Type 20 Liquor License in California: Off-Sale Beer and Wine for Retail Stores
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The first decision for a California store that will sell packaged beer and wine is whether to apply for a new Type 20 liquor license or buy one from a current holder. The answer turns on the city and county. State law caps how many of these licenses may exist in each.
Liquor License Agents helps grocers, convenience store operators, wine shop owners, and buyers of existing stores find out which route is open at their address.
What A Type 20 Liquor License Allows And Forbids
The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) calls the Type 20 "Off-Sale Beer & Wine" and issues it to retail stores. Business and Professions Code (BPC) section 23393 sets the privilege, and other rules sit beside it:
- Sales go to consumers only, never for resale.
- Beer leaves in containers. Wine leaves in packages, in quantities of 52 gallons or less per sale.
- Every sale is for consumption off the premises where sold. That separates this license from a restaurant license such as the Type 41.
- Distilled spirits are not covered. BPC 23394 adds them under the off-sale general license.
- Minors are allowed on the premises, in ABC's wording.
- BPC 25631 bans sales by any on-sale or off-sale licensee between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.
Renewal falls every 12 months. The Type 20 is also missing from ABC's list of license types subject to Responsible Beverage Service requirements.
Who The License Fits, And The Cap That Decides Your Route
The Type 20 suits a store whose alcohol shelf stops at beer and wine. ABC counted 13,378 of them active statewide as of June 30, 2026. A store that also wants spirits needs the Type 21 off-sale general license.
| Point | Type 20 | Type 21 |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Beer and wine | Beer, wine, and distilled spirits |
| New application fee, 2026 schedule | $1,135 | $19,840, priority drawing winners only |
| Annual fee, 2026 schedule | $500 | $1,009 |
| Person-to-person transfer fee, 2026 schedule | $420 | $1,565 |
| Population cap | One for each 2,500 inhabitants of the city or county | One for each 2,500 inhabitants of the county |
The Type 20 cap sits in BPC 23817.5. ABC describes it as a permanent moratorium wherever that ratio is exceeded. Its current lists took effect on January 1, 2023, and are recalculated about every five years. The county table marks Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, and Sacramento "No" and San Francisco "Yes". A second list names moratorium cities inside the "No" counties, so every city needs its own check.
Inside a moratorium area, a store buys an existing license. The alternative is BPC 23817.7. It lets ABC approve an application when the applicant shows that public convenience or necessity would be served, and a determination by the local governing body is among the conditions.
How Liquor License Agents Handles A Type 20 Purchase Or Application
We begin with the address. Our team reviews the store plan, the site, and the floor plan. With ABC's moratorium lists in view, we advise whether to apply or to buy and transfer. On a purchase we help with valuation and negotiation and coordinate the escrow. Our guide to buying a California liquor license covers that route. The code fixes several steps:
- A notice of the intended transfer is recorded with the county recorder before the transfer application is filed (BPC 24073).
- The buyer places the whole price with an escrow holder who is not a party to the deal, also before filing (BPC 24074).
- ABC cannot issue the license until the public notice has hung at the store entrance for at least 30 consecutive days (BPC 23985).
We draft the application, the premises diagrams, and the disclosures. ABC advises applicants at a new location to ask local officials about zoning and the need for a Conditional Use Permit, so we contact city or county planning staff early. During ABC's investigation we help you respond to questions, a protest, or proposed conditions.
Type 20 in major markets: Alameda, Fresno County, Los Angeles County, San Francisco.
California Type 20 Off-Sale Beer And Wine FAQs
1. Can a Type 20 store sell distilled spirits?
No. BPC 23393 covers beer and wine only. Spirits belong to the Type 21 under BPC 23394. A new Type 21 goes only to priority drawing winners, at an application fee of $19,840 on ABC's 2026 schedule.
2. Is a new Type 20 open to applicants in every California city?
Not everywhere. BPC 23817.5 allows one for each 2,500 inhabitants of the city or county, and ABC applies a moratorium above that ratio. San Francisco's limit is one for each 1,250 inhabitants, counted together with off-sale general licenses.
3. What does ABC charge for a Type 20 in 2026?
A new application costs $1,135 and the annual fee is $500 under ABC's 2026 fee schedule. Both are collected when the application is submitted. A person-to-person transfer costs $420. From January 1, 2027, ABC has announced $1,170, $515, and $435.
4. How close can a Type 20 store be to a school or a home?
The distances ABC publishes are 600 feet and 100 feet. It may deny a retail license within at least 600 feet of schools, public playgrounds, and nonprofit youth facilities. It will not license a new retail location within 100 feet of a residence unless the applicant establishes that residents' quiet enjoyment will not suffer.
5. Can a buyer keep the store selling while a person-to-person transfer is pending?
Yes, if ABC grants a temporary permit, which BPC 24045.5 leaves to its discretion. The store must have traded under a license within 30 days of the permit application. The fee is $100 and the permit runs up to four calendar months.
6. How long does ABC take to issue or transfer a Type 20?
Averages run to about 75 days for a person-to-person transfer and 90 days for an original, according to ABC. The department adds that circumstances often lengthen the wait, and it urges caution about large financial commitments before final approval.
If you are planning a grocery, convenience store, or wine shop in California, or weighing a store that already holds a Type 20, call (800) 799-9081 or contact Liquor License Agents to schedule an appointment. Have the address ready, because the Type 20 cap is counted by city or county.