Flagpole heights in New Zealand: common heights and consent limits

How tall a flagpole can be depends on what it is for and where it stands. In New Zealand, the height also affects whether the pole needs a building consent under the Building Act 2004 or a resource consent under the council’s district plan. Flag makers list heights from about 5 to 12 metres, with 6 metres as the height most often matched with the common two-yard flag.

The 7 metre line

Two sets of rules draw a line at about 7 metres:

• Building Act 2004: under section 8, a mast pole or telecommunication aerial that is on, or forms part of, a building and is more than 7 metres above its point of attachment or base support is itself a building. Schedule 1 of the Act, which lists building work that needs no building consent, has no exemption that names flagpoles; under its clause 2, the council can exempt work it considers likely to comply with the Building Code or unlikely to endanger people or buildings.
• Auckland Unitary Plan: for the rules of the district plan, a flagpole, mast or lighting pole counts as a building when it is more than 7 metres higher than its point of attachment or base support, or wider than 1.2 metres at any point.

Other district plans set their own rules. Whether a particular flagpole needs a consent is a question for the council, which acts as the building consent authority and administers the district plan. More in the guide to installing a flagpole.

Flagpoles and the height of buildings

District plans limit the height of buildings, but they often treat thin structures on a roof differently. The Auckland Unitary Plan excludes flagpoles, masts, lighting poles, aerials and antennas from the measurement of height within limits in its definition, for example a diameter of up to 300 mm or a height of up to one third of the maximum permitted height for the site.

Common heights

New Zealand flag makers list these heights:

Flagmakers describes its poles as suited to residential and commercial sites, and the Flag & Banner Company supplies poles taller than 10 metres on request.

Height and flag size

A taller pole carries a larger flag. Manatū Taonga – Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives the guide of one yard of flag for every 10 feet of staff, a flag length of about 0.3 times the pole’s height. The Flag & Banner Company’s rule of thumb is similar:

FlagSeller describes the 1800 × 900 mm flag as suited to many flagpoles of 5 to 8 metres. The flag size calculator works it out, and all standard sizes are in the guide to flag sizes.

Height, wind and the footing

Height also drives the loads. According to the Flag & Banner Company, the pole’s length and diameter are in proportion to the size of flag flown. A taller pole catches more wind and needs a larger diameter and a bigger footing, and exposed sites in high wind zones need more. More in the guides to flagpole safety and types of flagpoles.