Flag displays at official buildings and installations of the Federal Police (until 2005: Federal Border Police) are covered by the Federal Government Decree concerning flag displays at federal buildings. Additional provisions are found in the relevant section of Police Service Regulation 010 (BGS).

Flags are to be flown from vertical flagpoles to be erected where easily seen near the entrance to official buildings and installations.

Federal Police buildings and installations do not fly flags every day, but only on regularly recurring general flag display days and on special instruction. In derogation from Section V paragraph 5 of the Federal Government Decree, the Federal Police must hoist the flag at official buildings and installations already at 6:30. The flag must be lowered at sunset, but no later than 21:00.

Federal institutions flag at the stern of a Federal Police boat (Larger version opens in new window) Source: Bundespolizei Federal institutions flag at the stern of a Federal Police boat

In addition to the provisions of the Federal Government Decree, the federal institutions flag is to be flown without special instruction on days of official visits by the Federal Chancellor or Federal Minister of the Interior and on days when Federal Police officers take their oath of duty. The standard of the Federal President should be flown for his or her visits. If no standard is available, the federal institutions flag should be hoisted instead. The federal institutions flag should be flown at half-mast on the day of the funeral of a member of the Federal Police.

On 1 October 2013, the revised version of the rules for flag displays on Federal Police vessels took effect, based on the Section 6 (2) and Section 14 (2) of the Flag Act in the version published on 26 October 1994 (Federal Law Gazette I p. 3140), last amended by Article 4 (141) of the Act of 7 August 2013 (Federal Law Gazette I p. 3154). It was published in the Federal Gazette on 28 October 2013. It stipulates the following:

Federal Police ship BP65 Rhön 2 (Larger version opens in new window) Source: Bundespolizei Federal Police ship BP65 Rhön 2

Federal Police ships fly the federal institutions flag rather than the federal flag.

Federally-owned Federal Police vessels have a flag certificate to indicate their right to fly the federal flag (Section 3c of the Flag Act). Flag certificates are issued by the Higher Federal Waterway and Shipping Administration; these certificates should be on board at all times. Flag certificates must be returned to the issuing authority if and when a vessel ceases to be federal property or to do Federal Police duty.

While the Federal President is on board, his or her standard should be flown from the masthead. If no standard is available, the federal institutions flag should be flown instead. While the Federal Chancellor or Federal Minister of the Interior is on board, the federal institutions flag should be flown from the masthead.

Federal Police helicopter and Federal President's official vehicle with standard (Larger version opens in new window) Source: BPA / Steffen Kugler Federal Police helicopter and Federal President's official vehicle with standard

Federal Police vessels may salute as customary in international maritime practice. They salute by dipping the federal institutions flag once. The standard of the Federal President is dipped only in return for such a salute from another vessel. Every salute received from other ships or from land should be returned in the prescribed form.

In case of mourning, which requires a special order, the federal institutions flag and the jack should be flown at half-mast. Without special instructions, the ensign and jack are flown at half-mast on the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of National Socialism (27 January) on the Day of National Mourning.

The Federal Ministry of the Interior issues individual decrees governing flag displays for special occasions.