EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. – There will be the issuance of two new on-sale general licenses for bona fide public eating places in El Dorado County, according to Paul Tupy, director of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC).
As authorized in § 23826.16 of the Business & Professions Code (BPC), a license issued shall not be sold or transferred for a price greater than the original fee paid by the seller or transferor and shall not be transferred from one county to another, nor shall it be transferred to any premises not qualifying under this section.
From September 8, 2025, through September 19, 2025, the Department’s Sacramento District Office will accept applications for the new original on-sale general licenses at 2400 Del Paso Road, Suite 155, Sacramento, CA 95834, or any other ABC office throughout the state.
Only one priority application will be accepted from any one applicant. A fee of $19,315 is to be paid when filing a priority application for a new original on-sale general license.
If the number of applicants is equal to or less than the number of licenses available, all applicants will be notified that they have 90 days to complete a formal application for their specific premises.
If the Department receives more applications than there are licenses available, a virtual drawing will be held. To participate in such a drawing, an applicant must have been a resident of California for at least 90 days before the date of the scheduled drawing. Successful drawing participants will be notified that they have 90 days to complete a formal application for their specific premises.
Unsuccessful drawing participants will be automatically refunded their application fee (minus a $100 service charge) within 90-120 days of the priority drawing but will retain their priority ranking until the following year pursuant to Chapter 1, Title 4 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR) § 69.3 (c).
Successful participants who file a formal application for a priority license and then decide to withdraw their application will be entitled to a refund under BPC § 23320 and 23959. According to the provisions of § 12419.5 of the Government Code, if an applicant owes money to the California taxing agencies, a claim against the priority application fee may be made by the taxing agency. If such a claim is made, the amount owed will be deducted from the priority application fee at the time of refund and remitted to the taxing agency.
Applicants are encouraged to file their applications early in the filing period to avoid a lengthy wait.
In the coming weeks, additional information and instructions regarding applications for original and intercounty transfer of general licenses will be made available on ABC’s website.
It is important to note that new priority regulations have been instituted. To view the priority regulations, visit the Approved Regulations page and scroll down to Priority Registration Drawings.