👑 21 February — Flag Day in honour of King Harald V's birthday 🎂
21 February is an official flag day in Norway in honour of King Harald V's birthday. It is not a public holiday, but a normal working day: shops and services operate as usual, but flags are raised on government buildings. Below is a brief, practical protocol: when to raise and lower the flag in winter, who is required to fly the flag, and what private individuals should do.
Status of the day and who flies the flag
● Status: official flag day (not a public holiday). The official list of flag days includes 21 February — "H. M. Kong Harald V".
â—Ź Obligation: all government agencies fly the flag on official flag days. Municipalities and counties decide for themselves; there are no obligations for them ; they can follow the government list or establish their own practice. Private individuals and organisations are not required to fly the flag.
Raising and lowering times (winter protocol)
● November–February: raise at 09:00, lower at sunset. General rule: the flag is lowered at sunset, but no later than 21:00 (in February this is usually much earlier).
â—Ź Northern regions (Nordland, Troms, Finnmark) in winter: raise at 10:00, lower at 15:00. This is a separate rule for the polar winter and short daylight hours.
Priority and joint flagging
â—Ź Priority: the Norwegian flag is in the "place of honour". If other flags are used on municipal buildings for special occasions, the Norwegian flag must not be inferior in rank or position.
â—Ź Foreign flags on municipal buildings: permitted for reasons of international courtesy and if there is a separate flagpole; foreign flags must not occupy a more prominent position than the Norwegian flag.
Private homes: brief etiquette
â—Ź Use the standard rectangular Norwegian flag. The version with "splitt og tunge" (split and "tongue") is the state flag (statsflagg) and is intended for the state and the Navy; it is not used by private individuals.
â—Ź Raise the flag on time (at 09:00; in the north, at 10:00 in winter) and lower it at sunset. Do not leave the flag on the flagpole at night.
â—Ź In bad weather, use common sense: in strong winds, wet snow or freezing conditions, it is better not to raise the flag to avoid damaging the fabric and rigging (there is no standard "storm mode", but the rules are based on respectful treatment of the flag).
FAQ
No. 21 February is an official flag day without holiday status. Work continues as usual, and government institutions fly the flag.
In Norway, from November to February, the flag is raised at 9 a.m. and lowered at sunset (generally no later than 9 p.m. ). In Nurland, Tromsø and Finnmark, a special rule applies in winter: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
No. The "splittflagg" is a state/naval format; private individuals should use a regular rectangular flag.
It must be lowered at sunset. The flag must not be left on the flagpole at night; there are no exceptions for winter.
Government agencies are required to do so. Municipalities and counties follow their own regulations (they may follow the state list or set their own dates). Private individuals may do so at their discretion.
On municipal buildings, yes, in accordance with international courtesy, and only on a separate flagpole, with the Norwegian flag retaining its place of honour. There are no such regulations for private homes, but giving priority to the Norwegian flag is good practice.
