Flag Days

Flag Days in 2025-26 Open for Application (from 17 April 2024 to 16 May 2024)

Flag days in 2025-26 are open for application from 17 April 2024.  The deadline for application is 6:00 pm on 16 May 2024. 

Points to note on submission via online form:

(a) Please note that the content of the online form cannot be changed after submission.

(b) The deadline of submission of application by online form is 16 May 2024 at 6:00 pm (i.e. the same deadline applies to submission by paper form).

(c) After successful submission of the application online by the deadline mentioned in point (b) above, the remaining required documents (including the signed and stamped page of the “Declaration by Chairperson/ Head of Organisation” mentioned in Para. (d)(ii) below, if applicable) should be submitted in paper form to the designated address of SWD by 6:00 pm on 23 May 2024.  Please refer to Part A of the Explanatory Notes for the instructions of submission of paper form documents. Incomplete applications or applications that are not accompanied with the required documents may NOT be considered. [A list of the required documents can be found above at this webpage]

(d) The online form may be submitted with digital or hand-written signature:

(i) Digital Signature

• Organisational eCerts and Personal eCerts/ “iAM Smart” are required for the submission of online form with digital signatures.

(ii) Hand-written Signature

• Please download and print the PDF document generated by the online system after you have completed and submitted the online form.  Please then sign the “Declaration by Chairperson/ Head of Organisation”(showing item nos. 24-27) in the application form by the Chairperson/ Head of Organisation and stamp it with the organisation stamp.  The signatory and name must tally with the Chairperson/ Head of Organisation specified in item no.3 of the application form.
• The declaration submitted must be the original copy, bearing the organisation stamp and hand-written signature of the Chairperson/ Head of Organisation.  Applications missing signature or organisation stamp, or with copied/ printed signature or organisation stamp will NOT be considered.
• After successful online submission of the application by the deadline specified in (b) above, the signed and stamped relevant page of the “Declaration by Chairperson/ Head of Organisation” and “Acknowledge Slip” (i.e. Page 1 of the PDF document downloaded) should be submitted together with the other documents required mentioned in point (c) above to the designated address of SWD separately in paper form by 6:00 pm on 23 May 2024. Applications not accompanied with the signed and stamped page of the “Declaration by Chairperson/ Head of Organisation” will NOT be considered.

(e) As the application deadline approaches, the online system may become slower if there are a large number of applications to process. To ensure successful submission of online application before the deadline, it is advisable to submit the application as early as possible.

Enquiries can be made by telephone to 2832 4318 or 2832 4301; by fax to 2838 0441; or by email to eolf5@swd.gov.hk.

Introduction

There are two types of flag days, namely Territory-wide Flag Days (TWFDs) and Regional Flag Days (RFDs). One organisation is permitted to conduct territory-wide flag sale for TWFDs, while three organisations are permitted to conduct regional flag sale, each in Hong Kong Island region, Kowloon region or the New Territories region, on the same RFD. Flag selling is normally conducted in the mornings on Saturdays or some Wednesdays of the school holidays. There are usually about 56 to 58 Flag Days every year, depending the number of suitable non-public holiday Saturdays and Wednesdays falling on school holidays available.

Flag Selling Hours

The flag selling hours are from 7:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the allocated flag days. Flag selling on dates or at the time other than that approved is not permitted.

Allocation of Flag Days

The allocation of flag days is an annual exercise conducted by SWD upon the advice of the Lotteries Fund Advisory Committee (LFAC). Invitation for application for flag days in the coming financial year will normally be announced in SWD's website in April or May each year and closed after a month.

In general, flag day applications are considered by LFAC around September while applicant organisations will be informed around September to October of the results of their applications. Eligible applicant organisations will be invited to attend the lots-drawing programme, which determines their order of priority for selection of flag day.  Subsequently, they will be invited to select their flag days around November according to their priority as determined by the lots-drawing. Public Subscription Permit will be issued to successful organisations around December for holding a flag day.

Flag Day Organisers

Updated details of the charitable fund-raising activities covered by the Public Subscription Permit issued by the SWD have also been uploaded to the GovHK website (www.gov.hk/en/theme/fundraising).