California ABC license search: pick the right lookup mode and read the result.

Licensee name versus business name

These two modes search different things. The ABC says licensee name finds a license by the owner named on it, while business name finds it by the DBA, the name under which the licensee conducts business. A bar known as one name may be licensed to a company with a different name, so if one mode returns nothing, try the other.

Searching by address

The business address mode finds a licensed location by address and city. It suits the question "who holds the license at this address?" more than "what does this person own?". A premises with several tenants or a recent change of ownership may need a second look.

Location reports

Beyond single lookups, the ABC publishes reports showing all licenses of one type in an area: by city (up to 10 cities per license type), by zip code, by county, by county and census tract, and statewide. These are helpful for counting licenses in a neighbourhood and are the part of the system most people overlook.

Terms and accuracy

The ABC's conditions of use say the State makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the absolute accuracy of site content and disclaims liability for errors and omissions, and that information on the site is generally public domain and may be distributed or copied as permitted by law. The License Lookup page itself does not state an update frequency. Confirm anything important with your local ABC district office.

A worked example (hypothetical)

Jordan (made up) wants to know who holds the license at a cafe on a particular street. This describes no real business.

Jordan chooses the business address mode, enters the street address and city, and reads the result. When the owner named on the license is a company, Jordan switches to business name and enters the cafe's trading name to check that it matches the DBA. For context Jordan opens the licenses by city report for the same license type to see how many similar licenses exist, remembering the report covers up to 10 cities. Jordan then takes any questions about status to the local district office, because the lookup page does not say how often it refreshes.

What this page does not cover

• It does not run the search or store what you type; there is no form on this page.
• It does not copy or republish license records or owner names.
• It does not explain license types, fees, eligibility or applications.
• It does not cover professional licenses held with other California boards.