The Administrative Use Permit Application (DS-218) is the City of Murrieta form, issued by the Development Services Department, Planning Division, for alcoholic beverage sales and Public Convenience or Necessity (PCN). It is completed by the owner of a business that holds or is applying for a California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) license and operates one of the uses the city lists as eligible. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the city publishes the official form at murrietaca.gov.
Last updated
What is DS-218?
The Administrative Use Permit Application (DS-218) is the City of Murrieta form a business owner completes to request an administrative use permit for alcohol sales at a use the city lists as eligible for that review.
The City of Murrieta Development Services Department, Planning Division, issues the form. Its title adds "Alcoholic Beverage Sales and Public Convenience or Necessity (PCN)", and it asks whether a PCN is required under BPC 23958.4. The form has four pages:
- Eligible uses, business details, ABC license type, floor areas and applicant contact information.
- The basic use regulations in City of Murrieta Municipal Code Section 16.44.030 D, items 1 through 14, which apply to every alcoholic beverage sales use and sit on top of State law.
- Supplemental regulations under Section 16.44.030 E for specific uses: grocery, variety, discount and drug stores; delicatessens; restaurants; amusement centers, bowling alleys, conference centers, day spas/salons and hotels and motels; florists; and internet and mail order sales.
- The Business Owner's Declaration, followed by a City Staff Use Only block for the Police recommendation, the PCN decision, conditions and the final approval or denial.
By signing the declaration, the owner acknowledges the regulations and asks the ABC to include the appropriate City of Murrieta conditions in the ABC license for as long as it is valid. The form states that failure to comply may result in suspension or revocation of all approvals and licenses for alcohol sales. The printed revision is Revised 3/26/25.
Who needs to file DS-218?
The business owner (the ABC applicant) for a license from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control completes and signs this form when the business falls under one of the uses eligible for the administrative use permit. The form lists them under "check all that apply":
- Amusement Center
- Bowling Alley
- Conference Center
- Day Spa / Salon
- Delicatessen
- Florist
- Grocery, Drug, Discount & Variety Stores
- Hotel - Motel
- Internet & Mail Order
- Restaurants
The form asks you to select one ABC license type: 20, 21, 40, 41, 42, 47 or 48, or to write another type under "Other". It also asks whether a PCN is required under BPC 23958.4.
The declaration is signed by the business owner. The form does not provide a signature block for a representative, and it does not say who may sign for someone else. A use that is not on the printed list is not covered by this form's eligible-use list, so ask the Planning Division at 951-461-6061 how it is handled.
When to file DS-218
Complete the form when you seek the City of Murrieta administrative use permit for alcohol sales for an eligible use. No due date is printed on it. One timing rule is tied to it: under item 8 of the basic use regulations (State License Conditions), before the City approves any ABC Zoning Affidavit, the applicant must submit a signed letter addressed to the ABC agreeing to include the appropriate City of Murrieta conditions in the ABC license. The conditions you acknowledge in the declaration then apply for as long as the license is valid. The form gives no processing time. Call the Planning Division at 951-461-6061 to ask about timing.
Documents you need
- A written statement of business operation related to alcohol sales, on separate paper; the form refers to it at the Type of Business line.
- A floor plan showing the areas devoted to alcohol storage and display, or the service area; the form refers to it at the floor area lines.
- A signed letter addressed to the ABC, stipulating to include the appropriate City of Murrieta conditions in the ABC license; item 8 requires it before the City approves any ABC Zoning Affidavit.
How to fill out DS-218
Check the eligible use
Under USES ELIGIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE USE PERMIT, check each use that applies to your business, such as Restaurants, Florist or Hotel - Motel.
Enter business name, hours and address
Fill in Business Name, Business Hours and Business Address for the premises where alcohol will be sold.
Select the ABC license type
Under ABC License Type(s), select one of 20, 21, 40, 41, 42, 47 or 48. If your license is another type, write it on the Other line.
Answer the PCN question
Mark Yes or No for Local Agency PCN Required (BPC 23958.4)? Then enter your Type of Business, and prepare the written statement of business operation that the form's note 1 asks for.
Enter the floor areas
Enter the Total Business Floor Area and the Total Floor Area for Alcohol Storage and Display/Sales Area. Prepare the floor plan required by note 2.
Complete applicant contact information
Enter Contact Name, Company Name, Daytime Phone No., Mailing Address and Email Address.
Review the use regulations
Read items 1 through 14 of Section 16.44.030 D and the supplemental regulations in Section 16.44.030 E for your use. You acknowledge these when you sign.
Complete the Business Owner's Declaration
The business owner signs and dates, then prints their name and enters Phone Number, Address and Email Address. Leave the City Staff Use Only blocks blank.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check that every entry matches your ABC license and that the signature and date are in place. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and assemble it with the statement and floor plan.
How to submit DS-218
The form does not name a submission channel. Its header identifies the recipient as the City of Murrieta Development Services Department, Planning Division, 1 Town Square, Murrieta, CA 92562, telephone 951-461-6061. Confirm with the Planning Division how it accepts the application (in person, by mail or another way) before you send it.
Prepare the package before you deliver it:
- The signed and dated application, including the Business Owner's Declaration.
- The written statement of business operation related to alcohol sales, on separate paper.
- The floor plan showing the areas devoted to alcohol storage and display, or the service area.
The City Staff Use Only blocks have lines for Date Received, Date Submitted, Case # and Fee Paid. Leave them blank. Ask the Planning Division whether a fee applies and how to pay it. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the city's channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving out the written statement of business operation related to alcohol sales, which the form asks you to provide on separate paper.
- Submitting without a floor plan showing the areas for alcohol storage and display, or the service area, when you enter floor areas on the form.
- Selecting more than one ABC license type; the form says to select one, and anything outside 20, 21, 40, 41, 42, 47 and 48 goes on the Other line.
- Signing the Business Owner's Declaration without reviewing Section 16.44.030 D and the applicable parts of Section 16.44.030 E; you acknowledge you will comply with them.
- Writing in the City Staff Use Only blocks (Case #, Date Received, Fee Paid, PCN decision, conditions or approval).
- Planning exterior advertising or signs promoting alcohol; item 2 prohibits them, and item 3 limits window and clear-door signage at off-sale premises to no more than 25% of each.
- Planning alcohol sales outside 6:00 AM to 12:00 midnight; item 6 allows those hours unless a minor conditional use permit or conditional use permit approves otherwise.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Administrative Use Permit Application (DS-218)?
It is the City of Murrieta application, issued by the Planning Division, for an administrative use permit for alcohol sales. It covers alcoholic beverage sales and Public Convenience or Necessity (PCN), and it records your use, ABC license type, floor areas and signed acknowledgment of the city's alcohol regulations.
Which businesses can use the DS-218?
Businesses whose use is on the form's list: amusement centers, bowling alleys, conference centers, day spas/salons, delicatessens, florists, grocery, drug, discount and variety stores, hotels and motels, internet and mail order sales, and restaurants. The business owner, as ABC applicant, signs it.
What do I attach to the DS-218?
The form asks for a written statement of business operation related to alcohol sales, on separate paper, and a floor plan showing the alcohol storage and display areas or the service area. Item 8 also requires a signed letter to the ABC before the City approves any ABC Zoning Affidavit.
Where do I submit the DS-218 in Murrieta?
The form names no channel. Its header gives the Development Services Department, Planning Division, 1 Town Square, Murrieta, CA 92562, telephone 951-461-6061. Call the Planning Division to confirm how it accepts applications before you deliver yours.
Can I fill out the DS-218 online?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not submit the form to the City of Murrieta; you deliver it through the city's channels.
What hours can alcohol be sold under the DS-218 regulations?
Item 6 permits alcohol sales only between 6:00 AM and 12:00 midnight each day, unless a minor conditional use permit or a conditional use permit approves other hours.
What happens if I do not follow the permit regulations?
The Business Owner's Declaration states that failing to comply with the City of Murrieta Municipal Code regulations or conditions, or failing to take immediate corrective action, may result in suspension or revocation of all approvals and licenses for alcohol sales.
What size must a grocery store be to sell alcohol under this permit?
For grocery, variety, discount and drug stores, Section 16.44.030 E requires a gross floor area of at least 7,000 square feet, with no more than 15% used for storing and displaying alcoholic beverages. Other supplemental rules also apply.
Ready to fill out DS-218?
Fill out DS-218 now