US Capitol Grounds

Permitting and policing of demonstrations on US Capitol Grounds is overseen by the US Capitol Police. Groups of fewer than 20 people are not required to secure a permit (but US Capitol Police does encourage you to contact them ahead of time).

You can apply for a permit by emailing  this application  to  Special_Events@uscp.gov . You can also mail the form to Capitol Police Headquarters or drop it off in person. Capitol Police has divided the grounds into 23 Demonstration Permit Areas, which are the only areas where they will issue permits.

If you plan to march on Capitol Hill, US Capitol Police will only permit the most direct route from your starting location. While it is legal and a relatively common practice to organize marches in other parts of DC without a permit, Captiol Police generally does not allow unpermitted marches on Capitol Grounds and officers are generally very quick to respond and push marchers up onto the sidewalks.

United States Capitol Grounds Demonstration Areas Map

Note: The Senate Chamber and the US Senate Office Buildings are on the north side of the Capitol and the House office buildings are on the south side of the Capitol, so take note of which decision makers you’re hoping to influence when you choose which demonstration area to request. 

Regulations and Restrictions

The rules regarding demonstrations at the US Capitol are laid out in the Traffic Regulations for the US Capitol Grounds, which are published by the US Capitol Police. Some notable regulations include:

  • Props can be no taller than 15 feet tall

  • Stages can be no taller than 2 feet tall

  • Amplified sound is permitted, however speakers must be directed away from the Capitol and office buildings

  • All equipment must be screened at the USCP off-site facility in Southeast DC (make sure to plan to at least one hour to your setup time for this).

Alternatives to US Capitol Grounds

While the Capitol Police permitting office is generally responsive, the USCP limitations on the size of stages and props and the requirement to drive all the way to the USCP off-site facility to have materials screened leads some groups to look for alternative locations near the US Capitol.

Some common alternative locations include:

  • The National Mall between 3rd St. and 4th St. — National Park Service. This is directly across the street from Union Square (Area 15 on the US Capitol Grounds Map) and offers a great head on view of the Capitol.

  • Columbus Circle (Outside Union Station)—National Park Service. This is the plaza right outside of Union Station and directly across the street from Areas 5 and 6 on the US Capitol Grounds Map. It offers a side view of the US Capitol in the background and a much smaller space than the National Mall. While Columbus Circle could hold several thousand people, the area facing the Capitol can look relatively full with a few hundred.

  • The US Supreme Court—The Supreme Court is directly across First St NE from Area 9 on the US Capitol Grounds Map. It is very close to the Senate Office Buildings, and the fact that it can be used without a permit makes it a popular alternative to the US Capitol Grounds.

US Supreme Court

The US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) is the third branch of government and it has its own police force, but it is located within the area that is patrolled by the US Capitol Police. The rules regarding demonstrations at the Supreme Court are set out in the  Supreme Court Building Regulations . The Supreme Court does not issue permits for protests in front of the Court and protests events are permitted on a first-come-first-served basis. When opposing groups show up at the Court at the same time, SCOTUS police typically encourage one group to take the north end of the sidewalk and the other group to take the south end of the sidewalk.