Concord Liquor License Guide for Restaurants, Bars, and Stores

A Concord liquor license is a state license from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC), issued either on-sale, for alcohol consumed on the premises where it is sold, or off-sale, for alcohol taken away. The City of Concord's part is zoning: its Development Code decides whether your use is allowed at the address and which permit it needs.

Liquor License Agents helps Concord owners, buyers, and landlords settle both questions before money is committed to a space.

How A Concord Liquor License Moves Through ABC And The City

Contra Costa County, which includes Concord, is covered by the ABC Concord District Office. The steps below are drawn from ABC's requirements page, its FAQ, and the Business and Professions Code (BPC):

1. Check the zoning. ABC advises checking local zoning for a new location. Concord's use tables set the permit for each use.
2. File with ABC. ABC says to apply at the nearest district office. An original retail license can also be applied for online.
3. Local officials are told. ABC mails a copy of the application to the police department, city council, and city planning department.
4. Post and mail notice. BPC 23985 requires the notice to be posted at the entrance for at least 30 consecutive days. For a premises not currently licensed, BPC 23985.5 adds a mailing to residents within a 500-foot radius.
5. ABC investigates. ABC reviews the applicant and the premises. Protests may be filed within 30 days of the posting or mailing, whichever is later.

Under CDC 18.200.040, a Finding of Public Convenience and Necessity (FOPCN) applies to businesses selling alcohol for off-site consumption when ABC has denied an application over an undue concentration of licenses or law enforcement criteria. The city's handout says you need one only if ABC determines that you require it. The request follows the minor use permit procedure and is referred to the police department.

License Types And The Concord Permit Each Use Needs

Downtown, CDC Table 18.45.020 sets the permit level for each use in the DP, DMX, and WMX districts.

• Restaurants (Type 41 and Type 47). Both require a bona fide eating place. A full-service restaurant is a zoning clearance use in every downtown district.
• Bars (Type 42 and Type 48). A bar, night club, or lounge needs an administrative permit downtown. The Planning Division decides these, and the city says review typically takes 4-6 weeks.
• Stores (Type 20 and Type 21). A liquor store is not allowed in any downtown district. A convenience store with alcohol may not sell alcohol after 10:00 p.m. or sell distilled spirits, unless the review authority modifies the standards.

General licenses (Types 21, 47, and 48) are limited by county population. For Contra Costa liquor licenses of this kind, ABC authorized 25 new on-sale and 25 new off-sale general licenses in 2026, with applications accepted from September 14 through September 25, 2026. ABC says the only other way to obtain a general license is to purchase an existing license of the same type within the same county.

Where Liquor License Agents Fits In A Concord Purchase Or Sale

For a buyer, the work starts with the address. We read your concept, site, and floor plan against the Concord use table. From there, our team:

• advises whether to wait for the next priority application period or buy a California license already issued in Contra Costa County and transfer it
• helps with valuation, negotiation, and coordinating the escrow that BPC 24074 requires before a transfer application is filed when the transfer involves a purchase price
• prepares the ABC application, premises diagrams, and disclosures
• works with Concord Planning Division staff on the zoning clearance or permit
• follows ABC's review and helps you answer questions, protests, or proposed conditions

Sellers receive the same help with valuation, negotiation, and escrow.

Concord Liquor License And ABC Office FAQs

1. Where is the ABC Concord office?

The ABC Concord District Office is at 1800 Sutter St., Ste 450 Concord, CA 94520, and its phone number is (925) 655-6314. It covers Contra Costa County. ABC lists office hours as 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The City of Concord's alcohol handout, dated 8/25/14, still points applicants to an Oakland office, so rely on ABC's current district office list.

2. Does Concord require a conditional use permit to serve alcohol?

Not under that name. Concord's use tables do not use that term. They list a zoning clearance, an administrative permit, a minor use permit, or a use permit, depending on the use and the district. Downtown, a full-service restaurant needs only a zoning clearance, while a bar, night club, or lounge needs an administrative permit.

3. Can a liquor store open in downtown Concord?

No. CDC Table 18.45.020 shows a liquor store as not allowed in the DP, DMX, or WMX districts. The same table lists a convenience store with alcohol sales only in WMX, by use permit.

4. Are new full liquor licenses available in Contra Costa County?

Yes, in limited numbers and only once per year. ABC's 2026 authorization gave Contra Costa County 25 licenses in each priority category, and the filing window closed on September 25, 2026. In 2026, ABC charges $19,840 to file for a new original general license. ABC says licenses to sell beer and wine are available year-round to qualified applicants.

5. How long does ABC say a new license or a transfer takes?

ABC's requirements page gives averages of about 75 days for a person-to-person transfer and 90 days for an original license. It adds that circumstances often result in a longer waiting period.

6. What does ABC charge to transfer a license to a new owner?

Under ABC's 2026 fee schedule, a person-to-person transfer costs $1,565 when the application includes a general license and $420 when it does not. ABC has announced that all application and annual fees will increase by 3.31 percent on January 1, 2027. A California liquor license also carries an annual fee.

Before you sign a lease or a purchase agreement for a Concord restaurant, bar, or store, call Liquor License Agents at (800) 799-9081. We will go through the address, the license type, and the city permit it needs.