Rules for the Polish flag

The rules on using the Polish flag are in the Act of 31 January 1980 on the emblem, colours and anthem of the Republic of Poland and on state seals. The Act is short: it sets out what the flag looks like, which institutions raise it and the principle of respect for the symbols. It contains no detailed guidance, for example on how the flag is hoisted; that guidance was collected by the National Security Bureau in the booklet “Duma i szacunek”. This guide summarises what the rules and the guidance say. The rules on flying several flags together are in the guide to flag protocol.

Who raises the flag

Under article 7(1) of the Act, the state flag is raised on or in front of the buildings that are the official seats or meeting places of:

• the Sejm, the Senate and the President of the Republic of Poland;
• the Council of Ministers and the Prime Minister;
• local government councils, during their sessions;
• government administration bodies, other state bodies and state organisational units, and local government bodies and units, for ceremonies and state anniversaries and holidays.

Polish inland waterway vessels also fly the flag (article 7(2)). The flag with the emblem, which has the emblem in the middle of the white stripe, is raised under article 8 by diplomatic missions and consular posts, civil airports and landing sites, civil passenger aircraft on flights abroad and harbour masters' offices. Polish seagoing ships fly it as their ensign (article 9).

Residents and businesses

Under article 5(2) of the Act, everyone has the right to use the colours of the Republic of Poland, in particular to mark the importance of ceremonies, holidays or other events. Article 7(3) goes further and recommends raising or displaying the flag on residential buildings and business premises on state holidays and anniversaries and on other occasions of national or local importance. No authority issues permission for this.

In “Duma i szacunek”, the National Security Bureau notes that private individuals fly flags at the entrance to their building, from a window or balcony, or raise them on a flagpole in front of the building. According to the Bureau, citizens do not place the flag on a flagpole on top of their house, because such placement signals that state functions are exercised in the building. According to the same guidance, the flag with the emblem is not intended for citizens: it serves the representatives of the Republic abroad and the bodies listed in article 8.

Respect for the flag

Article 1(2) of the Act states that surrounding the symbols of the Republic of Poland with reverence and respect is the right and duty of every citizen and of all state bodies, institutions and organisations. Article 15 adds that the colours are displayed in a way that ensures them due reverence and respect. Under article 16, the symbols of the Republic may not be placed on goods intended for trade, except in stylised or artistically transformed form.

The guidance of the National Security Bureau describes what respect for the flag means in practice:

• the flag is well kept, and a faded or torn flag is replaced with a new one;
• no inscriptions or graphics are placed on the flag and no objects are attached to it;
• the flag is not used to cover tables, lecterns, vehicles or plaques and monuments being unveiled; for the latter the Bureau points to a white and red ribbon;
• a flag on a staff flutters and hangs freely but does not touch the ground or any other surface and is not wrapped around the staff;
• no other flag flies on the same pole or staff as the state flag.

Hoisting and lowering

According to the Bureau, the flag is hoisted with a smooth, brisk movement and lowered slowly. People near the flagpole stand in a respectful manner, men in civilian clothes take off their hats, and eyes are turned to the flag. Outside national mourning, a flag on a flagpole flies at the very top. If the flag is raised while the anthem is played, the time taken to hoist it is matched to the length of the anthem. Lowering to half-mast is described in the guide to half-mast.

The flag hung vertically

Under article 4(2) of the Act, when the colours are displayed vertically, white is placed on the left of the surface seen from the front. According to the Bureau, when the flag is attached vertically to a pole, the white is next to the pole. Vertical flags are described in the guide to flag types.

Colours and proportions

The state flag is a rectangular piece of fabric in the colours of the Republic of Poland, placed on a pole (article 6(1)). White and red are arranged in two horizontal stripes of equal width, white on top. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 5:8. The colours are defined in annex 2 to the Act by chromaticity coordinates in the CIE colour space, not by colour swatch numbers. More is in the guide to flag sizes.

What criminal law provides

• Criminal Code, article 137(1): anyone who publicly insults, destroys, damages or removes the emblem, a banner, a standard, an ensign, a flag or another state sign is liable to a fine, restriction of liberty or imprisonment of up to one year.
• Code of Petty Offences, article 49(2): anyone who breaches the rules on the emblem, colours and anthem of the Republic of Poland is liable to detention or a fine. Under article 24(1), a fine for a petty offence ranges from 20 to 5,000 złoty.

The flags of other states are protected by article 137(2) of the Criminal Code, described in the guide to foreign flags in Poland.

A worn-out flag

According to the Bureau's guidance, a worn-out flag with no particular historical value is destroyed with due dignity, for example by separating the colours. Care of the flag is described in the guide to flagpole maintenance.