Flagpoles and national flag rules in Italy

In Italy the Tricolore can be seen on town halls, schools, barracks and prefectures, but also on many balconies, villas, hotels and company headquarters. The use of the flag is regulated by law: there are rules on the days it is flown on public buildings, on flying hours, on half-mast as a sign of mourning and on the place of honour when it is flown together with other flags. This page brings together information about the flag and flagpoles in Italy, based on Italian legislation and the guidance of the competent institutions.

The essentials

• Days: D.P.R. no. 121/2000 lists the days on which flags are flown on all public buildings, from 7 January, Tricolour Day, to 4 November. All dates are in the guide to flag days.
• Hours: As a rule flags are not raised before sunrise and are lowered at sunset; at night they may be flown if the place is lit. More information is in the guide to the flag rules.
• Mourning: As a sign of mourning, flags flown outdoors are kept at half-mast. The subject is covered in the guides to half-mast and national mourning.
• Size: No law sets the size of the flag according to the pole. The State Ceremonial Office gives some ordinary sizes, and the flag size calculator shows the most common sizes.
• Price: The factors that affect the price are described in the guides to buying a flagpole and buying a flag.
• Permits: Installing a flagpole falls under the building rules and the municipality's regulations. The subject is covered in the guide to flagpole installation.

Laws and institutions

Article 12 of the Constitution states that the flag of the Republic is the Italian tricolour: green, white and red, in three vertical bands of equal size. Law no. 22 of 5 February 1998 lays down the general provisions on the use and display of the Italian flag and the flag of the European Union, and D.P.R. no. 121 of 7 April 2000 is its implementing regulation for State administrations and public bodies. Article 292 of the Penal Code punishes insulting the flag with a fine and damaging it publicly and intentionally with imprisonment of up to two years.

Practical guidance on flying the flag is published by the State Ceremonial Office (Ufficio del Cerimoniale di Stato) of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, which also issues the instructions on half-mast in the event of national mourning. The regions have their own flags and, in many cases, regional laws on flying them alongside the Tricolore and the European flag. Under article 12 of D.P.R. no. 121/2000, the display of flags on the seats of regions and local authorities falls within their own regulatory autonomy.

There is no specific law on flagpoles. The Consolidated Building Act (D.P.R. no. 380/2001), the municipality's building regulations, the Code of Cultural Heritage and Landscape in protected areas and, in condominiums, the Civil Code apply.

The flagpole in Italy

On public buildings, two or three staffs are common: the Tricolore, the flag of the European Union and, on the seats of regions, provinces and municipalities, the authority's own banner. Many flags are flown on balcony staffs angled from the façade, others on ground-mounted poles in front of the building. At private homes, a staff on the balcony and a flagpole in the garden are common. More information is in the guides to types of flagpoles and flagpole heights.

The Tricolore was born in Reggio Emilia on 7 January 1797, as the flag of the Cispadane Republic; according to the State Ceremonial Office, on the Quirinale Palace the Tricolore is flown from the central balcony and from the tower. The story is told in the guide to the history of the flagpole.

About the guides

The guides are arranged by subject. Each guide covers a defined topic, ends with frequently asked questions, lists its sources and shows the date of the last update. The dates of the movable days, such as Easter and Easter Monday, are calculated for 2026 and 2027. The regional rules are mentioned in the guides where they apply, above all in the guides to flag types and flag protocol.