Can I Fly a Flag on my House?
A flag is a lovely décor addition to your house, whether to commemorate something memorable or to symbolise something you believe in. But with so many various regulations and legislations out there, it's no surprise that when it comes to wanting to fly a flag, it's easy to lose track of the rules and understand what's permissible.
In this article, we will look at all of the different flag types and fully explain the ins and outs of government documents to help you understand them.
So can you fly a flag on your house? Yes, however certain limits apply, as well as the location of the flag on the property. But, in brief, yes, you can fly a flag on your house.
Continue reading to learn more about flags.
What does the Law say?
Before your flag has been flown it’s imperative that all flags meet the following standard guidelines. These laws have been specifically laid out by the government in the towns and planning conditions:
- The flag should be maintained in a good condition
- The flag should be in a safe condition
- Permission should be granted
- The flag should not obscure official road, rail, river, or airplane signs, or otherwise endanger the use of these modes of transportation.
- The flag should be removed carefully
That being said, there are three other conditions to flying a flag on your house. This contains the type of flag, whether or not permission is needed to fly it, and where you can fly your flag.
Do I Require Consent For a Flag on my House?
No matter how pretty your flag is, there are several rules that can limit the type of flag you can fly on your property. This is crucial to follow, otherwise, you will be in violation of the rules and may face a penalty.
There are three categories under which your flag must fall, and each category has its own set of restrictions. The categories are explained further below.
- Flags that can be flown without consent of the local planning authority
- Flags that do not need consent provided they comply with further restrictions
- Flags that require consent
What Types of Flags Require Consent?
It's never easy going through government documents to figure out if you can fly or not - all that's needed is a yes or no.
So, to make things easier, we've laid down the finer details of flag flying on your property in black and white.
Flags Which Do Not Need Consent
- Any country’s national flag, civil ensign or civil air ensign
- The flag of the Commonwealth, the United Nations or any other international organisation of which the United Kingdom is a member
- A flag of any island, county, district, borough, burgh, parish, city, town or village within the United Kingdom
- The flag of the Black Country, East Anglia, Wessex, any Part of Lincolnshire, any Riding of Yorkshire or any historic county within the United Kingdom
- Saint David flag
- Saint Patricks flag
- The flag of any administrative area within any country outside the United Kingdom
- Her Majesty’s forces flag
- Armed Forces Day flag
Flags that do not require consent provided they comply with certain restrictions
These are the flag categories that can now be flown without permission Depending on the size of the flag, the size of the characters on the flag, the number, and placement of the flags.
- House flag – The flag can show the name, logo, device, or trademark of the firm (or person) occupying the building, or it may refer to a specific event taking place in the building from which the flag is flying.
- Any sports club (Not including sponsorship logos)
- The Rainbow flag (six horizontal equal stripes of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet).
- Award schemes – Eco-Schools, Queen’s Awards for Enterprise and Investors in People
- NHS flag.
- Certain environmental awards
Flags That Require Consent
If the flag you want to fly on your property hasn't been identified above, you'll need to get permission from the local planning authorities before you can fly it.
Where Can I Fly my Flag?
So, once you've figured out the above and can compare it to your current flag situation, it's time to determine whether your flag can actually be flown from your house. We have given a brief breakdown of locations where you are specifically required to seek out consent or not.
If you are requiring further information you can look in to the guide issued by the government.
Flags and Flagpoles for Sale
With a variety of flags and flagpole options available, you can fly a flag on your property as long as it complies with government regulations. If you're looking for a flag, Flagmakers has a variety of options for you, including customised flags.
We also provide a variety of flag pole alternatives to make it easy for you to transport your flag. If you wish to look at the collection, you can here.
