Flag lighting in Belgium: lighting a flag at night

A lit flag is visible in the evening and stands out at businesses, monuments and public buildings. In Belgium there is no rule on whether a flag stays up at night, and so no rule requiring lighting. Anyone lighting a flag does, however, deal with the rules for electrical installations and with the neighbours.

Flags at night: rules and customs

The royal decree of 5 July 1974 lists the days on which flags fly on public buildings, but not the times. Circular VR 2015/37 of the Flemish Government recommends taking in flags on isolated poles in the evening, because such poles are more exposed to vandalism and theft. On the large administrative buildings of the Flemish Government, according to the same circular, the Flemish flag flies permanently.

Private individuals and businesses decide for themselves whether their flag stays up at night. Lighting then makes the flag visible and can also help against vandalism.

Types of lighting

• Ground spotlight: a spotlight in the ground at the base of the pole, shining upwards. A narrow beam lights the flag without dazzling the surroundings.
• Pole spotlight: a spotlight fixed to the pole or at the top, shining on the flag.
• Solar spotlight: a spotlight with a solar panel and a battery, without fixed wiring. The run time depends on the season.
• Façade lighting: for a façade pole, a spotlight on the wall lights the flag.

For a flag that flies in the wind, a beam covering the whole flag is common, because the flag changes position as the wind shifts.

The electrical installation and the AREI

A fixed spotlight with a cable to the house or business building is an electrical installation and falls under the General Regulation on Electrical Installations (AREI in Dutch, RGIE in French). According to the FPS Economy, a domestic electrical installation is inspected by an accredited inspection body:

• before it is put into use
• at every major modification or extension
• when a dwelling is sold
• periodically

A new circuit in the garden to a flag spotlight can be such an extension. For the inspection, according to the FPS Economy, the body asks for items including the single-line diagrams and the layout plans of the installation. A qualified electrician can say which inspection applies in a specific case.

For businesses, the rules on electrical installations in the workplace also apply. More on this is in the guide on flagpoles for businesses.

Light and neighbours

A spotlight that shines into a bedroom or dazzles a street can lead to complaints. Municipal police regulations can include rules on nuisance. A narrow beam aimed only at the flag, a timer and a warm light colour limit the nuisance.

Lighting and safety

A lit flag also makes the pole more visible to pedestrians and vehicles in the evening. It is customary to lay cables away from where the pole's foundation will go. For digging, Belgium has rules to avoid cables and pipes, which are set out in the guide on flagpole installation.