253 liquor licenses available or in transfer in San Diego County

• THE GRASS SKIRT — SAN DIEGO (Type 47, file 00565045)
• THE LOCAL — SAN DIEGO (Type 47, file 00660358)
• T2232 — NATIONAL CITY (Type 21, file 00654728)
• GROCERY OUTLET — RAMONA (Type 21, file 00662279)
• CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN — ENCINITAS (Type 47, file 00662022)
• MIA'S SOLANA BEACH — SOLANA BEACH (Type 47, file 00668618)
• CUTWATER SPIRITS/LOFTY COFFEE — SAN DIEGO (Type 47, file 00668624)
• THE TACO STAND — SAN DIEGO (Type 47, file 00668628)
• SAN DIEGO VEGAN MARKET — SAN DIEGO (Type 21, file 00652397)
• CORK & BATTER — SAN DIEGO (Type 47, file 00655242)
• FAST FUEL — SAN DIEGO (Type 21, file 00662934)
• JACKSON 234 — CHULA VISTA (Type 21, file 00662956)
• UNITED PACIFIC #7961 — ALPINE (Type 21, file 00662960)
• WASHINGTON MOBIL — SAN DIEGO (Type 21, file 00662961)
• OTAY VALLEY SHELL — CHULA VISTA (Type 21, file 00662965)
• BRIKHO FUELS — CORONADO (Type 21, file 00662967)
• SQUARE DEAL MARKET — SAN DIEGO (Type 21, file 00663009)
• PARFAIT CAFE PARIS — SAN DIEGO (Type 47, file 00668632)
• ROUND1 BOWLING & ARCADE / YUU JAPANESE FOOD HALL — SAN DIEGO (Type 47, file 00671505)
• BARONS MARKET — SAN DIEGO (Type 21, file 00663315)
• EL COMALANTOJITOS BAR & GRILL — SAN DIEGO (Type 47, file 00654719)
• 264 FRESCO — CARLSBAD (Type 47, file 00669412)
• THE LOCAL DOWNTOWN — SAN DIEGO (Type 47, file 00669441)
• MARIETA'S EL CAJON MEXICAN RESTAURANT — EL CAJON (Type 47, file 00669906)
• JACUMBA HOT SPRINGS HOTEL — JACUMBA (Type 47, file 00669924)

A full on-sale general (Type 47/48) liquor license in San Diego County trades on the secondary market — typically $50,000 to $400,000 depending on county quota tightness — because California caps how many quota licenses exist per county. Right now CA ABC data shows 3,531 active quota licenses and 253 surrendered or in-transfer (potentially acquirable) in San Diego County.

Yes. CA ABC's latest export lists 71 surrendered and 182 transfer-pending quota licenses in San Diego County — these are the licenses most likely to change hands. The newly-distressed ones are listed on this page; LiquorDesk alerts buyers and brokers the week each one is published.

Two routes: (1) apply to CA ABC for a new quota license if the county has availability under its quota (rare in tight counties — there's often a waiting list or a priority drawing), or (2) buy an existing license via a person-to-person transfer (a Section 24070 transfer), which is how most quota licenses in San Diego County actually change hands. Surrendered and transfer-pending licenses (listed above) are the live inventory.

California issues on-sale general (Type 47/48) and off-sale general (Type 21) licenses against a per-county quota tied to population. In counties where the quota is full, the only way to get one is a transfer from an existing holder — which is why surrendered and distressed licenses are valuable and why catching them first matters.