Since September 15, 2026, the City of Maceió has stated that flags and wind banners may not remain in a specific section of the waterfront between Pajuçara and Jatiúca. The measure was published in the Municipal Official Gazette and, according to the official city notice, applies at all hours. For anyone organizing activities on the waterfront, the key is to separate what is clearly covered by the restriction from what the municipal notice does not yet explain.
What was restricted
The measure announced by the City addresses the presence of flags and wind banners in public spaces included in the defined section. The notice does not create a time window for temporary use in this area. It states that the prohibition applies at any hour.
The stated purpose is to preserve safe movement for pedestrians, cyclists, athletes and micromobility users in an area that includes bike lanes, cycle tracks, outdoor gyms, lifeguard posts, street furniture and other shared facilities.
Which part of the waterfront is covered
The restriction was not announced for the entire Maceió waterfront. The City defines the section as running from the vicinity of Restaurante Dragão in Pajuçara to the OPLIT base in Jatiúca.
- the promenade;
- the adjacent strip of sand;
- landscaped medians and planting areas;
- access points;
- other public spaces within the defined section.
This means the practical question is not only whether the item is near the beach. It is also necessary to check whether it will be placed in one of the listed public spaces and inside the perimeter identified by the City.
What still applies outside this section
On other public roads in Maceió, the municipal notice says that flags and wind banners remain allowed as long as existing rules are followed. They may not impede the movement of people or vehicles or obstruct crosswalks, accessible ramps, bike lanes or public transport stops.
For electoral advertising, the City also highlights prohibitions on attaching material to trees, gardens, poles, traffic signs, street furniture, central medians and traffic lanes. The notice adds that material may not impair the visibility of road signs or, through quantity, proximity or repetition, create a visual effect equivalent to a billboard.
The legal grounds cited by the City include Federal Law 9,504/1997, the Maceió Code of Ordinances and TRE-AL Ordinance No. 1/2026.
How the rule affects events and businesses
This is the point that requires the most care. The official notice states the restriction broadly by referring to flags and wind banners, while the context and part of the cited legal basis are electoral. The municipal news item itself does not expressly clarify whether the same determination applies to non-electoral material used by stores, sponsors, fairs, races, promotional activations or other events.
It is therefore not safe to conclude from the notice alone that every commercial or event flag is automatically prohibited in every circumstance. It is also not safe to assume the opposite and install the material inside the section as though a commercial or institutional purpose created an exception.
For operational planning, the prudent approach is to treat flags and wind banners inside the perimeter as items that require prior confirmation when the use is non-electoral. The specific measure also does not support a conclusion that tents, rigid signs, totems, tables, arches or other structures are prohibited, because those formats are not the stated subject of the notice and may be governed by separate rules.
Practical examples of what can be concluded from the notice
| Situation | Safe reading of the announced rule |
|---|---|
| Flag or wind banner in a public space inside the defined section | Its presence is covered by the announced prohibition, which applies at all hours. |
| Material on the adjacent sand strip, a planting area or an access point inside the same section | These areas are expressly listed as part of the restriction. |
| Flag or wind banner on another public road in Maceió | It may continue to be allowed, provided existing rules are followed and it does not create an obstruction. |
| Commercial or event flag or wind banner inside the section | The notice does not specifically clarify the treatment of non-electoral material. The application of the measure to the concrete case should be confirmed before installation. |
| Event tent, rigid sign, totem or arch | The newly announced restriction does not specifically address these formats. This measure alone should not be used to state that they are either prohibited or allowed. |
| Electoral advertising attached to a tree, pole, street furniture or traffic sign | The municipal notice states that attachment in these locations is prohibited. |
Who is responsible for enforcement
Enforcement of the restriction was assigned to the Municipal Secretariat for Citizen Security, Semsc, acting jointly with the Municipal Department of Transport and Traffic, DMTT. The official news item reviewed does not describe a specific procedure for exceptional authorization within the covered section.
What should not be assumed
The City notice does not state, in the text reviewed, fine amounts, a specific list of penalties for the new restriction or a dedicated exception procedure for events or commercial establishments. Without the full text of the act applicable to a specific case, assigning penalties or creating exceptions would go beyond the available official information.
For anyone deciding whether to bring or install material on the waterfront, the practical rule is straightforward: within the Pajuçara to Jatiúca section described by the City, flags and wind banners are subject to the announced full-time restriction. Outside that area, the general rules continue to apply. For non-electoral event or commercial uses inside the perimeter, the public notice reviewed leaves a question that should be clarified before setup.
