How to Light Up a Flagpole

Flying the American flag at night is a proud tradition, but it comes with one important rule. According to U.S. Code Title 4, Chapter 1, Section 6(a): "It is the universal custom to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset. However, when a patriotic effect is desired, the flag may be displayed 24 hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness."

Proper flagpole lighting does more than satisfy the U.S. Flag Code. It creates a striking nighttime focal point in your landscape, drawing the eye from the ground, up the pole, and to the flag itself. In this flagpole lighting guide, we cover the best fixtures for lighting a flag, how many lights you need, where to place them, how bright they should be, and which beam spread will keep your flag fully illuminated all night long.

Lighting the flag alone is not enough. To create a true patriotic display, you also need to illuminate the flagpole. A lit pole provides a visual path that starts at the ground, reaches into the night sky, and ends at the flag. Without it, the flag appears to float in darkness with no connection to your landscape.

The good news is that the pole itself is easy to light. Most flagpoles are white, so they reflect light well and require far less brightness than the flag. A single well placed fixture can handle the pole, while the rest of your lights focus on the flag.

What Type of Light Works Best?

Directional lights are the right choice for flag lighting because they produce the narrow beam spreads needed to reach the top of a tall pole. Two types of directional fixtures work well:

• Spotlights: Brass and copper spotlights can be mounted in turf with ground stakes. For aluminum spotlights, an aluminum flag pole mount lets you attach the fixture directly to the pole.
• In Grade Lights: If your fixtures need to sit flush in turf or another walkable surface, in grade well lights are often the best choice.

How Many Lights Do You Need for a Flagpole?

Plan on at least two fixtures, and ideally three. Multiple lights aimed from different directions ensure the shadow of the pole never obscures the flag as it waves through the night.

Where Should Flagpole Lights Be Placed?

Since you are lighting both the flag and the pole, one fixture should project light onto the pole as close to the ground as possible. Place this fixture within about 1 foot of the pole, or mount it directly on the pole itself. Any additional fixtures can be installed in the most convenient locations at any practical distance, as long as their beams reach the flag.

Your flag and flagpole should be the brightest objects in your illuminated landscape. The red and blue fields of the American flag absorb a great deal of light, so bright LED output is essential for the flag to stand out against the night sky.

• Integrated LED Fixtures: Choose a fixture with a light output of at least 300 lumens. For very tall flagpoles, consider the G4 Infiniti™ 40 LED Spotlight, which delivers a bright 500 lumen output and accepts interchangeable optics (sold separately) including 17 and 24 degree beam spreads, the two angles most often needed for flag lighting.
• Lamp Ready Fixtures: The bulb's light output will be slightly higher than the fixture's, so select LED outdoor bulbs that produce more than 300 lumens. Our 5W MR16 LED bulb is a great choice with a 400 lumen output, equivalent to a 30W halogen.

Use the narrowest beam spread that still covers the flag. A narrow beam concentrates the most light at the top of the pole, where you need it. At the same time, the flag can wave in any direction, so the beam must be wide enough to illuminate the flag no matter where it sits around the pole.

Here is a simple rule: if your flag is 6 feet wide, your beam spread must cover a circle with a radius of 6 feet around the pole. When using multiple fixtures to achieve full coverage, aim them carefully so their beams overlap at the top of the pole.

How to Use the Beam Angle Calculator

Move vertically on the chart until you reach your flagpole height. Then move horizontally to the right a distance equal to your flag width. Select the smallest beam angle that encompasses the entire flag. This beam angle can come from a single fixture, or it can be supplied by two or more fixtures with beam angles that add up to the desired angle.

If you have questions about beam spreads or any other landscape lighting project, give us a call at (813) 978-3700. Our lighting experts are available 7 days a week to help.