Flagday

Flag rules · NL

Flag rules in Netherlands

The national flag instruction applies to central-government buildings. Provinces, municipalities and water boards are asked to follow it. Private residents, organisations and businesses have no general duty to fly the flag, but may voluntarily use the instruction as guidance.

☀︎customary daylight window when unlit
18:004 May half-mast begins
☾lower at local sunset on 4 May

Fly the flag whenever you wish

  • A private individual may fly the flag on any day, for example for a wedding, graduation or another personal occasion.
  • The government flag instruction creates no general private duty to fly the flag.
  • Private residents, organisations and businesses may voluntarily follow the instruction as guidance.
  • After a death, a private individual may choose to fly at half-mast; the national instruction imposes no private duty.

Official source

Hoisting and lowering

  • There are no statutory clock times for private flagging on ordinary days.
  • Under Dutch custom, an unilluminated flag should not fly between sunset and sunrise.
  • An illuminated flag may remain up at night. The flag should not touch the ground or obstruct traffic.
  • On Liberation Day, the government recommends full-mast flagging from sunrise to sunset; for private users this is guidance, not a binding requirement.

Official source

Government flag instruction

  • The expanded instruction covers all central-government buildings that receive the government instruction. The limited instruction covers principal central-government buildings only.
  • Provinces, municipalities and water boards are asked to follow the national instruction; private residents and businesses may do so voluntarily.
  • If a listed day falls on a Sunday or specified Christian holiday, flagging normally moves to the following day; King's Day instead moves to the preceding day.
  • On Prinsjesdag, the instruction applies only in The Hague.

Official source

Orange pennant

  • The orange pennant accompanies the Dutch flag only on King's Day and on the birthdays of Princess Beatrix, Queen Máxima and the Princess of Orange.
  • If one of these observances moves under the calendar rule, the pennant moves with it to the observed day.
  • No orange pennant is used on the other recurring instruction days.

Official source

Half-mast on 4 May

  • National Remembrance Day is always observed on 4 May and is not moved to another day.
  • The Dutch flag is flown at half-mast from 18:00 until local sunset.
  • The orange pennant is not used.
  • This is an explicit time instruction for that remembrance; it must not be reused as a general exact flag time for other days.

Official source

Special instructions

  • The Prime Minister may issue a special flag instruction for events such as a royal occasion, national mourning or a disaster.
  • During a state visit, the instruction applies only in the municipalities visited by the head of state.
  • These temporary instructions are not assumed in the recurring calendar; they must first be officially issued.

Official source