If you intend to start a business involving liquor in California, then you must be certain that you are adhering to their particular liquor laws and regulations. Business owners in California should pay great attention to ABC legislation. This is a reference to the rules and laws governing alcoholic beverages.

These kinds of regulations are meant to ensure that there is some level of regulation over the sale of alcoholic beverages. In addition to specifying which establishments qualify for a liquor license.

In this article, we will discuss California’s liquor laws and regulations, including state fees, distillery laws and licensing requirements.

ABC Liquor Licenses

You must apply for a seller’s permit before acquiring a liquor license in California, since everyone is required to have one for sales tax purposes

The purchase of an ABC license is the first requirement for being permitted to sell alcohol inside the State of California. Actually, there are more than 70 different types of ABC licenses available from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Some of these are intended exclusively for the producers of alcoholic beverages.

Obtaining a license that permits the sale of distilled spirits as opposed to beer and wine has different requirements. In some circumstances, it can be more advantageous to spend money on a full liquor license that covers both, based on the requirements related to the kind of business you own.

Whether you aim for the beverages to be enjoyed at your business location, or if you intend for your customers to take their goods with them and enjoy them elsewhere. This is another important consideration that can affect what kind of license you need.

Application Process

The process begins with a meeting between you and a member of the ABC staff, who will then provide you with the required paperwork. They will let you know whether there are any expenses involved.

Once you’ve finished the pre-application phase, you must mail your request to the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. After that, they will distribute copies of your request to several other regional officials. The ABC personnel will also carry out their own inquiries to confirm that you are really qualified for the license.

You will either be given your new license after the last evaluation. However, if anyone claims you shouldn’t have the license, then you will be sent toward the appeals’ procedure.

How Long Does It Take To Obtain An ABC License?

New license applications are typically processed in 90 days, but person-to-person transfers typically take 75 days. That, however, is presuming that no new information or mitigating circumstances have been discovered.

Such difficulties could cause significant time delays for your business. Due to this, owners of businesses are urged to be flexible when planning any grand openings or festivities, including alcohol at their location.

Liquor And Drinking Law

Not only do you need a license, but once you are granted that license, then you need to ensure you are following California drinking laws as well.

Minimum Staff Ages

California’s law mandates that employees who serve alcohol be at least 18 years old. If alcohol is being consumed off-site and a manager is present, minors may sell it.

Selling Limits

It is a generally well-known fact that no one under the age of 21 may purchase alcohol from a business. However, you cannot offer alcohol to anyone who is deemed to be “clearly intoxicated” or who is considered to have a problem with alcohol.

Selling Times

Every day of the week, between the hours of 6 AM and 2 AM, alcohol sales are permitted.

Driving And Alcohol

Another well-known drinking regulation in California states that it is illegal for drunk people to drive. The penalty for drinking and driving may be extremely harsh, especially if the motorist is involved in a traffic collision.

There are cases where an employer has been held accountable for an employee’s drinking in the state of California. Employers may be held accountable if they serve alcohol to workers and one of them later operates a vehicle while intoxicated.

State Fees

In California, all liquor vendors are required to pay tax on all liquor sold. The liquor tax in California is $3.30 per gallon of liquor sold.

Depending on the license that you need, the price for the license can vary between a couple of hundred dollars up towards a few thousand. As mentioned above, the type of license you will need will vary depending on the liquor you are selling and the business you are running.

However, a full service liquor license that covers you for everything is around $1,500.

In addition to this, any licenses you acquire must be renewed each year. For example, a craft distillery license is around $600, and then you may be asked for a $300 renewal fee each year.

Distillery Laws In California

If the distillery is registered with the state, owning one for uses other than ethanol is lawful in the state of California. In addition to all federal permits, a “04 Distilled Spirits Manufacturing” license is needed to manufacture alcoholic beverages. You require a permit, even if you are making spirits at home.

In 2017 the Craft Distiller’s Act of 2015 was modified. This modification allows distillers to sell their own liquor from their own location. This then allows distillers to make direct money from their customers without having to find a distributor.

Moreover, distillers are permitted by the Act to sell three 750 ml bottles to customers who take part in a tasting, with a daily cap of three per customer. As with brew houses and wineries, distilleries are now allowed to set up a restaurant on their property.

Conclusion

In California, it is possible to set up a business selling liquor or even create and operate your own distillery. However, it is vital that you apply and purchase the correct licenses for your operations. Thanks to the change in laws and regulations in 2017, distillers are now allowed to sell their liquor from their premises.

When selling or providing liquor in California, it is vital that you adhere to all the rules and regulations that we have spoken about above. Hopefully, you have found this article useful and discovered all the laws and regulations you need to be aware of when it comes to liquor in California.