Days the national flag is flown in Portugal, 2026 and 2027
Published Written by Flagpole Guides
This page is an English translation of the Portuguese original. Where the two versions differ, the Portuguese text is the original.
Unlike other European countries, Portugal has no separate list of flag days. Decreto-Lei n.º 150/87 ties the flying of the national flag to the calendar: the flag is flown on Sundays and public holidays, on days of official ceremonies and on other days set by the Government. Below are the holidays of 2026 and 2027, with the weekday and the scope of each.
Holidays each year
Sundays are not listed in the table, but they are also days on which the national flag is flown. Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Carnival and Corpus Christi change date every year because they depend on Easter. The Day of the Autonomous Region of the Azores is calculated the same way: it is the Monday after Whit Sunday.
What Decreto-Lei n.º 150/87 says
Article 3 of the decree covers three situations:
| Situation | Rule |
|---|---|
| Sundays and public holidays | The national flag is flown |
| Official ceremonies and solemn public acts or sessions | The national flag is flown |
| Other days considered justified | By decision of the Government, the self-government bodies of the autonomous regions, the executive bodies of local authorities or the heads of private institutions |
On the seats of the organs of sovereignty, the flag may be flown every day as of right. Under article 5, on Sundays and holidays and on days set by the Prime Minister, the flag is flown throughout the country at the places listed in article 4. On other days, it is flown where the events concerned take place.
Where the flag is flown
Article 4 lists the places: civil or military buildings classified as national monuments, other public buildings and premises housing services of the central, regional and local administration and of the administration of the autonomous regions, and the headquarters of public institutes and public companies. The same article provides that the flag can also be flown by private institutions and individuals, provided the legal and protocol procedures in force are respected.
The national holidays
Article 234 of the Labour Code lists the compulsory holidays: 1 January, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, 25 April, 1 May, Corpus Christi, 10 June, 15 August, 5 October, 1 November and 1, 8 and 25 December. The Code provides that Good Friday may be observed on another day of local significance during the Easter period.
Carnival Tuesday and the municipal holiday are optional holidays under article 235. Each municipality has its own municipal holiday, often on the day of its patron saint, so no municipal dates appear in the table. The meaning of each holiday is explained in the guide to flags on holidays.
The regional holidays
- Azores: The Day of the Autonomous Region of the Azores was established in 1980 by Decreto Regional n.º 13/80/A and is celebrated on Whit Monday (segunda-feira do Espírito Santo). Decreto Regulamentar Regional n.º 13/79/A provides for the Azorean flag to be flown on Sundays and holidays, from morning to sunset, and until midnight on gala holidays on buildings that are lit.
- Madeira: The Day of the Region has been a regional holiday on 1 July since 1979, and the Primeira Oitava on 26 December since 2002. Decreto Legislativo Regional n.º 17/2024/M also established Autonomy Day on 2 April, the date on which the Constituent Assembly approved the Constitution of 1976.
The regional flags are described in the guide to flag types.
Flying hours on flag days
The hours are the same on every day: under article 6 of the decree, the national flag flies between 9.00 and sunset. When it stays up during the night, the decree provides for it to be lit by floodlights whenever possible. More information is in the guide to flag rules.
When a holiday coincides with national mourning
If the Government declares national mourning on a public holiday, the national flag is flown at half-mast for the number of days set, under article 7. The subject is covered in the guides to half-mast and national mourning.
Frequently asked questions
Does Portugal have an official list of flag days?
Not in the way other countries do. Decreto-Lei n.º 150/87 lists no flag days of its own: it provides for the national flag to be flown on Sundays and public holidays and on days of official ceremonies or other solemn public acts or sessions.
Is the flag flown every Sunday in Portugal?
Under articles 3 and 5 of Decreto-Lei n.º 150/87, the national flag is flown on Sundays and public holidays throughout the country, on public buildings and on the headquarters of the public institutes and public companies referred to in article 4.
Who can set further flag days?
Article 3 allows the flag to be flown on other days by decision of the Government or, in their territories, of the self-government bodies of the autonomous regions, the executive bodies of local authorities and the heads of private institutions. Article 5 also refers to days set by the Prime Minister.
Are private individuals obliged to fly the flag on holidays?
No. The rules in articles 4 and 5 concern public buildings and the headquarters of public institutes and companies. For private institutions and individuals, article 4 provides for the possibility of flying the flag, provided the legal and protocol procedures are respected.
Do the regional holidays count as flag days?
In the Azores, Decreto Regulamentar Regional n.º 13/79/A provides for the regional flag to be flown on Sundays and holidays, always with the national flag on public buildings. The regional holidays of the Azores and Madeira appear in this guide’s table, marked with the region.
Sources
This guide is based on the following sources, most of them in Portuguese:
- Decreto-Lei n.º 150/87, de 30 de março (uso da Bandeira Nacional) – Presidência da República
- Símbolos Nacionais – Presidência da República
- Código do Trabalho (artigos 234.º a 236.º) – Diário da República
- Decreto Regulamentar Regional n.º 13/79/A, de 18 de maio – Diário da República
- Dia da Região Autónoma dos Açores – Consulado-Geral de Portugal em Montreal
- Decreto Legislativo Regional n.º 17/2024/M, de 16 de dezembro – Diário da República
Related guides
- Flag rulesThe rules for the Portuguese national flag: who may fly it, flying hours from 9.00 to sunset, lighting, good condition, place of honour and legal protection.
- Flags on holidaysThe national flag on Portuguese public holidays: the meaning of 25 April, 10 June, 5 October and 1 December, and the regional and municipal holidays.
- Half-mastHalf-mast in Portugal: when it applies, raising the flag to the top before half-mast, what happens to other flags and the difference from municipal mourning.
- National mourningNational mourning in Portugal: who declares it, in which cases, how long it lasts, what changes for the flag and events, and how municipal mourning differs.