The Department of Enterprise Services updated its Bridge Banner Standards and its Displays on the Capitol Grounds Policy in April, 2017, to address banners that are hung from the pedestrian walking bridge over Capitol Way South.

Apply for a Bridge Banner permit

Bridge banner policy and standards highlights include:

• Continues the prior existing policy that only Enterprise Services can hang bridge banners to ensure their safe hanging. The department charges a fee for hanging banners.
• Limits bridge banners to two categories by governmental entities or non-profits:
  1. Public event announcements of events open to the general public; and
  2. Public service announcements directed at the general public for public benefit.
• Creates categories of bridge banner content that are not allowed. Some examples of content restrictions are:
  • Endorsing or opposing political candidates, initiatives, ballot measures, issues or messages.
  • Demeaning or disparaging an individual or group of individuals.
  • Promoting unlawful, illegal or unsafe goods, services, activities, conduct, or behaviors.
  • Promoting sexually-oriented businesses or sexually explicit material.
  • Primarily promoting tobacco, alcohol or marijuana, or related products.
  • Depicting explicit, offensive or obscene sexual or excretory activities.
  • Any images of a person appearing to be a minor in sexually suggestive dress, pose or context or of an obscene nature.

Procedures

Bridge banner hanging and removal: For safety reasons, only Enterprise Services may hang or remove a bridge banner. All applicants must pay the hanging/removal fee before a bridge banner will be hung.

Bridge banner stickers: Enterprise Services requires banner applicants to place a disclaimer on their banners that states the banners are not affiliated with the state.

Scheduling

• Please view bridge banner availability when applying for a permit through the online scheduling system.
• Please be prepared to upload a banner photo or design when applying for a banner permit.
• Use the online banner application.

Banner drop-off and pick-up

Enterprise Services would like to remind people to deliver approved banners to Room 111 of the Visitor Services office the Friday before the banner is to be hung. Banners are hung on Mondays. Banners need to be picked up one week after their Monday hang date, after 10 a.m.