Flagpoles and national flag rules in Poland

In Poland the white and red flag flies on government offices, schools, military units and local government buildings, and on state holidays also on many houses, balconies and business premises. The use of the flag is governed by law: it sets out who raises the state flag, when flying it is recommended, what the flag looks like and what happens to it during national mourning. This page brings together information on the flag and flagpoles in Poland, based on Polish law and the guidance of state institutions.

The essentials

• Holidays: Poland has no statutory list of flag days. Public offices raise the flag for ceremonies and for state holidays and anniversaries, and the law recommends the same to residents and businesses. All the dates are in the guide to flag days.
• Flag Day: 2 May is the Day of the Flag of the Republic of Poland, between the State Holiday on 1 May and the National Holiday of the Third of May. More is in the guide to flags on holidays.
• Mourning: During national mourning, declared by the President, the state flag is lowered to half-mast. The subject is covered in the guides to half-mast and flags in mourning.
• Size: The law sets the flag's proportions, 5:8, but does not link its size to the height of the pole. The flag size calculator shows common sizes.
• Price: The factors that affect the price are described in the guides to buying a flagpole and buying a flag.
• Permits: A free-standing flagpole up to 7 m needs neither a building permit nor a notification. The details are in the guide to flagpole installation.

Laws and institutions

Article 28 of the Constitution states that the emblem of the Republic of Poland is the image of a white eagle wearing a crown on a red field, that its colours are white and red, and that the emblem, colours and anthem are protected by law. The Act of 31 January 1980 on the emblem, colours and anthem of the Republic of Poland and on state seals sets out what the flag looks like, which institutions raise it, Flag Day and national mourning. Under article 1 of the Act, surrounding the symbols with reverence and respect is the right and duty of every citizen and of all state bodies, institutions and organisations.

Article 137 of the Criminal Code provides a penalty for publicly insulting, destroying, damaging or removing the flag, and article 49(2) of the Code of Petty Offences for breaching the rules on the emblem, colours and anthem. Practical guidance on displaying the flag was published by the National Security Bureau (Biuro Bezpieczeństwa Narodowego) together with the Ministry of National Defence in the booklet “Duma i szacunek” (Pride and respect). Voivodeships, districts and municipalities can adopt their own flags by resolution of their council, after the minister responsible for public administration has given an opinion on the design.

Flagpoles are governed above all by the Building Law, and also by the local zoning plan, the rules on historic monuments and, in housing communities, the Act on the ownership of premises.

The flagpole in Poland

On government offices and schools the flag often hangs from a staff set in a bracket by the entrance or on the façade. Many public buildings have flagpoles in front: one with the state flag, or several on which the flag of the European Union and the flag of the voivodeship, district or municipality fly beside it. At detached houses both staffs on balconies or windows and flagpoles in the garden are common. More is in the guides to types of flagpoles and flagpole heights.

White and red were adopted as the national colours by the insurgent Sejm on 7 February 1831, and the flag's proportions were already set by an act of 1919. The history is told in the guide to the history of the flagpole.

The guides

The guides are arranged by topic. Each guide covers one subject, ends with frequently asked questions, lists its sources and shows the date of its last update. The dates of movable holidays such as Easter and Corpus Christi are calculated for 2026 and 2027. The rules on the flags of voivodeships, districts and municipalities are covered where they apply, above all in the guides to flag types and flag protocol.