Pennsylvania's Liquor Control Board is giving food-and-beverage businesses across the Lehigh Valley a chance to acquire a restaurant liquor license through public auction this fall, with one expired license each available in Lehigh and Northampton counties.
What Is Being Auctioned
The PLCB's 16th regular auction of expired restaurant liquor licenses covers one license per county across 20 Pennsylvania counties. The full list of participating counties: Adams, Berks, Bucks, Cambria, Carbon, Crawford, Delaware, Greene, Jefferson, Lancaster, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Schuylkill, Snyder, Washington, and Wayne. Restaurant licenses that expire without renewal or transfer eventually revert to the state, where they become available through competitive sealed-bid auction.
The Bidding Process
The minimum bid for each license is $25,000. Each bid must be accompanied by a bid surety equal to either $5,000 or 5 percent of the total bid, whichever is higher. The PLCB will notify the highest responsive bidder for each county, who will then have up to 30 days to remit payment and up to six months to formally apply for the license.
An important geographic restriction applies: licenses in this auction cannot be transferred across county lines. A business winning a Lehigh County license must use it within Lehigh County, and a Northampton County license must remain in Northampton County. Within those limits, the license may be transferred to another municipality in the same county under applicable state law.
Key Deadlines
The window for submitting written questions to the PLCB closed at noon on Thursday, August 27, 2026. Sealed bids remain due by October 5, 2026.
Why This Matters Locally
Obtaining a restaurant liquor license in Pennsylvania has historically been challenging and expensive because state law limits the number of active licenses based on county population ratios. Expired licenses auctioned by the PLCB can offer a more accessible path to licensure compared to purchasing an active license through a private transfer, where prices in competitive markets can far exceed the state minimum. For new restaurants, bars, and hospitality operators eyeing the Lehigh Valley, the October deadline represents a concrete opportunity worth monitoring.
At a Glance
- Auction: PLCB 16th Regular Auction of Expired Restaurant Liquor Licenses
- Lehigh Valley counties included: Lehigh County and Northampton County (one license each)
- Total counties in auction: 20 across Pennsylvania
- Minimum bid per license: $25,000
- Bid surety required: $5,000 or 5% of bid amount, whichever is higher
- Written questions: window closed at noon, August 27, 2026
- Bids due: October 5, 2026
- Key restriction: Licenses may not be transferred across county lines
