How Much Does an ABC License Cost in California? 2026 Fees & What to Budget
“How much is an ABC license?”
If you're opening a restaurant in California, there's a good chance this question has crossed your mind.
And if you've already gone digging through the California ABC website for the answer, you may have discovered something:
It's not exactly a one-number answer.
There are different license types. Different application fees. Annual fees. Transfer fees. Population restrictions. Priority licenses. And, because apparently this process needed one more layer of complexity, some licenses are subject to availability.
So let's make this easier.
Here’s what you actually need to know about the cost of getting an ABC license in California—and where people often get the numbers wrong.
First things first: the ABC fee isn't necessarily your total cost
Let's say you find an ABC fee of $1,135.
You might think:
Great. My liquor license costs $1,135.
Not quite.
Depending on your situation, you may also have:
An annual license fee
Transfer fees
Fingerprinting fees
Other ABC fees
Local requirements
Professional licensing costs
And when an annual fee is required with your application, ABC collects it in addition to the application fee. That annual fee covers the first year of the license.
So before you plug one number into your opening budget and move on, make sure you know what that number actually represents.
So, how much does an ABC license cost in California?
Here are some of the license types you're most likely to encounter in the restaurant and retail world:
License Type: Type 41
What It Allows: Beer & wine for an eating place
2026 Application Fee*: $1,135
2026 Annual Fee**: $565
License Type: Type 47
What It Allows: Beer, wine & distilled spirits for an eating place
2026 Application Fee*:$19,840***
2026 Annual Fee**: $985–$1,545
License Type: Type 48
What It Allows: Beer, wine & distilled spirits for a public premises
2026 Application Fee*:$19,840***
2026 Annual Fee**: $985–$1,545
License Type: Type 20
What It Allows: Off-sale beer & wine
2026 Application Fee*:$1,135
2026 Annual Fee**: $500
License Type: Type 21
What It Allows: Off-sale beer, wine & distilled spirits
2026 Application Fee*:$19,840***
2026 Annual Fee**:$1,009
*2026 ABC application fees shown are for the applicable new-license category.
** Annual fees for Types 47 and 48 vary based on the population of the city where the premises is located.
*** For Types 21, 47 and 48, $19,840 is the 2026 General Priority application fee, available only to priority drawing winners. Certain license-specific situations have different fees.
And this is where you want to slow down.
Because the biggest number on the chart isn't necessarily the number you're going to pay.
How much does a Type 41 ABC license cost?
A Type 41 is an On-Sale Beer & Wine Eating Place license. It's commonly used by restaurants that want to serve beer and wine with food.
For 2026:
Application fee: $1,135
Annual fee: $565
So the ABC fees for the application and first year come to:
$1,700
Pretty straightforward.
But don't take that to mean your entire licensing budget is $1,700.
Depending on your circumstances, there may be fingerprinting costs, local requirements, professional licensing assistance, and other business-specific expenses.
In other words:
$1,700 is the ABC math. It isn't necessarily the whole math.
How much does a Type 47 ABC license cost?
Now we're getting into more interesting territory.
A Type 47 is an On-Sale General Eating Place license. It allows an eating place to sell beer, wine, and distilled spirits for consumption on the premises.
For 2026, ABC lists a $19,840 application fee for a General Priority license, which includes Type 47.
And this is where I want to stop you before you write “$19,840” into your spreadsheet and call the liquor license budget done.
You can't simply pay $19,840 and walk out with a Type 47.
General licenses are limited in number. ABC uses a priority system, once a year, for certain new General licenses, and when there are more applicants than licenses available, a drawing may be held.
So there are really two questions:
How much is the fee?
And:
Can you actually get the license you're trying to apply for?
Those are not the same question.
And there are specific Type 47 situations with different fees. For example, ABC lists a Type 47 for an eating place on public property at $7,515.
So when someone tells you, “A Type 47 costs $19,840,” the next question should be:
Which Type 47 are we talking about?
Details matter. Especially when the details cost thousands of dollars.
What if you're buying a restaurant that already has an ABC license?
Now we're talking about a different kind of ABC expense.
If you're purchasing a restaurant that already has an ABC license, you may be dealing with a license transfer rather than an original license application.
For 2026, ABC's fee for a person-to-person transfer involving a General license is $1,565.
And before anyone sees that $1,565 number and thinks, Well, that's not so bad, let's clear something up:
The $1,565 is the transfer fee. It is not the price of the liquor license.
Those are two very different things.
If you're buying a business, the transaction can involve the purchase price of the business, escrow, the value of an existing license, and other costs.
And not every transfer is the same.
ABC has different fees for premises-to-premises transfers, double transfers, membership or stock transfers, and other ownership or premises changes.
For General licenses, ABC also explains that outside the priority system, an existing General license can be purchased from someone who already holds one within the same county.
So if you're buying a California restaurant or bar, don't just ask:
“How much is the transfer?”
Ask:
“What exactly am I transferring?”
That's a much better question.
What other costs should you have on your radar?
Because the ABC application fee is only one line on the spreadsheet.
Fingerprinting
ABC's fingerprinting fee is currently $63, effective July 1, 2026.
Not exactly the number that's going to make or break your restaurant—but still worth knowing before it shows up.
Annual license fees
Annual fees are separate from application fees and are generally required each year to keep an active license.
For a new license, the first year's annual fee is collected with the application when required.
So yes, you may be paying an application fee and an annual fee right out of the gate.
Transfer fees
If you're buying an existing business or changing the licensed premises, the fee depends on what exactly is changing.
For example, in 2026:
Person-to-person transfer involving a General license: $1,565
Premises-to-premises transfer: $975
Premises and person transfer: $1,565
Other transfer situations have their own fees.
Local requirements
Then there are the requirements that don't come from ABC at all.
Your city or county may have requirements related to the proposed premises and business operation.
Because getting an ABC license isn't happening in a vacuum.
The location matters.
Professional licensing assistance
And then there's your time.
You can spend hours figuring out which forms you need, what ABC is asking for, what needs to be disclosed, and what happens next.
Or you can hire someone who already knows how to navigate the process.
Your time has a cost, too.
Why is there such a big difference between ABC license costs?
Because “ABC license” isn't actually one license.
California has numerous license types, and each comes with its own privileges, requirements, restrictions, and fees.
A restaurant serving only beer and wine?
Different situation.
A full-service restaurant serving beer, wine, and spirits?
Different situation.
A liquor store?
Different situation.
Buying an existing restaurant with a license?
Very different situation.
So the better question isn't:
How much is an ABC license?
It's:
Which ABC license do I need, and what will it actually cost to get my business licensed?
That's the question you want answered before you sign a lease, buy a business, or build your opening budget around a number you found on Google.
And one more thing: ABC fees change
Before you screenshot that fee breakdown and save it to your phone:
ABC fees change.
California ABC adjusts its license fees annually based on inflation.
The 2026 fees reflect a 2.72% increase, and ABC has already published a 3.31% increase effective January 1, 2027.
So if you're reading this later, check the current ABC fee schedule before submitting an application or writing a check.
Because the numbers matter.
But knowing which numbers apply to you matters more.
The Bottom Line
If you're opening a California restaurant, bar, or other business that will sell alcohol, don't think of an “ABC license” as one flat expense.
Your actual ABC costs depend on:
The type of license
Whether you're applying for an original license or transferring an existing one
Whether the license is General or Non-General
The location of the premises
Applicable annual fees
The type of transfer, if you're changing ownership or premises
Other fees that may apply to your application
And if you're buying a business with an existing ABC license, don't assume the license automatically comes with the business—or that transferring it is as simple as changing the name.
That's something worth understanding before you sign.
Need help figuring out what your ABC license will actually cost?
ABC Licensing Studio helps California restaurant and business owners navigate the ABC licensing process—from determining the appropriate license to preparing applications and handling the details that can otherwise slow things down.
Before you sign, buy, or apply. Know what you're getting into.
Learn about ABC licensing services
ABC license fees are subject to change. Fees referenced in this article are based on California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control fee schedules effective in 2026. Always verify current fees directly with ABC before submitting an application.