Starting a Distillery, Brewery, or Winery? You’ll Need a Liquor Manufacturer License

You’ve got the recipes dialed in. The space is picked out. Now comes the part nobody warns you about: the licensing.

If you’re opening a distillery, brewery, or winery in California, a standard retail liquor license won’t cut it. You need a liquor manufacturer license, and depending on what you produce and how much, the type of license changes. So does the cost, the application process, and the federal permits you’ll need on top of it.

Here’s what this guide covers:

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What Is a Liquor Manufacturer License?

A liquor manufacturer license is a state-issued alcoholic beverage license that authorizes a business to produce, store, and sell alcohol at the manufacturing level. It covers distilled spirits, wine, and beer produced for commercial sale, and it is not the same as a retail license.

A retail liquor license allows a business to sell alcohol directly to consumers, like a bar or liquor store. A manufacturer license authorizes a licensee to produce the product itself, whether that means fermenting, distilling, bottling, or a combination of all three.

Manufacturer licensees can typically sell to licensed wholesalers and, in certain cases, sell directly to consumers for on-premises consumption or ship alcoholic beverages within the state. What a license allows depends entirely on the license type.

California Manufacturer License Types

The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) issues several manufacturer license types depending on what you produce and at what scale. Here are the most common ones:

• Type 01 – Beer Manufacturer: For breweries producing over 60,000 barrels per year. This license type allows on-premises consumption and sales to licensed wholesalers.

• Type 02 – Winegrower License: For wineries and vineyards producing wine or hard cider. A farm winery producing under a certain volume may qualify for reduced annual fees.

• Type 04 – Distilled Spirits Manufacturer: For full-scale distilleries producing spirituous liquors like whiskey, gin, or vodka for sale and distribution.

• Type 23 – Small Beer Manufacturer: For craft brewery operations producing under 60,000 barrels per year. This is the common license type for smaller beer producers.

• Type 74 – Craft Distillery License: For smaller distillers capped at 100,000 gallons of distilled spirits annually. Allows a manufacturer to sell directly to consumers on licensed premises.

Not sure which one applies to you? The production volume, the type of beverage alcohol you’re making, and whether you want on-premises consumption all factor in. This is where getting it wrong costs real money.

What is the difference between a manufacturer license and a retail license?

A manufacturer license authorizes a business to produce and sell alcoholic beverages at the production level, typically to licensed wholesalers or directly to consumers on licensed premises. A retail license authorizes a business to sell alcohol directly to consumers, like a bar, restaurant, or liquor store. The two serve different parts of the supply chain and have different laws and regulations governing them.

How to Be Licensed as a Liquor Manufacturer in California

The license application process runs through the California ABC for your state permit, and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) for your federal permit. In most cases, both state and federal approvals are required before you can legally produce and sell alcoholic beverages. You need to obtain a federal basic permit from the TTB and apply for a state license with the ABC, and neither process waits for the other.

What You’ll Need to Complete the Application

• The correct manufacturer license type selected for your operation

• Business formation documents and ownership information

• Floor plans and a description of your licensed premises

• Disclosure of any financial interest in a retail business

• Local zoning clearance or a conditional use permit from your city or county

• Proof that you have applied for or obtained the required federal approvals through the TTB’s Permits Online system

Applications can be submitted online through the California ABC portal or by paper. Online is faster and gives you real-time status tracking. Paper works for more complex ownership structures, but expect longer review times.

How Long Does It Take to Get an Alcohol Manufacturing License?

Plan for 3 to 6 months minimum. Applications that skip local zoning approvals or arrive with missing documents can stretch well past that. Your municipality usually needs to sign off before the ABC will approve the license, and that step alone can take weeks depending on your location.

One thing I see constantly with new producers: they start the state application before confirming local zoning. They get deep into the ABC process, then find out the city needs a conditional use permit first. That discovery sets everything back two to three months. Check zoning on day one.

What types of activities are allowed under a liquor manufacturer license?

A liquor manufacturer license generally allows a business to produce alcoholic beverages, and may also allow activities like bottling, packaging, storing, distributing, or selling to licensed wholesalers or retailers, depending on the license type and state rules.

Liquor Manufacturer License Cost

Costs come from three places: state application fees, annual renewal fees, and local fees from your city or county. Federal permits from the TTB have no application fee, but they still require time and paperwork.

State Application Fees (as of January 2026)

The California ABC adjusts fees annually based on the Consumer Price Index. Current application fees are:

• Type 01 (Beer Manufacturer): $1,135

• Type 02 (Winegrower): $1,135

• Type 04 (Distilled Spirits Manufacturer): $1,135

Annual Renewal Fees

Annual fees vary by license type and production volume. A few examples:

• Type 01 (60,000+ barrels): $2,450 per year

• Type 02 Winegrower: $155 (up to 5,000 gallons), scaling up to $705 (up to 1,000,000 gallons)

• Type 04 (Distilled Spirits Manufacturer): $827 per year

Miss your renewal deadline, and a 50% penalty applies within 60 days. After that, it jumps to 100%. Staying on top of renewals is simple with a reminder system in place, and something we manage for our clients automatically.

Local Fees

Your city or county will layer on their own fees for zoning permits, business licenses, and inspections. These vary widely. Some municipalities charge a few hundred dollars. Others can run into the thousands. Confirm with your local planning department before you budget.

How much does a liquor manufacturer license cost in California?

State application fees are $1,135 for most manufacturer license types as of 2026. Annual renewal fees range from $155 for small winegrowers to $2,450 for large beer manufacturers. Local city and county fees are additional and vary by jurisdiction. Federal permits from the TTB carry no application fee.

Secondary Permits You’ll Need

A state manufacturer license is essential, but it does not cover every permit or approval your business may need. Most producers need at least a couple of these before opening day.

TTB Federal Basic Permit

Before you can produce or distribute beverage alcohol in the US, you must register with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), the federal agency under the Department of the Treasury that oversees alcohol and tobacco tax. Distilleries, wineries, and breweries all need to obtain a federal basic permit through TTB’s Permits Online system. There is no fee, but approval times vary, so apply early.

You’ll also need a Certificate of Label Approval (COLA) from the TTB for any product you plan to sell commercially. Without a COLA, you generally cannot sell that product commercially.

Wholesaler Permit

If you plan to sell and deliver your product to retailers or other wholesalers directly rather than through a licensed wholesaler, you’ll need a separate wholesaler permit. Most craft producers start by working with a licensed wholesaler and add this later when volume justifies it.

Health Permit

If your facility includes a tasting room or any on-premises consumption, a health permit from your local county health department is required. This applies whether you’re serving liquor by the drink, beer and wine samples, or food alongside your beverages.

Local Zoning and Fire Clearance

Your licensed premises must meet local zoning requirements and pass a fire safety inspection before the ABC will approve your application. These two items alone can add weeks to your timeline if you wait until after submitting to sort them out.

Get Licensed Without the Guesswork

Forty years in this business means we’ve seen every version of this process, from clean 90-day approvals to situations where someone built out a full facility before confirming their zoning. We know which steps trip people up, and we know how to get ahead of them.

Whether you’re opening a craft distillery, a farm winery, or a microbrewery, our team handles the license application from start to finish. We coordinate with the ABC, the TTB, and your local city or county, so nothing falls through the cracks.

Reach out today for a free consultation. Tell us what you’re building, and we’ll help you identify the licenses and permits you need to open legally and on schedule.