Official flag days in Norway 2026 and 2027
Published Written by Flagpole Guides
This page is an English translation of the Norwegian original. Where the two versions differ, the Norwegian text is the original.
The official flag days are listed in section 4 of the flag regulation (flaggforskriften). On these days, state bodies fly the state flag, that is, the swallow-tailed flag. The regulation does not apply to private individuals, but the flag days are still the calendar most people in Norway follow, at home, at the cabin and at businesses. The list took its current form through an amendment that came into force on 1 January 2005.
The flag days under the flag regulation
| Date | Occasion |
|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year’s Day |
| 21 January | Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra’s birthday |
| 6 February | Sámi National Day |
| 21 February | King Harald V’s birthday (see below) |
| 1 May | Public holiday (May Day) |
| 8 May | Liberation Day 1945 |
| 17 May | Constitution Day |
| 7 June | Dissolution of the union 1905 |
| 4 July | Queen Sonja’s birthday |
| 20 July | King Haakon’s birthday |
| 29 July | Olsok (St Olav’s Day) |
| 19 August | Queen Mette-Marit’s birthday |
| 25 December | Christmas Day |
| movable | Easter Sunday |
| movable | Whit Sunday |
| movable | Day of the Storting election |
The regulation still uses the titles from 2004: “Princess Ingrid Alexandra”, “Crown Prince Haakon Magnus” and “Crown Princess Mette-Marit”. According to Lovdata, the flag days are tied to the birthdays of the members of the royal house with the style Majesty or Royal Highness. After the accession, these are King Haakon, Queen Mette-Marit, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Queen Sonja.
Changes after the accession in 2026
King Harald V died on 28 August 2026, and Crown Prince Haakon became king at the same moment under Article 6 of the Constitution. He took the name Haakon VIII. According to Lovdata, the flag day for King Harald V’s birthday on 21 February has to be removed by an amending regulation adopted by royal decree. On 28 September 2026, 21 February is still listed in the regulation on Lovdata. The table below therefore shows the day with a note for 2027.
All dates in 2026 and 2027
The table shows the flag days with their weekdays. Easter Sunday and Whit Sunday are calculated. The next Storting election is in 2029, so there is no election day in 2026 or 2027. For dates before 28 August 2026, the titles are those in use at the time.
Sámi flag days
The Sámi Parliament has set its own flag days for the Sámi flag in section 4 of the regulation on the use of the Sámi flag. Sámi National Day on 6 February is both an official Norwegian flag day and a Sámi flag day. The other Sámi flag days are:
| Date | Occasion |
|---|---|
| 2 March | The Sámi Parliament in Finland opened in 1996 |
| 25 March | Marimesse (Lady Day), traditional Sámi day |
| 24 June | Midsummer Day, St John’s Day |
| 9 August | UN International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples |
| 15 August | The Sámi flag was approved in 1986 |
| 18 August | The Sámi Council was founded in 1956 |
| 26 August | The Sámi Parliament in Sweden opened in 1993 |
| 9 October | The Sámi Parliament in Norway opened in 1989 |
| 9 November | The Sámi Parliament in Finland was established in 1973 |
| 15 November | Isak Saba was born in 1875 |
| 29 November | Elsa Laula Renberg was born in 1877 |
Under the regulation, the Sámi flag can also be used on the official Norwegian flag days. Its position next to the Norwegian flag is covered in the guide to flag protocol.
Flag flying outside the flag days
Section 4 of the flag regulation allows state bodies to also fly flags on other solemn and festive occasions within the nation or the royal house, during official visits by heads of state and when it is particularly important or desirable for the body’s work. The state flag is not, however, raised for occasions of a purely private nature. Private individuals often also fly flags for birthdays, weddings, confirmations and other family occasions. More in the guide to flags on holidays, and on half-mast in the guide to flags in mourning.
Frequently asked questions
How many official flag days does Norway have?
Section 4 of the flag regulation lists 16 official flag days: 13 fixed dates and three movable days, namely Easter Sunday, Whit Sunday and the day of the Storting election. After King Harald V’s death, 21 February is, according to Lovdata, to be removed by an amending regulation.
Is 21 February still a flag day in Norway?
21 February, King Harald V’s birthday, is still listed in section 4 of the flag regulation. According to Lovdata, the flag day has to be removed by an amending regulation adopted by royal decree after the King’s death on 28 August 2026. Once the amendment is adopted, it can be read on Lovdata.
Are Christmas Eve and Easter Monday flag days in Norway?
No. Of the Christmas days, only Christmas Day is an official flag day, and of Easter and Whitsun only Easter Sunday and Whit Sunday. Many private individuals nevertheless fly flags on other holidays and special days.
Do the Norwegian flag days apply to private individuals?
No. Section 4 of the flag regulation applies to state bodies. According to Lovdata, the Flag Act and the flag regulation contain no rules for private individuals. Many private individuals and businesses nevertheless fly flags on the official flag days.
Are local elections a flag day in Norway?
No. Only the day of the Storting election is an official flag day under the flag regulation. The next Storting election is in 2029, so there is no election day among the flag days in 2026 and 2027.
Sources
This guide is based on the following sources, most of them in Norwegian:
- Forskrift angående bruk av statsflagget og handelsflagget [flaggforskriften], § 4 – Lovdata
- Forskrift om endring i forskrift angående bruk av statsflagget og handelsflagget (FOR-2004-12-03-1542) – Lovdata
- Reglene for tronskifte – Lovdata
- Forskrift om bruk av det samiske flagget, § 4 – Lovdata / Sametinget
- Flagget og loven – Lovdata
Related guides
- Flag rulesFlag rules in Norway: flag times under the flag regulation, who the rules apply to, the state flag and the customs for handling and disposing of the flag.
- Half-mastFlying the flag at half-mast in Norway: how high the flag hangs, why it is first raised to the top, the flag times in mourning and when it goes back up.
- Flags on holidaysFlying flags on 17 May, Christmas, Easter, Whitsun, Olsok and private occasions in Norway: which days are official flag days and which customs are common.
- Flags in mourningFlags in mourning in Norway: deaths, funerals and national mourning, what the state and municipalities do, and the customs of private owners.