How to Get a Type 41 or Type 42 License in California

The application process, step by step

1. File the application with ABC. You'll submit the license application, premises information, and disclosures about the business and its owners directly to the California ABC district office covering your location.
2. Background review and fingerprinting. ABC runs a background investigation on the license applicant(s), which includes fingerprinting as part of the standard review.
3. 30-day public notice period. ABC requires the application to be posted at the premises and published for a minimum of 30 days, during which any member of the public — including neighbors, community groups, or local officials — can file a protest.
4. Local zoning and conditional-use review. Separately from ABC, your city or county typically needs to confirm the premises is zoned for alcohol sales, which can require a conditional use permit (CUP) or public hearing depending on the jurisdiction. This step, not the ABC process itself, is usually where timelines stretch.
5. Protest resolution, if any. If a protest is filed during the notice period, ABC may hold a hearing before the license can be issued — this can add meaningfully to the timeline.
6. Issuance. Once background review, the notice period, and any local requirements clear without an unresolved protest, ABC issues the license.

How long does it actually take?

The 30-day public notice period is a firm floor, not a realistic estimate — almost no application clears in exactly 30 days. Between background review, local zoning or CUP requirements, and ABC's own processing time, a few months is a more realistic planning window for a straightforward application with no protest. A contested application, or a premises that needs a conditional use permit from the local jurisdiction, can take considerably longer. Building the timeline into your lease negotiations and buildout schedule — rather than assuming the license will be ready when construction is — is the single most common planning mistake new operators make.

What drives the cost

ABC charges an application fee and a recurring annual fee, both set by the state and adjusted periodically — check ABC's current fee schedule rather than relying on a specific number, since it changes. Beyond the state fees, the bigger cost variable is whether you're applying for a new (original) license or purchasing an existing one on the private market. Because Type 41 and Type 42 are generally not capped by the county quota system that restricts general licenses, the private resale market for beer & wine licenses runs well below what a Type 47 or Type 48 costs in a quota-restricted county — often the difference between a five-figure and a six-figure acquisition.

Type 41/42 versus a full liquor license

The quota system is worth understanding on its own, because it's the reason most operators default to a beer & wine license rather than fighting for a general one. California's population-based quota primarily restricts general (on-sale spirits) licenses — Type 47 and Type 48 — capping how many exist per county relative to population. Beer & wine licenses are typically issued without that same restriction, which is why they're both faster to obtain and dramatically cheaper on the resale market.

That gap is exactly why it's worth confirming what you actually need a Type 47 for before paying for one. If the goal is a real cocktail menu rather than a full bottle-service bar, a Type 41 or Type 42 already gets you there — see Can You Serve Cocktails on a Beer & Wine License?

Frequently asked questions