined retail centers are not eligible to apply for a Special Legislation On-Sale General license for the same premises. Applicants are subject to the same submission and drawing processes for on and off-sale general licenses above. More information about the Special Legislation On-Sale General licenses and the eligible locations can be found here.
In addition, the ABC has authorized five new Neighborhood Restricted Special On-Sale General Licenses (Type 87) in designated census tracts located in the City and County of San Francisco and twelve new Type 87 licenses in specific census tracts located in the County of Los Angeles. Type 87 licenses can be issued only to bona fide eating places and authorize the sale of beer, wine and spirits for on-premises consumption.
We encourage priority license applicants to consult experienced alcohol counsel to review priority license applications prior to submission. If you’re interested in applying for a priority license, or have additional questions about the drawing process, please contact an attorney at Strike Kerr & Johns.
