AAA Liquor License Consulting

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AAA Liquor License Consulting California-based liquor license consulting firm serving clients in all 50 states. New applications, transfers, and buy & sell transactions.

Over 20 years of experience. Free 15-minute consultation available. AAA Liquor License Consulting helps restaurant owners, bar operators, hotels, wineries, event centers, and retail businesses navigate the liquor licensing process — in California and all 50 states. Founded by Jason Kho, AAA focuses exclusively on liquor license consulting. That specialization means we've seen nearly every situation before — and we know where applications stall and how to keep them moving. We handle:
- New license applications
- License transfers and acquisitions
- Buy & sell transactions
- License modifications and upgrades
- Protest and objection responses
- Multi-state expansion

Whether you're opening your first restaurant or acquiring a licensed business, the process works better when you start with the right guidance.

📞 323-510-7831
🌐 www.aaaliquorlicenses.com

10/10/2026

The transfer timeline most buyers assume and the transfer timeline that actually happens are often very different.

A clean transfer — straightforward ownership, good standing, no complications — runs 60 to 90 days in most cases.

Add complexity and that extends. Sometimes significantly.

Ownership structure. License history. Whether a protest gets filed. Location considerations.

These are the variables. And most of them are identifiable before the process starts.

Which means most timeline surprises are preventable — for buyers who know what to look for before committing.

📞 323-510-7831
🔗 Link in bio!

Most of the value I bring to a transaction isn't in the filing. It's in the review.Before any application is submitted —...
10/08/2026

Most of the value I bring to a transaction isn't in the filing. It's in the review.

Before any application is submitted — before any commitments are made — there's a set of questions that determine whether the deal makes sense and how the process will go.

Here's what that review actually covers:

✅ License history — what does the record on this license actually look like? Prior violations, suspensions, or disciplinary action don't disappear at closing. They transfer with the license

✅ Conditions on the license — are there restrictions attached to how this license can be used? Conditions that limit hours, premise size, or operational scope affect what the buyer is actually acquiring

✅ Location viability — does this location work for what the buyer is planning? Zoning, proximity rules, and local restrictions all need to be evaluated against the intended concept not assumed to be clear

✅ Realistic transfer timeline — given this specific license, this specific jurisdiction, and this specific situation — what does the transfer timeline actually look like? Not the minimum. The realistic window

Those questions answered before the deal is structured change the decisions that follow.

The price negotiation. The timeline expectations. The carry cost planning. The go or no-go decision itself.

A license that looks clean from the outside isn't always clean on the licensing side.

The review is how you find out what you're actually buying before you commit to buying it.

Are you in the early stages of an acquisition right now and have you had the license reviewed yet?

Questions to Ask Before Selling a Liquor LicenseSellers who prepare their license for the market create better outcomes ...
10/08/2026

Questions to Ask Before Selling a Liquor License

Sellers who prepare their license for the market create better outcomes than those who simply list it.

The questions worth answering before going to market:

What does the current market actually support?
Is the documentation in order?
Are there aspects of the history that need to be addressed?
What's a realistic timeline for a qualified buyer?

Those answers shape every conversation that follows.

📞 323-510-7831
🔗 Link in bio!

Liquor license transfers don't close on the same schedule as business deals.And the gap between them is almost always la...
10/06/2026

Liquor license transfers don't close on the same schedule as business deals.

And the gap between them is almost always larger than buyers expect.

Business escrow can close in 30 days.

A license transfer typically takes 60 to 90 days minimum — from the time the transfer application is filed with the ABC. Not from the time the deal closes. Not from the time escrow opens.

From the time the application is filed.

That distinction matters because those two clocks don't start at the same time — and they don't run at the same speed.

What that gap actually costs:

✅ Carrying costs accumulate while the transfer is pending — rent, payroll, overhead, all running before the business can legally operate under new ownership
✅ The open date shifts — because the business can't operate under the new license until the transfer is approved
✅ Deal pressure builds — because the timeline the buyer planned around and the timeline the ABC operates on were never the same

None of that is inevitable.

It's almost always the result of a deal structured without accounting for the transfer window.

Buyers who understand the gap before the deal is signed build around it.

Buyers who find out after escrow closes manage it under pressure.

Have you mapped out both timelines in your acquisition?

The ABC isn't reviewing your application. It's reviewing you.Most applicants focus entirely on the paperwork — making su...
09/30/2026

The ABC isn't reviewing your application. It's reviewing you.

Most applicants focus entirely on the paperwork — making sure the forms are filled out correctly and the documents are attached.

The ABC goes significantly deeper than that.

Here's what the review actually covers:

✅ The business application itself — the structure of the application, the license type, the premises details, and how everything is documented
✅ The people behind the business — every owner, officer, and partner above the disclosure threshold is individually reviewed
✅ Ownership and financial history — how the business is funded, who has a financial interest, and whether any of that creates a concern
✅ Prior license involvement — any previous involvement with a licensed business, including violations, suspensions, or disciplinary history
✅ Business structure and alignment — whether the entity structure, operating agreements, and disclosed ownership actually align with how the business will operate

None of that is on the forms themselves.

All of it informs how the review goes.

The applicants who move through this process cleanly aren't just the ones with complete paperwork.

They're the ones who understood what the process was actually looking at — and prepared accordingly.

What part of the review process do you feel least prepared for right now?

Today's the day. 🚨 Applications for the 2026 ABC Priority Drawing close tonight.If you've been on the fence, this is you...
09/26/2026

Today's the day. 🚨
Applications for the 2026 ABC Priority Drawing close tonight.

If you've been on the fence, this is your last shot until next September. Need help getting filed before the deadline?

Call us at 323-510-7831 — we can move fast.

⏰ LAST CALL: The 2026 California ABC Priority Drawing closes THIS FRIDAY, September 25!Want a full liquor license in Cal...
09/23/2026

⏰ LAST CALL: The 2026 California ABC Priority Drawing closes THIS FRIDAY, September 25!

Want a full liquor license in California? This is your once-a-year shot. 🍸🍷

Here's what's on the table this year:

🗺️ New licenses in dozens of counties: Off-sale general licenses (think liquor stores and markets) are open in 19 counties, including Los Angeles, San Diego, and Orange, and on-sale licenses (bars and restaurants) are available in 30 counties.

🎲 It's a lottery: If more people apply than there are licenses available, ABC holds a virtual drawing. This year's drawings happen the week of October 26.

💵 Low risk if you don't win: Didn't get picked? Your fee comes back minus a $100 service charge, and you keep your spot in line until next year.

⚠️ One small mistake can cost you: An incomplete or late application is disqualified, with no second chance until next year.

Miss Friday's deadline and you're waiting until September 2027. Don't let a year slip by over paperwork.

📞 Call us today: 323-510-7831. We'll help you get your application done right and submitted on time.

Address

2187 W 30th Street
Los Angeles, CA
90018

Telephone

+13235107831

Website

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