Flag types: national flags, ensigns, pennants and more

The UK flies more kinds of flag than most countries: a union flag made of three crosses, the national flags of its nations, ensigns at sea and in the air, royal banners, county flags and house flags. They differ in what they represent, who may fly them and where they rank in the order of precedence. This guide describes the main types and forms.

National flags

According to the government’s plain English guide, the flags of St George and St Andrew are recognised as the national flags of England and Scotland, while the flags of St David and St Patrick are listed separately, as they do not necessarily fall into the category of a country’s national flag. All of them can be flown in England without advertisement consent. The history and design of the Union Flag are in the guide to the Union Flag.

Ensigns

Ensigns are national flags for use at sea and in the air. According to the Flag Institute:

• Civil Ensign: the undefaced Red Ensign, flown by civilian marine facilities as their national flag unless they hold a warrant for a special ensign.
• Civil Air Ensign: flown at civilian air facilities such as airports and airfields as their national flag, instead of the Union Flag.
• Special ensigns: organisations with a warrant fly their own ensign.

In England, any country’s civil ensign or civil air ensign can be flown without advertisement consent.

Royal flags

The Royal Standard, in the Flag Institute’s words actually the Royal Banner, takes precedence over all other flags in the UK. It is flown only while the royal person is on the premises and never flies at half-mast. In Scotland, the Royal Banner of the Royal Arms of Scotland, the Lion Rampant, is the King’s official banner there; according to the Scottish Government it may be used only by the Sovereign or his Great Officers acting in that capacity.

County, town and house flags

• County and town flags: In England, the flag of any island, county, district, borough, parish, city, town or village within the UK, and of historic counties and regions such as Wessex or the Black Country, can be flown without consent.
• House flags: a flag displaying the name, emblem or trademark of the company or person occupying the building. In England it can be flown without consent subject to restrictions on location and size.
• Banners of arms: heraldic flags that rank below town flags in the Flag Institute’s order of precedence.

Forms of flag

• Flag on a flagpole: the usual form, hoisted on a halyard.
• Pennant: a long, narrow streamer. According to the Flag Institute it is designed to be left flying day and night, keeps a flagpole from standing bare and wears less than a full-size flag.
• Dress flag: for interior or parade use, sometimes made of silk or satin with a decorative fringe on three sides.
• Car flag: according to the Flag Institute, placed on a staff on the front-right wing, or in the centre of the front of the bonnet or roof.
• Flag on a projecting pole: a flag on a pole projecting from a building. In England, such a flag can be up to 2 square metres without consent if it is a permitted house or club flag, outside controlled areas.

Flags that are not national flags

The Flag Institute points out that where a purely decorative effect is wanted, flags of lesser status, such as house flags, pennants or bunting, are better suited than national flags. Sizes and proportions are in the guide to flag sizes, and the calculator in the flag size calculator.