Rules for the Italian flag

The rules on using the Italian flag are set out in Law no. 22 of 5 February 1998 and its implementing regulation, D.P.R. no. 121 of 7 April 2000. The regulation addresses State administrations and public bodies, but under the law its provisions are also the general rules governing the subject. This guide summarises what the rules say about who flies the flag, flying hours, the flag's dignity and its protection under criminal law. The rules on flying several flags together are in the guide to flag protocol.

Who flies the flag

Law no. 22/1998 provides that the Italian flag and the flag of the European Union are flown outside the headquarters of:

• constitutional bodies and bodies of constitutional importance, and the seat of the Government when the Council of Ministers is in session;
• ministries;
• regional, provincial and municipal councils, when they meet;
• judicial offices;
• State schools and universities.

Flags are also flown outside polling stations during elections and outside Italian diplomatic and consular missions abroad. D.P.R. no. 121/2000 extends the rule to prefectures, managerial-level local offices of the State, independent authorities and national public bodies.

Private individuals

According to the State Ceremonial Office, there is no authorisation scheme for private individuals, who are free to decide whether to fly the Tricolore. In its answers to frequently asked questions, the Office states that a private individual can fly the national flag from their balcony, and a hotel or a company can fly it on its own, provided they respect its dignity. The general rules on dignity in article 9 of the regulation still apply. The legislation sets no specific penalties for failing to observe these rules, but article 292 of the Penal Code remains in force.

Flying hours

According to the State Ceremonial Office, it is nonetheless desirable, as happens on many public buildings, for flags to stay up at night where the places are lit. Several regional laws set hours from 8 a.m. to sunset for the regional flag. Lighting is covered in the guide to flag lighting.

Raising and lowering

Under article 2 of the regulation, when the national flag is flown with the European flag it is raised first and lowered last. The regulation does not describe how the flag is raised; it is common for flag raising and lowering to be carried out with the same dignity the rules require for the flag itself. Half-mast is covered in the guide to half-mast.

Dignity of the flag

Article 9 of D.P.R. no. 121/2000 provides that:

• flags are flown in good condition and properly unfurled;
• no written figures or letters of any kind are applied to the flags or to the staff;
• only one flag is flown on each staff.

Each body designates the people responsible for flying the flags correctly, the so-called flag men. In a circular of 26 January 2011, the Presidency of the Council of Ministers asked administrations to check that flags were not worn, faded, torn, dirty or badly wrapped around the staff, and to replace them immediately. Caring for the flag is covered in the guide to flagpole maintenance.

Colours and proportions

The flag's height is two thirds of its length, with the green at the hoist, the side next to the staff. The State Ceremonial Office gives the textile Pantone codes green 17-6153, white 11-0601 and red 18-1662 for the three colours. More information is in the guide to flag sizes.

What the criminal law says

Article 292 of the Penal Code, as amended by Law no. 85 of 24 February 2006, provides for two cases:

• Insult: anyone who insults the national flag or another emblem of the State with offensive expressions is punished with a fine of 1,000 to 5,000 euros, raised to 5,000 to 10,000 euros if the act is committed during a public anniversary or an official ceremony.
• Damage: anyone who publicly and intentionally destroys, disperses, damages, renders unusable or defaces the national flag or another emblem of the State is punished with imprisonment of up to two years.

For the purposes of the criminal law, the national flag means the official flag of the State and any other flag bearing the national colours. The flags of other States have their own protection in article 299, described in the guide to foreign flags in Italy.