Each license is separate and distinct and is transferable upon approval by the department from the licensee to another person and from one premises to another premises.
(a) All off-sale general licenses may be transferred from one county to another county, subject to the following provisions:
(1) The number of off-sale general licenses in existence in any county on June 1 of any year shall not be increased by more than 25 new original off-sale general licenses during the following 12-month period, provided further that the number of new original off-sale general licenses that may be issued in any county during any 12-month period shall not increase by more than 10 percent the number of off-sale general licenses in existence in that county on the June 1 with which that 12-month period began.
(2) After the department computes the number of new original off-sale licenses that may be issued in any county during any 12-month period as provided by the foregoing paragraph, if the department determines that the ratio established by Section 23817 will permit, during that 12-month period, additional off-sale general licenses in any county, off-sale general licenses may be transferred into that county in a number not to exceed by more than 10 percent the number of off-sale general licenses in existence in that county on the June 1 with which that 12-month period began, but in no event to exceed 25 such transfers during that 12-month period.
(3) Under no circumstances shall the combined total number of new original off-sale general licenses that may be issued in any county during any 12-month period and the number of off-sale general licenses that may be transferred into such county during that 12-month period, exceed the limitation set forth in Section 23817.
(b) All on-sale general licenses may be transferred from one county to another county, subject to the following provisions:
(1) The number of on-sale general licenses in existence in any county on June 1 of any year shall not be increased by more than 10 percent by the issuance of new original on-sale general licenses, but in no event to exceed 25 such licenses, during any 12-month period. The number of on-sale general licenses shall be limited by the provisions of Section 23816.
(2) After the department computes the number of new original on-sale licenses that may be issued in any county during any 12-month period as provided by the foregoing paragraph, if the department determines that the ratio established by Section 23816 will permit, during that 12-month period, additional on-sale general licenses in any county, on-sale general licenses may be transferred into that county in a number not to exceed by more than 10 percent the number of on-sale general licenses in existence in that county on June 1 with which that 12-month period began, but in no event to exceed 25 such transfers during that 12-month period.
(3) Under no circumstances shall the combined total number of new original on-sale general licenses that may be issued in any county during any 12-month period and the number of on-sale general licenses that may be transferred into that county during that 12-month period, exceed the limitation set forth in Section 23816.
(c) No retail license subject to the provisions of Section 23816 or 23817 issued as a new original license on or after June 1, 1961, and no off-sale general license or on-sale general license transferred from one county to another county on or after August 17, 1967, shall be transferable from the licensee to another person, or if the licensee is a corporation a controlling interest in the stock ownership of the licensee shall not be, directly or indirectly, sold, transferred, or hypothecated unless the licensee be a corporation the stock of which is listed on a stock exchange in this state or in the City of New York, State of New York, or which is required by law to file periodic reports with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, for a period of two years from date of issuance of the license, except as provided in Section 24071, and except when the department determines that the transfer is necessary to prevent undue hardship.
(d) (1) An on-sale general license or off-sale general license that has been transferred from one county to another county shall not be transferred for a purchase price or consideration in excess of the original fee paid for that license pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision(a) of Section 23320 for a period of five years following the previous transfer of that license.
(2) An on-sale general license or off-sale general license that has been transferred from one county to another county may be transferred with no restrictions as to the purchase price or consideration to the transferor or from the transferee after a period of five years from the date of the previous intercounty transfer of the license.
(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 29, Sec. 62. (SB 82) Effective June 27, 2019.)