News Release

Applications now being accepted for athletic field permits for the National Mall

Date: April 15, 2019
Contact: Mike Litterst, 202-245-4676

Washington – Applications are now being accepted for the permit lottery for softball and multi-use athletic fields administered by the National Mall and Memorial Parks.  Lottery applications must be received no later than April 23. Permits will be issued to successful entrants before May 5. The permit application and additional instructions on the lottery and the application process are online at go.nps.gov/NAMApermits.

Since 2017, the National Park Service has managed permits for 12 multi-use and two softball fields on the National Mall. Permits have been for a two-hour time slot for the season and include a standard $90 application fee for a special use permit. In 2019, the National Park Service will now also manage permits for the eight softball fields on the National Mall that were previously managed by the District of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation (DCDPR). The permitting of two-hour windows of reserved use will add more than 300 additional recreation opportunities for the softball fields this year.
 
There are a few additional changes in the permitting process as the National Park Service takes over management of the 10 softball fields. 
 

• There is a $10 non-refundable lottery application charge, which covers the cost of processing the lottery.
• Successful lottery entrants will  pay a $90 per permit application fee (less the $10 lottery fee, which will be credited towards the permit application fee), which is the standard cost for a National Park Service special use permit on the National Mall. This fee aligns with the $90 application fee charged for the 14 fields that have been permitted by the National Park Service since 2017.
• Permits will be issued for two seasons, May 5 through August 17, and August 18 through November 2. Applicants must submit lottery entries separately for each season. All softball and multi-use fields are available for use seven days a week from 6:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m., 9 a.m. - 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., 2 p.m. - 4 p.m., 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., and 7:00 p.m. - dark. The two-hour time blocks have been in use at the multi-use fields since 2017, and are being applied to the softball fields for the first time this year as the National Park Service takes over administration of the fields from DCDPR. 

The National Park Service will continue to engage the public regarding these and other potential changes in the future to the operational approach for these recreational field, including the new time blocks, field condition and monitoring, fee structure, and the availability of fields. The National Park Service will also explore the issue of recovering costs associated with maintenance of the athletic fields on the National Mall, looking at establishing costs for reserving the fields, which would provide the resources to recover the costs associated with management, maintenance, and administration of the fields. The fees would also be comparable to costs charged by other local jurisdictions offering sports field reservations.

How to Apply
Applicants for use of the softball and multi-use fields should submit a Special Use Permit Application, indicating preferred day, time and field location in the “Description of Proposed Activity” field. The permit application and additional instructions on the lottery and the application process are online at go.nps.gov/NAMApermits.
 
Applications will be accepted by mail, fax or in person only at:
 

National Mall and Memorial Parks
900 Ohio Drive, SW
Washington, DC  20024
ATTN: Athletic Field Lottery
Fax: [phone]

 
Applications must be postmarked or received in the office by 4 p.m. on April 23.  For additional information, please contact the National Mall and Memorial Parks Office of Permits Management at 202-245-4715 from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday - Friday. 
 

NPS