Pennsylvania Licensing

Financing

Pennsylvania Liquor Licensing

Buy, sell, or transfer PA liquor licenses with confidence. LLHQ handles the details so you open on time and stay compliant.

When Prohibition ended in 1933, each state set its own system. Pennsylvania chose a quota model that still drives today’s market: a limited number of retail licenses per county tied to population. Over time, demand has grown—especially with convenience and grocery participation—while supply stayed fixed. Result: county-by-county pricing, real competition, and plenty of pitfalls.

LLHQ helps you navigate it all, from sourcing and pricing to financing, filings, and final approval.

Our Process

Who We Help

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First-time buyers

Opening a new concept

Existing operators

Relocating or expanding (place-to-place)

Multi-unit groups

Coordinating across multiple counties/municipalities

Sellers

Seeking valuation, buyer matchmaking, and a clean transfer

Financing

Pennsylvania Liquor Licensing

Buy, sell, or transfer PA liquor licenses with confidence. LLHQ handles the details so you open on time and stay compliant.

Market intel & sourcing

We identify available licenses in your target county, share recent comps, and set realistic pricing ranges.

Negotiation strategy

We structure offers that reflect local conditions (earnest money, contingencies, timing) and help your attorney paper the deal.

Financing alignment

We package your file and coordinate with Starbanco for liquor-license, build-out, equipment, and working-capital options—timed to milestones so cash is ready when approvals hit.

Compliance execution

We assemble state/municipal filings, manage postings/publication, track calendars, and prepare you for hearings/inspections.

Opening-day readiness

Manager appointments, required signage, hours policy, recordkeeping—so you start clean and stay that way.
Financing

How LLHQ Helps Sellers

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Valuation & comps

We benchmark your license against recent county activity and set a go-to-market range.

Buyer pipeline

We surface qualified buyers (concept fit, funding readiness, timeline) and manage conversations discreetly.

Deal structure & diligence

We coordinate with your attorney on clean terms, then preflight common blockers (tax clearances, liens, prior citations).

Transfer path & timing

We plan municipal/state steps and keep the deal moving—so you close faster with fewer surprises.
Our Clients

Our Process

1.

Scope & Strategy

Concept, county, budget, timeline, feasibility
2.

Sourcing & price setting

Options + comps, offer terms, buyer/seller matchmaking
3.

Agreement & diligence

Attorney drafts; we run lien/tax/citation checks and assemble exhibits
4.

Municipal steps (if moving)

Post/publish notices; coordinate any hearing
5.

State transfer filing

Complete packet, respond to agency requests
6.

Approvals & closing

Funds disburse per agreement; we finalize post-approval tasks
Financing

Common pitfalls we prevent

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Buyer unreadiness or mismatched timelines

Seller tax issues or undisclosed liens on the license

Local protests and conditions from hearings

Prior citations/discipline complicating approval

Mispricing from poor comps in a quota market

Thin buyer pools for niche locations/concepts

How we mitigate: Early diligence, calendar control, packet QA, targeted outreach, and integrated financing/compliance support.

Financing

Pennsylvania License Types

Hours note: Weekday service is generally 7:00 a.m.–2:00 a.m.; Sunday sales require a permit. Always verify local rules and holiday variations.

  • On-premise: beer, wine, spirits
  • Beer-to-go: up to 192 oz (e.g., six-packs)
  • Requirements: food service with kitchen, min. licensed area, seating, valid health license
  • Notes: Sunday sales require a permit; limited wine-to-go possible with a Wine Expanded Permit (WEP)
  • On-premise: beer only
  • Beer-to-go: up to 192 oz
  • Requirements: smaller minimum square footage than R; kitchen/food prep required
  • Notes: No wine or spirits privileges
  • Off-premise beer sales (cases, kegs; some format rules apply)
  • No on-premise consumption; no wine/spirits
  • May wholesale to retailers (importing distributor)
  • Member-based non-profit privileges (CC may serve non-members at catered events)
  • Not intended for general public retail
  • On-premise beer, wine, spirits; limited beer-to-go; WEP may allow limited wine-to-go
  • Not quota-bound like R/E; tied to hotel room requirements (some historical waivers exist)
Our Process

Documents checklist (buyers & sellers)

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Entity & owners

Formation docs, ownership table, IDs for principals

Deal & premises

LOI/APA, lease or amendment, scaled diagram/site plan, build-out scope

Operations

Proposed hours, concept summary, manager plan

Compliance artifacts

Tax clearances, lien releases (if any), prior citation history

Public notice

Publication/posting affidavits (we track and retain)

Financing (if applicable)

Recent financials, bank statements, sources & uses

Pricing guidance (high level)

Because licenses are quota-limited and county-bound, pricing is hyper-local and moves with supply/demand. Convenience/grocery participation has lifted demand in many counties. We’ll share current comps and structures for your county and concept, and explore inter-municipal or alternative paths if they make more sense.

Sell a License

Coverage focus

Statewide support with frequent activity in: Philadelphia, Allegheny, Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, York, Berks, Lehigh. Tell us your county—we’ll bring inventory views and recent deal learnings.

Get Started

Tell us your county, concept, and target opening date. We’ll outline the best path, build your document list, and start sourcing or transfer prep.
Our Clients

We partner with more than 60 brands

Clients who have become our friends for many years

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