How we spot California openings
The public records behind California New Openings, how we decide what's new, and what we can't see.
What we read
- California ABC new license applications
- City of Los Angeles Office of Finance
- City and County of San Francisco registered businesses
California's Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control posts each day's new license applications. Los Angeles and San Francisco publish every registered business location with a start date.
How we decide what's new
We read them daily, keep only original applications and premises moves (not ownership changes), and sort by county.
What can go wrong
An alcohol application can take months and may be protested or denied. Cities post their data on their own schedules, and Los Angeles updates roughly monthly, so some rows arrive in batches.
A record is a signal, not a promise. Some businesses open late, rename or never open. If a listing about your business is wrong, tell us and we'll fix it.
What this doesn't cover
What this covers. Places that will sell alcohol, statewide, plus all trades only inside the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco. Outside those two cities, most new shops and salons aren't here. California's statewide seller's-permit file is a paid order we haven't made, so this isn't Texas-grade yet.
Sources: California ABC license applications and Los Angeles and San Francisco business registrations. Written from the public records themselves; check with the agency for anything legal or binding.
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