US Flag Laws and Regulations
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By Executive Order, the flag flies 24 hours a day at the
following locations:
- The Betsy Ross House, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
- The White House, Washington, D.C.
- U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C.
- Washington Monument, Washington, D.C.
- Iwo Jima Memorial to U.S. Marines, Arlington, Virginia
- Battleground in Lexington, MA (site of first shots in
the Revolutionary War)
- Winter encampment cabins, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
- Fort McHenry, Baltimore, Maryland (a flag flying over
Fort McHenry after a battle during the War of 1812 provided the inspiration
for The Star-Spangled Banner.
- The Star-Spangled Banner Flag House, Baltimore,
Maryland (site where the famed flag over Fort McHenry was sewn)
- Jenny Wade House in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (Jenny
Wade was the only civilian killed at the battle of Gettysburg)
- U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
- All custom points and points of entry into the United
States
The following codification of existing rules and customs
pertaining to the display and use of the flag of the United States of America
be, and it is hereby, established for the use of such civilians or civilian
groups or organizations as may not be required to conform with regulations
promulgated by one or more executive departments of the Government of the United
States. The flag of the United States for the purpose of this chapter shall be
defined according to title 4, United States Code, Chapter 1, Section 1 and
Section 2 and Executive Order 10834 issued pursuant thereto.
Section 2.
- It is the universal custom to display the flag only
from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary flagstaffs in the
open. However, when a patriotic effect is desired, the flag may be displayed
twenty-four hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of
darkness.
- The flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered
ceremoniously.
- The flag should not be displayed on days when the
weather is inclement, except when an all-weather flag is displayed.
- The flag should be displayed on all days, especially on
- New Year's Day, January 1
- Inauguration Day, January 20
- Lincoln's Birthday, February 12
- Washington's Birthday, third Monday in February
- Easter Sunday (variable)
- Mother's Day, second Sunday in May
- Armed Forces Day, third Saturday in May
- Memorial Day (half-staff until noon), the last
Monday in May
- Flag Day, June 14
- Independence Day, July 4
- Labor Day, first Monday in September
- Constitution Day, September 17
- Columbus Day, second Monday in October
- Navy Day, October 27
- Veterans Day, November 11
- Thanksgiving Day, fourth Thursday in November
- Christmas Day, December 25
- and such other days as may be proclaimed by the
President of the United States
- the birthdays of States (date of admission)
- and on State holidays.
- The flag should be displayed daily on or near the main
administration building of every public institution.
- The flag should be displayed in or near every polling
place on election days.
- The flag should be displayed during school days in or
near every schoolhouse.
Section 3.
That the flag, when carried in a procession with another flag or flags, should
be either on the marching right; that is, the flag's own right, or, if there is
a line of other flags, in front of the center of that line.
- The flag should not be displayed on a float in a parade
except from a staff, or as provided in subsection (i).
- The flag should not be draped over the hood, top,
sides, or back of a vehicle or of a railroad train or a boat. When the flag
is displayed on a motorcar, the staff shall be fixed firmly to the chassis
or clamped to the right fender.
- No other flag or pennant should be placed above or, if
on the same level, to the right of the flag of the United States of America,
except during church services conducted by naval chaplains at sea, when the
church pennant may be flown above the flag during church services for the
personnel of the Navy.
- The flag of the United States of America, when it is
displayed with another flag against a wall from crossed staffs, should be on
the right, the flag's own right, and its staff should be in front of the
staff of the other flag.
- The flag of the United States of America should be at
the center and at the highest point of the group when a number of flags of
States or localities or pennants of societies are grouped and displayed from
staffs.
- When flags of States, cities, or localities, or
pennants of societies are flown on the same halyard with the flag of the
United States, the latter should always be at the peak. When the flags are
flown from adjacent staffs, the flag of the United States should be hoisted
first and lowered last. No such flag or pennant may be placed above the flag
of the United States or to the United States flag's right.
- When flags of two or more nations are displayed, they
are to be flown from separate staffs of the same height. The flags should be
of approximately equal size. International usage forbids the display of the
flag of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace.
- When the flag of the United States is displayed from a
staff projecting horizontally or at an angle from the window sill, balcony,
or front of a building, the union of the flag should be placed at the peak
of the staff unless the flag is at half-staff. When the flag is suspended
over a sidewalk from a rope extending from a house to a pole at the edge of
the sidewalk, the flag should be hoisted out, union first, from the
building.
- When displayed either horizontally or vertically
against a wall, the union should be uppermost and to the flag's own right,
that is, to the observer's left. When displayed in a window, the flag should
be displayed in the same way, with the union or blue field to the left of
the observer in the street.
- When the flag is displayed over the middle of the
street, it should be suspended vertically with the union to the north in an
east and west street or to the east in a north and south street.
- When used on a speaker's platform, the flag, if
displayed flat, should be displayed above and behind the speaker. When
displayed from a staff in a church or public auditorium, the flag of the
United States of America should hold the position of superior prominence, in
advance of the audience, and in the position of honor at the clergyman's or
speaker's right as he faces the audience. Any other flag so displayed should
be placed on the left of the clergyman or speaker or to the right of the
audience.
- The flag should form a distinctive feature of the
ceremony of unveiling a statue or monument, but it should never be used as
the covering for the statue or monument.
- The flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first
hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff
position. The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered
for the day. On Memorial Day the flag should be displayed at half-staff
until noon only, then raised to the top of the staff. By order of the
President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal
figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State,
territory or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory. In the event
of the death of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be
displayed at half-staff according to Presidential instructions or orders, or
in accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with
law. In the event of the death of a present or former official of the
government of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the
Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the
National flag shall be flown at half-staff. The flag shall be flown at
half-staff thirty days from the death of the President or a former
President; ten days from the day of death of the Vice President, the Chief
Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of
the House of Representatives; from the day of death until interment of an
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a Secretary of an executive or
military department, a former Vice President, or the Governor of a State,
territory, or possession; and on the day of death and the following day for
a Member of Congress. As used in this subsection (1) the term
"half-staff" means the position of the flag when it is one half
the distance between the top and bottom of the staff; (2) the term
"executive or military department" means any agency listed under
sections 101 and 102 of title 5, United States Code; and (3) the term
"Member of Congress" means a Senator, a Representative, a
Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico.
- When the flag is used to cover a casket, it should be
so placed that the union is at the head and over the left shoulder. The flag
should not be lowered into the grave or allowed to touch the ground.
- When the flag is suspended across a corridor or lobby
in a building with only one main entrance, it should be suspended vertically
with the union of the flag to the observer's left upon entering. If the
building has more than one main entrance, the flag should be suspended
vertically near the center of the corridor or lobby with the union to the
north, when entrances are to the east and west or to the east when entrances
are to the north and south. If there are entrances in more than two
directions, the union should be to the east.
Section 4.
That no disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of America
-- the flag should not be dipped to any person or thing. Regimental colors,
State flags, and organization or institutional flags are to be dipped as a mark
of honor.
- The flag should never be displayed with the union down,
except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life
or property.
- The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such
as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise.
- The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally,
but always aloft and free.
- The flag should never be used as wearing apparel,
bedding, or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in
folds, but always allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white and red,
always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red
below, should be used for covering a speaker's desk, draping the front of
the platform, and for decoration in general.
- The flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or
stored in such a manner as to permit it to be easily torn, soiled, or
damaged in any way.
- The flag should never be used as a covering for a
ceiling.
- The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any
part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure,
design, picture, or drawing of any nature.
- The flag should never be used as a receptacle for
receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.
- The flag should never be used for advertising purposes
in any manner whatsoever. It should not be embroidered on such articles as
cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on
paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and
discard. Advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff or halyard from
which the flag is flown.
- No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or
athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of
military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic
organizations. The flag represents a living country and is itself considered
a living thing. Therefore, the lapel flag pin being a replica, should be
worn on the left lapel near the heart.
- The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no
longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way,
preferably by burning.
Section 5.
During the ceremony of hoisting or lowering the flag or when the flag is passing
in a parade or in review, all persons present except those in uniform should
face the flag and stand at attention with the right hand over the heart. Those
present in uniform should render the military salute. When not in uniform, men
should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left
shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Aliens should stand at attention. The
salute to the flag in a moving column should be rendered at the moment the flag
passes.
Section 6.
During rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present
except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right
hand over the heart. Men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their
right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart.
Persons in uniform should render the military salute at the first note of the
anthem and retain this position until the last note. When the flag is not
displayed, those present should face toward the music and act in the same manner
they would if the flag were displayed there.
Section 7.
The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of
the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one
Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all," should be
rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the
heart. When not in uniform men should remove their headdress with their right
hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in
uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute.
Section 8.
Any rule or custom pertaining to the display of the flag of the United States of
America, set forth herein, may be altered, modified, or repealed, or additional
rules with respect thereto may be prescribed, by the Commander in Chief of the
Armed Forces of the United States, whenever he deems it to be appropriate or
desirable; and any such alteration or additional rule shall be set forth in a
proclamation.
No person shall display the flag of the United Nations or
any other national or international flag equal, above, or in a position of
superior prominence or honor to, or in place of, the flag of the United States
at any place within the United States or any Territory or possession thereof;
Provided, That nothing in this section shall make unlawful the continuance of
the practice heretofore followed of displaying the flag of the United Nations in
a position of superior prominence or honor, and other national flags in
positions of equal prominence or honor, with that of the flag of the United
States at the headquarters of the United Nations.
How to Fold the Flag
Fold the flag in half width-wise twice. Fold up a
triangle, starting at the striped end ... and repeat ... until only the end of
the union is exposed. Then fold down the square into a triangle and tuck inside
the folds.
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