Here are the laws for flying England flags on cars and from your home during the World Cup

The World Cup is in full swing now and Gareth Southgate's young lions have captured the hearts of the nation.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

With many people starting to believe that Football’s Coming Home as a patriotic fever sweeps across England.

From the outside of your local pub to the cars driving past on your commute to work the St George Cross has probably felt ever present over the past couple of weeks.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But if you are planning on putting up an England flag on your car or home ahead of the Three Lions last-16 knockout game against Colombia tomorrow there are a few laws you need to be aware of.

Are you planning on flying an England flag during the World Cup? Picture:Steve ReidAre you planning on flying an England flag during the World Cup? Picture:Steve Reid
Are you planning on flying an England flag during the World Cup? Picture:Steve Reid

For anyone wishing to display their patriotic pride on their vehicle there are several things to consider. First of all making sure that it does not obstruct your vision. Common sense, and the Highway Code, dictate that your windscreen and windows must be kept clean and free from obstructions - so don’t go drapping your St George Cross over your rear windscreen, for example.

Also according to the Flag Institute, a car flag should be placed on a staff fitted to the front-right wing, in the centre of front edge of the bonnet, or in the centre of the front edge of the roof.

What does the law say about flying flags?

The most recent flag controls, which are considered more liberal than in the past, were introduced in October 2012 by the Government and they requiring that all flags are subject to some standard conditions. They must be maintained in a condition that does not impair the overall visual appearance of the site, be kept in a safe condition, have the permission of the owner of the site on which they are displayed and not obscure, or hinder the interpretation of official road, rail, waterway or aircraft signs, or otherwise make hazardous the use of these types of transport.

England play first knockout game against Colombia. Picture: Allan HutchingsEngland play first knockout game against Colombia. Picture: Allan Hutchings
England play first knockout game against Colombia. Picture: Allan Hutchings
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Also they should be removed carefully where so required by the planning authority. There are three categories of flags - ones that do not need constent, flags which do not need consent provided they comply with further restrictions and flags which require consent.

Read More
'˜We should always be proud' to fly England flag, says Havant MP

Flags that do not need consent

You don’t need consent to fly the English flag

1. Any country’s national flag, civil ensign or civil air ensign;

2. The flag of the Commonwealth, the European Union, the United Nations or any other international organisation of which the United Kingdom is a member;

3. A flag of any island, county, district, borough, burgh, parish, city, town or village within the United Kingdom;

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

4. The flag of the Black Country, East Anglia, Wessex, any Part of Lincolnshire, any Riding of Yorkshire or any historic county within the United Kingdom;

5. The flag of Saint David;

6. The flag of Saint Patrick;

7. The flag of any administrative area within any country outside the United Kingdom;

8. Any flag of Her Majesty’s forces;

9. The Armed Forces Day flag. However the flags must not display any advertisements or subject matter additional to the design of the flag.

Flags that do not consent provided they comply with certain restrictions

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Under the law a number of categories of flags may be flown without consent subject to certain restrictions regarding the size of the flag, the size of characters on the flag, and the number and location of the flags.

These are:

1. House flag - flag is allowed to display the name, emblem, device or trademark of the company (or person) occupying the building, or can refer to a specific event of limited duration that is taking place in the building from which the flag is flown

2. Any sports club (but cannot include sponsorship logos)

3. The horizontal striped rainbow flag, such as the “Pride” Flag

4. Specified award schemes - Eco-Schools, Queens Awards for Enterprise and Investors in People

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The restrictions on these flags, which would result in them needing consent, are related to where the flagpole is located on your home or the building you want to fly it from.

If you have a vertical flagpole on the roof - you are only permitted to have one flag, but there are no restrictions on its size. While if you have a flagpole projecting from anywhere else on the building - again you are only allowed one flag, it must not exceed two square metres in size.

Also if you have a flagpole in the grounds of the building, you are allowed to fly up to two flags but the flagpole may not exceed 4.6 metres above ground level.