English · Punjabi spoken fluently
Mon–Sat · (916) 284-7226
18 years inside California ABC

Eighteen years inside California ABC. Now in your corner.

I spent 18 years as a licensing specialist inside the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Today I work with business owners on the other side of the desk — helping them buy, sell, transfer, and renew their liquor licenses with fewer surprises and less waiting.

Book a free 15-min call or call (916) 284-7226
Statewide California
30+ years in California regulation
Consultations in English or Punjabi
Manjeet McCarthy, California ABC license consultant
Manjeet McCarthy
Former CA ABC Licensing Specialist · 18 Years
18
Years inside
California ABC
30+
Years in California
business regulation
Senior
California state
regulatory role
CA
Statewide service
in 58 counties
What I do

Six services. One specialty.

Whether you're opening a market, taking over a restaurant, selling a license you've held for decades, or stuck somewhere mid-application — every situation runs through the same agency. I know it from the inside.

— 01

Buy a liquor license

Acquiring a Type 20, 21, 41, 47, 48, or other license? I source, vet, escrow, and complete the transfer. You get the all-in number before you sign anything.

→ Closed transaction, license in hand.
— 02

Sell a liquor license

Right buyer, right price, clean transfer. I handle the listing, negotiation, escrow, and ABC paperwork end to end so you can focus on your next chapter.

→ License sold, paid in full.
— 03

Transfer a license

Person-to-person, premises-to-premises, ownership changes. Transfers are where most applications stall — usually for preventable reasons.

→ Transfer completed on schedule.
— 04

New original application

First license for a new business? I map out license type, quota availability, fees, hearings, and realistic timelines so you can open on schedule.

→ Open on time with license active.
— 05

Renewals & compliance

Annual renewals, condition modifications, change-of-officer filings, manager applications. The work that keeps your doors open, handled correctly the first time.

→ License current, no surprises.
— 06

Stalled or protested?

Application protested by a neighbor or city? Stuck on a tax hold, condition negotiation, or hearing? This is the work I know best from 18 years inside the agency.

→ Application resolved, license issued.
Manjeet McCarthy, California ABC license consultant
About me

Meet Manjeet.

For 18 years, I was a licensing specialist inside the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. I processed applications, interpreted the law, sat through the hearings, and watched every kind of business owner come through the door. I know how the agency works because I worked there.

Today I serve as Associate Deputy Director, Office of Permit Assistance, at the California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), where I help businesses across many sectors — from restaurants to manufacturing to renewable energy — navigate California's permitting landscape.

This independent ABC consulting practice draws specifically on those 18 years inside ABC. I work with liquor store owners, restaurateurs, market operators, and entrepreneurs across California. I help with buying, selling, transferring, renewing, and unsticking license applications — the work I know best from the inside.

Many of my clients are first-generation business owners running family shops. Punjabi is my first language, so I can conduct an entire consultation in Punjabi if a client prefers. I also have long experience serving California's Korean small-business community.

When you call me, you're getting a senior California regulatory professional with 30+ years in this work — not a sales pitch. I'll tell you what's likely to happen, what it'll cost, and whether I'm the right fit. If I'm not, I'll say so.

About my GO-Biz role. My consulting practice is independent and is not affiliated with the State of California, GO-Biz, or the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. My GO-Biz position is mentioned only to describe the breadth of my California regulatory experience — not to suggest preferential treatment, access, or influence in any ABC matter. Every application I help with goes through the standard ABC process like anyone else's.
Currently
GO-Biz, State of California
Formerly · 18 years
California Dept. of ABC
Service area
California statewide
How it works

Four steps. No surprises.

Most people who call me have never been through this process. I made the path predictable so you can focus on running your business while I run the paperwork.

i

Free 15-min call

Tell me what you're trying to do, what you've already tried, and where you're stuck. I'll tell you what's involved — fees, timeline, risks — in plain language. No commitment.

ii

Written plan & quote

I confirm the right license type, county quota status, and application route. You get a written plan with all-in pricing so you can decide with full information.

iii

I handle the work

Forms, escrow coordination, ABC submission, hearings, protest responses, follow-ups. You get weekly status updates — not silence between calls.

iv

License in hand

I stay available after issuance for renewals, modifications, and the next chapter — for as long as you own the business.

Free Guide

The 7 mistakes that stall a California ABC application

— Drawn from 18 years inside the agency.

~12 pages M. McCarthy
Free, coming soon

The mistakes I saw — over and over — from the other side of the desk.

A short, practical guide based on the patterns I watched stall thousands of California ABC applications during my 18 years inside the agency. No fluff, no upsell. Just the things owners get wrong before they ever pick up the phone.

  • The single most common reason transfers get sent back for corrections
  • What "protested" actually means — and what to do in the first 72 hours
  • How to read a quota-county situation before you put money in escrow
  • The compliance check that catches owners by surprise on renewal

The guide is being finalized. Leave your email and I'll send it the moment it's published. No spam, ever. Unsubscribe anytime.

In their words

Trusted by California's small business owners.

★★★★★

[Placeholder] Manjeet got our license transferred in half the time the first consultant said it would take. She knew exactly who to call and what to file. We opened on schedule.

S
S. Singh Liquor Market Owner · Fresno
★★★★★

[Placeholder] Our application was protested by the city. We were ready to give up. Manjeet handled the hearing, the paperwork, and the response. She saved our restaurant.

J
J. Kim Restaurant Owner · Los Angeles
★★★★★

[Placeholder] I've been in this business 22 years. Manjeet is the only consultant who told me the truth on the first call. No pressure, no surprises — just straight answers.

M
M. Patel Convenience Store · Sacramento

Names abbreviated for privacy. Full client references available on request.

Common questions

Honest answers to what I hear most.

Don't see your question? Call me. The first 15 minutes are always free, and I'll tell you whether I'm the right fit before I tell you anything else.

Call (916) 284-7226
How long does it take to get a California liquor license?
Most original applications take 60 to 90 days from submission. Transfers usually run 45 to 60 days. Timelines vary by license type, county, and whether the application draws a protest. A clean application moves faster than a corrected one — that's most of what I work to control.
How much does a California liquor license cost?
Two costs to separate. State filing fees (set by ABC, ranging from a few hundred to a couple thousand depending on license type). And the license itself when bought on the open market in a quota county (anywhere from $12,000 to several hundred thousand depending on type and location). I give you an all-in number after the free 15-minute consultation, before you commit to anything.
Can I transfer a license to a new owner?
Yes. Person-to-person and premises-to-premises transfers are both common, and each has its own forms, escrow steps, and timing. Most stalled transfers I see come from preventable paperwork issues.
What happens if my application gets protested?
A protest does not end your application — it triggers a hearing process. Knowing how that process actually works from the inside matters more than most applicants realize. Protest work is a core part of my practice.
What's the difference between a Type 21, 47, and 48 license?
Type 21 is off-sale general (liquor stores) — beer, wine, and spirits sold for consumption off-premises. Type 47 is on-sale general for bona fide eating places (full bar in a restaurant). Type 48 is on-sale general for public premises (bars, no food required). The right choice depends on your concept, your location, and quota availability in your county. I'll walk you through it on the call.
Can the consultation be conducted in Punjabi?
Yes. Punjabi is my first language and I can conduct the entire engagement in Punjabi if you prefer. Many of my clients are first-generation owners who appreciate not needing to bring a relative to translate.
Do you serve Korean-speaking clients?
Yes — I've worked with California's Korean small-business community for years. While I don't conduct consultations in Korean, the community has been a meaningful part of my practice and I have long experience with the specific issues Korean-owned markets, restaurants, and shops face in the ABC process.
Do you serve all of California?
Yes — statewide. Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, Fresno, Bakersfield, San Jose, Oakland, Long Beach, every California county and every smaller town in between.
Take the first step

Your free 15-minute call.

You'll know exactly where you stand, what's involved, and what it'll cost — before you commit to anything. That's how I've worked with thousands of California small business owners. That's how I'll work with you.

  • No commitment, no sales pressure
  • Same-day callback during business hours
  • Available in English or Punjabi
  • Honest answers — even if I'm not the right fit
Call directly
(916) 284-7226

I'll call you back within one business day. Your information is private and never shared.