Foreign flags in New Zealand

Flags of other countries fly in New Zealand at embassies and high commissions, hotels, international companies, sporting events, and at the homes of people with roots elsewhere. New Zealand has no law against flying another country’s flag. The display rules of Manatū Taonga – Ministry for Culture and Heritage (MCH) set out how foreign national flags are placed when they fly together with the New Zealand flag.

The basic rules

According to MCH:

• The New Zealand flag takes the position of honour and precedence over all other national flags, except when flown with royal or vice-regal flags.
• International practice forbids the display of the flag of one country above the flag of another in peacetime.
• When the New Zealand flag is flown with the flags of other countries, each flag is the same size and flies from a separate flagpole of the same height.

A line of flags

From left to right, as seen by a person facing the flags, the order is:

1. the New Zealand flag
2. flags of other countries in alphabetical order
3. house flags.

In special circumstances, flags of Commonwealth countries may take precedence over other foreign flags, also in alphabetical order.

Other arrangements

The rules are explained in more detail in the guide to flag protocol.

The Union Jack

The Union Flag, better known as the Union Jack, is the British national flag and appears in the first quarter of the New Zealand flag because of historical ties with the United Kingdom. According to MCH, it is of equal rank when flown with other national flags, and it is only appropriate to fly it where a direct link exists with the United Kingdom or to recognise a distinguished British visitor.

Official visits

Under the New Zealand Flag Notice 2024, the New Zealand flag flies at full mast on government buildings in any locality visited by a head of state or head of government. On the death of a Commonwealth or foreign head of state, it flies at half-mast on government buildings on the day of the funeral. Recent examples are listed in the guide to flags in mourning.

Flag hire

The Visits and Ceremonial Office of the Department of Internal Affairs hires out indoor and outdoor flags of countries around the world for events of New Zealand government agencies and foreign missions in New Zealand, subject to availability. Its outdoor flags are 2½ yards long, 2.3 × 1.15 metres; poles and bases are not included. New Zealand flag makers also make flags of other countries. According to the Flag & Banner Company, flags of countries with other proportions, such as Switzerland, are often made at 2:1 in New Zealand to match the other flags flown here.

Businesses and events

International companies, hotels and event organisers often fly several national flags in a row. The same display rules apply to them: flags of the same size, poles of the same height and the New Zealand flag in the position of honour. More in the guide to flagpoles for businesses.