Flagpole heights in the Netherlands: common sizes and the 6 metre limit

The height of a flagpole determines how the flag relates to the house or building, what size of flag is usual and whether a permit is needed. In the Netherlands the 6 metre limit plays the main role: up to that height a pole in the yard of a building needs no permit. This guide describes the common heights and what they depend on.

Common heights

According to the Dutch supplier Vlaggenmasten.nl, a pole of 6, 7 or 8 metres is common for many homes and business sites. The supplier distinguishes:

Relation to the house

As a practical guideline, the supplier names a pole whose top ends about half a metre to a metre below the ridge of the building. This is not a fixed rule: at a large business building, on open ground or for a free-standing pole, another ratio may suit better. On open ground a taller pole often looks better, according to the supplier, but the wind load is also greater.

Visible height

The length of a flagpole in the product name is not always the height that stands above the ground. According to Vlaggenmasten.nl:

• with a ground sleeve, about 1 metre of an aluminium or polyester pole is below ground level, and about 80 cm of a wooden pole;
• with a slide-over sleeve or tilting base, the full length stays above ground level.

A 7 metre pole in a ground sleeve therefore stands about 6 metres above the ground. For the permit-free limit of 6 metres, that visible height is what counts.

The 6 metre limit

Under the Buildings (Living Environment) Decree (Bbl), a flagpole in the yard of a building (gebouwerf) needs no permit if it is no higher than 6 metres and there is no more than one pole in that yard. Under article 2.23, the Bbl measures heights from the adjoining finished ground level; the part of the pole in the ground therefore does not count. A taller pole or a second pole may need an environmental permit, depending on the municipality’s environment plan. At listed buildings and in protected townscapes the exemption is restricted. The rules are described in detail in the guide to flagpole installation.

Height and flag size

A taller pole carries a larger flag. According to the flag supplier DVC, the flag’s height is about a quarter of the pole’s length: 150 × 225 cm at 6 metres, 200 × 300 cm at 8 metres. Another supplier notes that the flag size is matched to the actual height above ground. The Handleiding voor het gebruik van de Nederlandse vlag asks for a pole long enough that the flag, even at half-mast, never touches the ground. More is in the guide to flag sizes and in the flag size calculator.

Height and price

A taller pole costs more, needs a heavier foundation and is harder to transport. What that means for the price is described in the guide to buying a flagpole, and the types of pole in the guide to types of flagpoles.