Updated November 8, 2026. This article was written in the first days of January 2024 to summarize California alcohol laws that took effect that month, based on ABC’s published summaries. Later changes are listed separately in a labeled “Since then” section. It is general information, not legal advice.
A different kind of new-law list
Every January brings a fresh set of California alcohol laws, and every year the list looks a little different. The January 2023 changes, covered in our summary of that year’s laws, were mostly about licensing categories and special privileges. The bills that took effect on January 1, 2024, include something that matters to almost every retail licensee: higher maximum penalties for serving minors and the ability for ABC to weigh death or serious injury when setting discipline.
On December 28, 2023, the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) published a summary of new alcoholic beverage laws, matching its 2023 chaptered legislation page, that describes each bill and its effective date. ABC notes that its summaries clarify what new statutes mean but are not regulatory, and that licensees should consult the statute, regulation, or an attorney before acting. This article organizes those summaries by who is affected, and adds practical notes for operators.
For every retailer: SB 498 raises the stakes
SB 498 (Gonzalez, Chapter 613, Statutes of 2023) amends sections 23095 and 25658 and adds section 24200.8 to the Business and Professions Code. According to ABC’s summary, it does two main things.
First, it authorizes ABC to consider, as an aggravating factor when determining discipline for selling or furnishing alcohol to minors or obviously intoxicated persons, whether there was a subsequent death or great bodily injury.
Second, it raises the maximum amounts of an offer in compromise, the payment a retail licensee may make in lieu of a license suspension in eligible cases:
- The general cap for retail licensees rises from $3,000 to $6,000. The minimum remains $750.
- For a petitioning retailer that had another accusation filed in the preceding three years, the cap rises from $6,000 to $12,000.
- For a second violation of section 25658 within 36 months, the cap rises from $20,000 to $40,000.
The bill also raises the criminal fine for selling or furnishing alcohol to a minor that results in death or great bodily injury from $1,000 to $3,000.
For operators, the message is straightforward. The cost of a mistake at the register or bar can now be higher, and the consequences of a sale that leads to harm can weigh more heavily in discipline. Consistent ID checks and refusals of service to obviously intoxicated guests remain the best protection. We look more closely at the penalty changes in a separate article in February.
For restaurants with outdoor dining: AB 1217
AB 1217 (Gabriel, Chapter 569, Statutes of 2023) delays the expiration of COVID-19 Temporary Catering Authorizations from February 28, 2024, to July 1, 2026, according to ABC. It also removes ABC’s authority to continue an authorization beyond its expiration simply because the licensee has a pending premises expansion application.
Our 2023 patio season article explained how SB 314 tied these authorizations to a 365-day window after the COVID-19 emergency ended. AB 1217 gave operators more time, but not forever. Restaurants that rely on a temporary outdoor area should use the extra time to plan for a permanent solution, whether that means a premises expansion, a different layout, or eventually closing the temporary area.
For San Francisco venues: SB 76 and entertainment zones
SB 76 (Wiener, Chapter 700, Statutes of 2023) authorizes the City and County of San Francisco to create entertainment zones, where people may carry and consume alcoholic beverages on public streets and sidewalks adjacent to and during special events licensed by ABC. Licensees in a zone could sell open beverages for consumption in the zone under conditions listed in the bill, including no glass or metal containers and a requirement to notify ABC annually.
ABC’s summary notes that before an entertainment zone can operate, San Francisco must adopt an ordinance, on or after January 1, 2024, that includes a way to identify people with alcoholic beverages in the zone as 21 or older. As of this writing, that ordinance had not been adopted, so no zone was operating.
SB 76 also changes the music venue license. Music venues become eligible for duplicate licenses, and they may serve alcohol during private events within their licensed hours, even without a live performance, as long as private events do not outnumber live entertainment events in a calendar year. Venues must keep records showing compliance.
For Japanese and Korean restaurants: AB 416
AB 416 (Muratsuchi, Chapter 653, Statutes of 2023) extends an existing soju exception to shochu. According to ABC, an on-sale license with wine privileges, such as a Type 41 or Type 42 license, may also sell shochu, an imported Japanese distilled spirit up to 24 percent alcohol by volume derived from agricultural products. ABC says it will apply the same interpretation it uses for soju, including that the product must be imported. We cover what this means for menus in an article in early February.
For salons and barbershops: SB 247
Since 2017, California has allowed beauty salons and barbershops to serve a limited amount of complimentary beer or wine during a service without an alcohol license. SB 247 (Wilk, Chapter 212, Statutes of 2023) clarifies that this exemption applies to establishments licensed by, and in good standing with, the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. ABC says the clarification is consistent with its existing interpretation.
For craft producers
- SB 269 (Laird, Chapter 176, Statutes of 2023) adds craft distillers and brandy manufacturers to the shared-use privileges created in 2022. Under identical ownership, beer manufacturer, winegrower, craft distiller, and brandy manufacturer licenses may overlap at the same premises without separate sales and consumption areas. For craft distillers, the privilege applies only at master license locations.
- SB 788 (Ashby, Chapter 114, Statutes of 2023) removes a 60,000-barrel production requirement for beer manufacturers that want to make cider or perry. ABC notes it does not authorize tastings or sales of cider at the brewery, which still require a winegrower’s license.
- AB 1088 (Rubio, Chapter 829, Statutes of 2023) extends craft distillers’ direct-to-consumer shipping privilege until January 1, 2025, with a daily limit of 2.25 liters per consumer, record keeping, adult signature on delivery, and a required label.
- AB 546 (Villapudua, Chapter 532, Statutes of 2023) clarifies tied-house advertising rules, allows wholesalers to sell customized signs to retailers at current market price, and repeals a prohibition on cocktail tastings at brandy manufacturers.
Local and venue-specific bills
Several bills apply to particular places. AB 1668 and SB 787 each authorize 10 new Type 47 licenses, no more than four per year, in Placer County and Nevada County respectively, subject to priority drawing rules. AB 840, AB 1294, and SB 392 create tied-house advertising exceptions for specified university venues, a Kings County wave basin facility, and an Inglewood arena. These matter mainly to the businesses involved, but they are part of the January list.
Two other 2023 bills took effect earlier as urgency measures. AB 1704 took effect October 7, 2023, requiring live video feeds for ABC priority drawings and making other changes. SB 844 took effect September 30, 2023, expanding the definition of seasonal beer for returns.
Coming July 1: AB 1013
One major 2023 bill takes effect later in 2024. AB 1013 (Lowenthal, Chapter 353, Statutes of 2023) requires Type 48 licensees, generally bars and nightclubs, beginning July 1, 2024, to offer drug testing devices for drink spiking and post a required notice. ABC’s summary says the requirement runs until January 1, 2027, unless extended. See our AB 1013 guide for details.
What operators should do in January
- Retailers: Review your ID and refusal procedures with staff, and explain why SB 498 matters.
- Restaurants with temporary outdoor areas: Note the new July 1, 2026, expiration and start planning.
- Type 41 and 42 licensees: Review whether shochu fits your menu, and confirm products qualify before ordering.
- Music venues: Set up a log of live and private events.
- Type 48 licensees: Start sourcing test devices and signage for July.
- Everyone: Read the bill or consult counsel before relying on any new privilege.
Why training still matters
Most of the 2024 changes are about what businesses may do. SB 498 is a reminder of what they must not do. California’s Responsible Beverage Service requirement, which applies to servers and managers at on-premises licensees, covers checking IDs, recognizing intoxication, and refusing service. Higher penalties make that training more valuable, not less.
Questions to ask your distributor and counsel
Many of the 2024 changes depend on details that are easy to miss. Before relying on a new privilege, it helps to ask a few direct questions. Is this product imported, and is it at or below 24 percent alcohol? Do my licenses share identical ownership, and is this a master license location? Does my temporary outdoor area match what ABC approved? Is there a city ordinance in place yet? Writing down the answers, and who gave them, makes it easier to show good faith if a question comes up later.
Frequently asked questions
Does SB 498 change the legal drinking age or ID rules?
No. It raises maximum penalty amounts and lets ABC consider death or great bodily injury as an aggravating factor.
Are entertainment zones open in San Francisco?
Not yet as of early January 2024. The law requires a city ordinance first.
Can any restaurant now sell shochu?
AB 416 applies to on-sale licensees with wine privileges, and the product must meet the definition in the law, including import and alcohol content requirements.
Since then: current context as of November 8, 2026
Several items above have changed since this article was written. San Francisco adopted an entertainment zone ordinance in 2024, designating Front Street between California and Sacramento Streets as the first zone, according to SF.gov. AB 592 (Chapter 469, Statutes of 2025) further extended COVID-19 Temporary Catering Authorizations to January 1, 2029, and bars new authorizations on or after January 1, 2027, according to ABC’s 2025 chaptered legislation summary. Readers should check current law for the status of AB 1013 and other provisions with sunset dates.
The bottom line
The January 2024 list mixes new opportunities, such as shochu and shared premises, with higher stakes for serving minors and intoxicated guests. Operators who read the summaries that apply to them, update their procedures, and keep staff trained will be ready for the year.
Start 2024 With Trained Staff
Higher penalties make training more valuable. ServeTrain’s ABC-approved online RBS course helps California servers and managers certify quickly. Before enrolling, register or log in to your RBS Portal account with ABC and confirm your chosen course appears in the portal’s training provider search.
Sources
- ABC: 2023 Chaptered Legislation
- ABC: New Alcoholic Beverage Laws
- ABC: 2025 Chaptered Legislation
- SF.gov: San Francisco to Create Entertainment Zones (June 25, 2024)
- ABC: Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) Program
This article is general information, not legal advice.
