Flags are flown at half-mast as a sign of mourning.
The flag is half-masted by raising it to the top of the mast, then slowly lowering it to the half-mast position, which will depend on the size of the flag and the length of the flagpole.
The flag must be lowered to a position more than its own depth from the top of the flagpole to avoid the appearance of a flag which has accidentally fallen from the top of the flagpole. When the New Zealand Flag is flown at half-mast, other flags should not be flown above it. The Flag should be raised again to the peak before lowering it for the day.
Flags on government buildings should be flown at half-mast when directed by the Chief Executive of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
For government and public buildings, flags should be flown at half-mast during times of mourning for the following people and according to the following procedures.
Flag half-masting occasions
The Sovereign
From the announcement of death up to and including the day of the funeral (except on Proclamation Day when the new sovereign is officially announced and flags are flown from the top of the mast).
The Governor-General, former Governors-General, the Prime Minister and former Prime Ministers
On the announcement of death and the day of the funeral.
Members of the Royal Family
On the day of the funeral subject to special command from The Sovereign or the Governor-General.
Commonwealth Governors-General, Commonwealth Prime Ministers in office, foreign and Commonwealth Heads of State
On the day of the funeral only.
Local authorities and private companies
When local authorities fly their local flag at half-mast following the death of a prominent local citizen, it is appropriate to do so on the day or part of the day of the funeral. The same etiquette applies to the house flag of a company or organisation. In these cases the New Zealand Flag should remain at full mast.
Notifications
The Ministry provides email notifications to individuals and organisations when the New Zealand Flag is to be half-masted. If you would like to be added to the list, please contact:
List of recent half-masting occasions
List of occasions when the New Zealand Flag has been directed to fly at half-mast since 2005.
The flying of the NZ Flag at half-mast is covered by section 10 of the Flags, Emblems, and Names Protection Act 1981 and the New Zealand Flag Notice 1986. The directive to lower the flags at half-mast on Government buildings is generally issued on the direction of the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage.
|
Year |
Name and title of person |
Date half-masted |
Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 |
Her Majesty Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand |
Friday 09 September, Saturday 10 September and from Monday 12 September to Monday 26 September, the day of the NZ Memorial Service | To mark the death and funeral |
| 2021 | Hon Dame Catherine Tizard | Monday 01 November | To mark the death |
| 2021 | HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh |
Saturday 10 April, Tuesday 13 April, Saturday 17 April, the day of the funeral and Wednesday 21 April, the day of the NZ Memorial Service |
To mark the death and funeral |
| 2021 | HE Dr John Pombe Joseph Magufuli, President of Tanzania | Friday 26 March | To mark the death |
| 2021 | Canterbury earthquake | Monday 22 February | To mark the 10th anniversary |
| 2020 | Whakaari/White Island volcanic eruption | Wednesday 9 December | To mark the 1st anniversary |
| 2020 |
Pike River Mine |
Thursday 19 November | To mark the 10th anniversary |
| 2020 |
Sir Toke Talagi KNZM, former Niue Premier |
Tuesday 28 July | To mark the State Funeral |
| 2020 | Constable Matthew Hunt, New Zealand Police | Thursday 9 July | To mark the funeral of police officer killed in line of duty |
| 2020 | Weekend of Saturday 14 – Sunday 15 March | To mark the first anniversary of the March 15 Christchurch mosque attacks | |
| 2020 |
Former Prime Minister Rt Hon Michael Kenneth Moore ONZ AO PC |
Monday 3 February and on the day of his funeral, Friday 14 February | To mark the death and funeral |
| 2020 |
His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said, Sultan of Oman |
Monday 13 January | To mark the death |
| 2019 |
Monday 10 December to Monday 16 December |
As a mark of mourning and respect for the victims of the Whakaari/White Island volcanic eruption | |
| 2019 | Hon. Samuela ‘Akilisi Pohiva, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga |
Thursday 19 September
|
To mark the funeral
|
| 2019 |
Friday 15 March to Friday 29 March
|
As a mark of mourning and respect for the victims of the Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre terror attacks
|
|
| 2018 |
HE Mr Tran Dai Quang, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
|
Thursday 27 September | To mark the funeral |
| 2017 |
HE Womtelo Reverend Baldwin Lonsdale, the Head of State of the Republic of Vanuatu
|
Wednesday 21 June | To mark the funeral |
| 2016 |
His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the Head of State of the Kingdom of Thailand |
Friday 14 October | To mark the funeral |
|
2015 |
|
Tuesday 17 November |
As a mark of a respect following the terrorist attacks in Paris, France |
|
2015 |
|
Sunday 29 March |
To mark the death |
|
2015 |
King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, King of Saudi Arabia |
Monday 26 January |
To mark the death |
|
2014 |
President of the Republic of Zambia, His Excellency, Mr. Michael Chilufya Sata |
Tuesday 11 November |
To mark the funeral |
|
2014 |
|
Monday 4 August |
To mark the beginning of the centenary of the First World War for New Zealand |
|
2013 |
President of Venezuela, Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías |
Saturday 9 March |
To mark the funeral |
|
2012 |
Corporal Jacinta Baker, Corporal Luke Tamatea & Private Richard Harris |
Saturday 25 August |
To mark the memorial service |
|
2012 |
|
Monday 20 August |
To mark the death of three soldiers of the New Zealand Defence Force, killed in Afghanistan
|
|
2012 |
Lance Corporal Pralii Durrer & Lance Corporal Rory Malone |
Saturday 11 August |
To mark the funerals |
|
2012 |
|
Monday 6 August |
To mark the death of two soldiers of the New Zealand Defence Force, killed in Afghanistan |
|
2012 |
Corporal Douglas Charles Hughes |
Thursday 12 April |
To mark the final day of the tangi for Corporal Douglas Charles Hughes of the New Zealand Army who died in Afghanistan |
|
2012 |
|
Wednesday 4 April |
To mark the death of the New Zealand soldier serving in Afghanistan |
|
2012 |
His Late Majesty King George Tupou V of Tonga |
Tuesday 27 March |
To mark the funeral |
|
2012 |
|
Wednesday 22 February |
To mark the first anniversary of the Christchurch Earthquake |
|
2011 |
Lance Corporal Leon Smith |
Thursday 6 October |
To mark the memorial service of Lance Corporal Leon Smith of the New Zealand Defence Force, killed in Afghanistan |
|
2011 |
|
Wednesday 28 September |
To mark the death of a soldier of the New Zealand Defence Force, killed in Afghanistan |
|
2011 |
Corporal Doug Grant |
Monday 29 August |
To mark the full military funeral of Corporal Doug Grant of the New Zealand Defence Force, killed in Afghanistan |
|
2011 |
|
For the remainder of today, Saturday 20 August and again on Monday 22 August |
To mark the death of a soldier of the New Zealand Defence Force, killed in Afghanistan |
|
2011 |
Sir Paul Reeves |
Monday 15 August and on the day of his funeral, Thursday 18 August
|
As a mark of respect for the former Governor-General |
|
2011 |
|
Friday 18 March
|
To mark the memorial service for the victims of the Christchurch earthquake |
|
2011 |
|
23 February to 12.51pm on 8 March |
As a mark of respect for the victims of the Christchurch earthquake |
|
2011 |
|
Wednesday 16 February |
To mark the death of a soldier of the New Zealand Defence Force, killed in Afghanistan |
|
2010 |
|
Thursday 2 December |
In recognition of the memorial service for the victims of the Pike River on mining tragedy on the day of the service |
|
2010 |
|
Thursday 25 November |
As a mark of respect for the victims of the Pike River mining tragedy |
|
2010 |
Lieutenant Tim O’Donnell |
Wednesday 11 August
|
To mark the funeral of Lieutenant Tim O'Donnell of the New Zealand Defence Force, killed in Afghanistan |
|
2010 |
|
4 August |
To mark the death of the soldier of the New Zealand Defence Force, killed in Afghanistan |
|
2009 |
|
Friday 9 October |
As a mark of respect for the Samoan National Burial and Memorial Service, in remembrance of all who perished in last week’s tsunami |
|
2008 |
Sir Edmund Hilary |
21 January & 22 January |
To mark the lying in state and funeral |
|
2008 |
Sir Edmund Hillary |
11 January 2008 and 12 January 2008 (until midnight), and the day of the funeral |
To mark the death |
|
2007 |
The Samoan Head of State Malietoa Tanumafili II |
14th May 2007 and Saturday 19th May 2007 (the day of the funeral) |
To mark the death |
|
2006 |
Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, the Maori Queen |
16 August
|
To mark the death |
|
2006 |
Rod Donald, MP. |
Thursday 10 November (the day of the funeral)
|
To mark the death |
|
2006 |
His Majesty King Taufa’ahau Tupou, King of Tonga |
19 September |
To mark the funeral |
|
2006 |
His Majesty King Taufa’ahau Tupou, King of Tonga |
11,12,13 September |
To mark the death until 10am on 13 September when his coffin leaves New Zealand |
|
2005 |
Former Prime Minister Rt Hon David Russell Lange |
Wednesday 17 August (the day of the funeral) and Saturday 20 August 2005 (the day of the memorial service) |
To mark the death |
|
2005 |
His Majesty King Fahd of Saudi Arabia |
Tuesday 2nd August
|
To mark the death and funeral |
|
2005 |
|
Friday 8 July
|
As a mark of respect to and in remembrance of all who perished in yesterday’s terrorist bombings in London |
|
2005 |
His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III of Monaco |
Friday, 15 April
|
To mark the funeral |
|
2005 |
His Holiness Pope John Paul II |
Sunday 3 April 2005, Monday 4 April and on the day of the funeral) |
To mark the death and funeral |
|
2005 |
|
Friday 14th January 2005 to the end of the day on Sunday 16th January 2005 |
To remember victims of the Boxing Day Tsunami in Southern and South-East Asia.
|
Updated on 11th May 2023