UAE Flag Rules & Etiquette: Dos and Don'ts for Flag Day 2026
The UAE flag should be raised only in good condition, to the top of the pole, while people stand still. Hanging down, the red band goes at the top; flat, on the left. It must not be decorated, written on, or used as a cover, costume or in adverts, and in the UAE it flies first and never lower than another flag. Publicly insulting it carries 10 to 25 years in prison.
Ahead of UAE Flag Day on Tuesday 3 November 2026, the UAE government's official flag guidelines set out how the flag should be raised, hung, cared for and replaced, and the federal flag law punishes insulting it with 10 to 25 years in prison. The Ministry of Interior has not yet published its 2026 rules on flags and decorations on cars; in 2025 they were reported on 25 November, a week before National Day.
UAE Flag Rules and Etiquette for Flag Day 2026
Here are the dos and don'ts first, then how to raise and hang the flag, where it goes next to other flags, the rules for cars and clothes, when it flies at half-mast, what to do with an old flag, and what the law says about insulting it.
Dos and Don'ts for the UAE Flag
The government's guidelines say these standards apply to everyone, not only to government bodies: "all individuals in addition to governmental, private and public entities". These are the main rules, from the official guidelines.
Do
- Raise only a clean flag in good condition
- Raise it at a steady speed, to the very top of the pole, and tie it tightly
- Stand still while the flag is raised or lowered, and face it while the national anthem plays
- Hang it with the red band at the top when it hangs downwards
- Put the UAE flag first, in the place of honour, when it flies with other flags in the UAE
- Clean and iron your flag, and check it after a storm
- Fold it and store it when it is not in use
Don't
- Raise a flag that is torn, faded or worn, however small the damage
- Add words, symbols, pictures or pins to the flag
- Use the flag to cover a car, a building, a statue or furniture
- Use the flag as a decoration or a costume
- Print the flag on throwaway things like napkins, pillows or boxes
- Use the flag in a logo, a trademark or an advert
- Let the flag fly lower than another flag
- Burn an old flag
Most of these come from one page of the guidelines, the list of flag misuses on page 16. The rest are on the pages about raising, lowering and care, pages 25 to 27.
How to Raise the UAE Flag
Raise the flag at a steady speed, all the way to the top of the pole, and tie it tightly so it cannot slip. Check it first: the guidelines say a worn, damaged or faded flag must be replaced and never raised.
While the flag goes up or comes down, people nearby should stop and stand still. If the national anthem is played as it is raised, everyone present stands and faces the flag. Members of the armed forces salute.
On Flag Day, the whole country raises the flag at one set time. Our guide to UAE Flag Day 2026 has the time once it is announced, and if your school or office plays the anthem, our page on the UAE national anthem lyrics has the words.
How to Hang the UAE Flag
The rule depends on which way the flag hangs:
- Hanging downwards from a balcony, a window or a lamppost: the red band goes at the top.
- Flat on a pole or a wall: the red band goes on the left as you face the flag.
On a stage, the flag on a pole stands to the speaker's right, which is the audience's left. If the flag hangs flat behind the speaker, it must always be higher than the speaker's head.
Some guides online say the red band goes at the top when the flag is flat. That is wrong: the official guidelines put it on the left. Our guide on how to hang the UAE flag shows both ways with a diagram.
Where the UAE Flag Goes With Other Flags
Inside the UAE, the UAE flag always goes first and in the place of honour, and it is never lower than another flag. The guidelines set out where that place is:
| Flags in a row | Where the UAE flag goes |
|---|---|
| An even number of poles | At the far left as you face them |
| An odd number of poles | In the centre |
| A semicircle | At both ends if the number is even, in the centre if it is odd |
| A closed circle | Two UAE flags: one at the entrance and one opposite it |
| Poles of different heights, with company or local flags | On the highest pole |
| Poles of different heights, with other countries' flags | The tallest pole stays empty; the others must be the same height |
Other countries' flags may only be flown at those countries' own official events and celebrations, and always together with the UAE flag. The guidelines say this applies to streets and vehicles too. When several flags are lowered, they come down together, or the UAE flag comes down last.
Can You Put the UAE Flag on Your Car?
Yes, a UAE flag on your car is allowed, but the flag must not cover the car. The official guidelines list using the flag as a cover for a vehicle as a misuse.
For National Day each year, the Ministry of Interior also issues rules for decorating cars. Its 2025 rules, reported by Gulf News on 25 November 2025, allowed only two things: official Union Day stickers and the UAE flag. Among the things they banned were:
- covering the windscreen or the number plates;
- unofficial posters and banners;
- flying the flag of any country other than the UAE;
- leaning out of windows or sunroofs, and wearing masks while driving.
Breaking the rules could mean a fine and the car being impounded. The 2026 rules have not been published yet, and they usually come in the last week of November.
Can You Wear the UAE Flag?
The guidelines say the flag itself must not be used as a costume or a decoration. Wrapping yourself in a real flag, or cutting one up to wear, goes against them.
Clothes made in the flag's colours are something different. Shops across the UAE sell them for Flag Day and National Day, and schools ask children to come in red, green, white and black. If you are buying an outfit, our guide to the UAE National Day dress compares the shops.
When Is the UAE Flag Flown at Half-Mast?
The UAE flag flies at half-mast when an official mourning period is declared. A national period of mourning is declared by the Presidential Court, and a Ruler's Court can declare one for its own emirate. During it, flags at official buildings and UAE embassies are lowered to half-mast.
There is a right way to do it. If the flag is already flying, lower it all the way to the bottom first, then raise it to half-mast. If the pole is empty, raise the flag to the very top first, then lower it slowly to half-mast. Half-mast is about a third of the way down the pole.
What to Do With an Old or Damaged UAE Flag
Replace it. The guidelines say a torn, faded or worn flag should always be replaced, however small the damage, and never raised again.
To get rid of an old flag, take it apart so that it no longer looks like the flag, and recycle the material. The guidelines say burning a flag should be avoided, to protect the environment. Until then, fold it and keep it somewhere clean and dry.
To fold a flag the official way, fold it in half lengthways, then in half lengthways again, then in half across, and once more in half across.
What Is the Penalty for Insulting the UAE Flag?
Insulting the UAE flag in public is a serious crime. Under the federal flag law, as amended in 2019, anyone who publicly drops, damages or in any way insults the UAE flag, the flag of an emirate, or the flag of a GCC or any other country, faces 10 to 25 years in prison and a fine of at least AED 500,000. The law treats it as a crime against the security of the UAE.
The official guidelines give examples of what counts: tearing the flag, lowering it from where it flies, or anything else that shows contempt for it.
FAQs
What are the rules for the UAE flag?
Raise only a clean flag in good condition, to the top of the pole, and stand still while it is raised. Do not add words, symbols or pictures to it, use it as a cover, costume or decoration, or use it in adverts. Inside the UAE, it goes first and never lower than another flag.
Can I put the UAE flag on my car?
Yes, the UAE flag on a car is allowed, but it must not cover the car. The Ministry of Interior's 2025 National Day rules allowed the UAE flag and official stickers, and banned covering the windscreen or number plates and flying other countries' flags.
Which way should the UAE flag hang vertically?
When the UAE flag hangs downwards, the red band goes at the top. When it is flat on a pole or wall, the red band goes on the left as you face it.
What is the punishment for insulting the UAE flag?
Under the federal flag law as amended in 2019, publicly dropping, damaging or insulting the flag is punishable by 10 to 25 years in prison and a fine of at least AED 500,000.
What should I do with an old UAE flag?
Replace it, and do not raise it again. Take the old flag apart so it no longer looks like the flag, and recycle the material. The official guidelines say not to burn it.
When is the UAE flag flown at half-mast?
When an official mourning period is declared, by the Presidential Court for the whole country or by a Ruler's Court for one emirate.
Sources and method5 sources from 4 publishers
Official
- UAE Government Media Office United Arab Emirates Flag and Official Portraits Guidelines
Reporting and other sources
- About this guide: every rule above was checked against the official guidelines on 27 October 2026. The law's wording and the car rules come from the press reports below, because the official legislation portal could not be opened.
- Gulf Today Decree amends provisions of law on Union flag
- Gulf News UAE issues safety rules for Union Day car decorationsHow official mourning works in the UAE
