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Liquor license for sale in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's restaurant 'R' license is the workhorse full-liquor license and trades actively by county. PA is unusual in that the state itself auctions expired licenses quarterly — sometimes a cheaper route than a broker, sometimes not.
License types & what they trade for
| License | Use | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| R (Restaurant) Restaurant Liquor License | Full liquor, on-premise; the standard bar/restaurant license. | $25k–$500k+ resale (county-dependent) |
| E (Eating Place / Hotel) Eating Place / Hotel | Limited or hotel on-premise depending on class. | Varies |
| D (Distributor) Beer Distributor | Off-premise beer sales by case/keg (and now smaller quantities). | $50k–$300k+ resale |
Resale figures are market estimates and move with demand. Verify current availability on the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) registry.
By county / market
- Philadelphia County — Largest PA market; R-license resale frequently $75k–$300k+.
- Allegheny County — Pittsburgh metro; active resale market, mid five to low six figures.
- Montgomery County — Affluent Philly suburb; among the priciest R licenses in the state.
- Bucks County — Strong suburban demand; R licenses in the mid-to-high five figures and up.
Next steps
Read the step-by-step how-to-buy guide for Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania cost breakdown, and how buyers finance a license.
FAQ
How much does a liquor license cost in Pennsylvania?
PLCB transfer/validation fees are modest; the resale price (or your winning auction bid) is the real cost and is driven by county quota scarcity.
Can you buy a liquor license in Pennsylvania?
Yes. Pennsylvania caps general licenses, so they trade on a secondary market. Pennsylvania's restaurant 'R' license is the workhorse full-liquor license and trades actively by county. PA is unusual in that the state itself auctions expired licenses quarterly — sometimes a cheaper route than a broker, sometimes not.
How do you transfer a liquor license in Pennsylvania?
Quota licenses transfer person-to-person and place-to-place WITHIN THE SAME COUNTY. Inter-county transfer is not permitted. Moving a license to a different municipality in the same county needs that municipality's approval. Expired-license auctions are a state-run alternative to the broker market.