Flagpoles for businesses in Italy

Flags are very common outside company premises, hotels, car dealerships and shopping centres: the Tricolore, the European flag, the flags of guests' or partners' countries and flags with the company brand. For companies, the general rules on the dignity of the flag apply, together with the guidance of the State Ceremonial Office and, for advertising flags, the municipality's rules on advertising and the Highway Code. This guide summarises these points.

What a company can fly

In its answers to frequently asked questions, the State Ceremonial Office distinguishes these cases:

For the Tricolore, the rules of article 9 of D.P.R. no. 121/2000 apply: the flag in good condition and properly unfurled, no writing or figures on the flag or the staff, one flag per staff. The general rules are in the guide to the flag rules.

Order and arrangement

When the Tricolore is flown with other flags, it is common to follow the rules of protocol: flags of the same size, staffs at the same height and the Tricolore in the place of honour, on the right as seen from the building or in the centre of an odd-numbered row. According to the Ceremonial Office, the company flag is placed at a point separate from the national flag, for example on a separate pole or at some distance. Protocol is described in the guide to flag protocol, and foreign flags in the guide to foreign flags in Italy.

Solutions for company premises

The differences between external and internal halyards are described in the guide to flagpole mechanics, and the types of flagpoles in the guide to types of flagpoles.

Advertising flags and the single levy

A flag with a brand or an advertising message is also an advertising medium. Under article 1, paragraph 819, of Law no. 160 of 27 December 2019, the single property levy (canone unico) introduced by the municipalities from 2021 also covers the display of advertising messages by installations on private property where they are visible from a public place or a place open to the public. Rates, exemptions and procedures are set by each municipality's regulations.

Highway Code

Under article 23 of the Highway Code, placing signs and other advertising media along roads or in view of them requires the authorisation of the road owner; in built-up areas the municipality is responsible. The same article prohibits advertising media that could be confused with road signs or distract drivers, and prohibits advertising along motorways and main extra-urban roads, with the exceptions provided for.

Building rules

For a pole in front of company premises, the same building rules apply as described in the guide to flagpole installation: the Consolidated Building Act does not mention flagpoles, and what counts are the municipality's building regulations and planning instruments and any protection orders. Industrial and commercial areas can have specific rules on the appearance of buildings and on signs.

Costs

The price of a flagpole system depends on the number of poles, their height, the material, the type of halyard, the foundation and the flags, as well as the levy on advertising flags. The factors are described in the guide to buying a flagpole, and the types of flags in the guide to flag types.