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CUSTOMARY FLAG FLYING DAYS

The U.S. flag can be flown every day, from sunrise to sunset, but is required to be flown on the customary days listed in the calendar below to show patriotism, weather permitting. There are also certain days that the POW/MIA flag is customarily flown. You can always fly your U.S. flag all day and night, but it must be properly illuminated per the U.S. Flag Code. All dates that are burgundy in color represent the Customary Flag Flying Days.

As of November 7, 2019, the National POW/MIA Flag Act was signed into law and requires the POW/MIA flag to be displayed on all days that the flag of the United States is displayed on certain federal buildings. The National POW/MIA Flag Act only applies to certain federal buildings including the: White House, U.S. Capitol, Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs headquarters along with every U.S. Post Office across the country. The flag will also be required to fly at all major U.S. military installations, every national cemetery and well-known war-related sites such as the World War II Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

 

OTHER SPECIAL FLAG FLYING DAYS

Some dates are considered Special Flag Flying Days. You are not required to fly your U.S. flag on these days, but many people do. All dates that are blue in color represent the Special Flag Flying Days.

 

Use our flag flying icons below to help you know when to fly your U.S. flag half-staff. There are also icons to show you the days that the POW/MIA flag should be flown at full-staff and the days it needs to be flown at half-staff.

Fly U.S. flag half-staff

Fly POW/MIA flag full-staff

Fly POW/MIA flag half-staff

Fly U.S. flag and POW/MIA flag half-staff

BURGUNDY COLOR: CUSTOMARY FLAG FLYING DAYS

BLUE COLOR: SPECIAL FLAG FLYING DAYS


NEW YEAR'S DAY

January 1

 

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY

3rd Monday in January

 

INAUGURATION DAY

January 20 (every 4 years)

LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY

February 12

 

WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY (PRESIDENTS DAY)

3rd Monday in February

EASTER SUNDAY

Date Varies

 

NATIONAL VIETNAM WAR VETERANS DAY

March 29

ARMY DAY

April 6

 

NATIONAL FORMER PRISONER OF WAR RECOGNITION DAY

April 9

 

EARTH DAY

April 22

NATIONAL FALLEN FIREFIGHTERS MEMORIAL SERVICE

First Sunday in May

INTERNATIONAL FIREFIGHTERS' DAY

May 4

 

VICTORY IN EUROPE (V-E) DAY

May 8

 

MOTHER'S DAY

2nd Sunday in May

 

 PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL DAY

May 15

 

ARMED FORCES DAY

3rd Saturday in May

 

MEMORIAL DAY

Last Monday in May

U.S. flag half-staff until noon

POW/MIA flag half-staff sunrise to sunset

REMEMBER D-DAY

June 6

 

ARMY BIRTHDAY

June 14

 

FLAG DAY

June 14

  

FATHER'S DAY

3rd Sunday in June

INDEPENDENCE DAY

July 4

 

NATIONAL KOREAN WAR VETERANS ARMISTICE DAY

July 27

COAST GUARD DAY

August 4

 

PURPLE HEART DAY

August 7

 

NATIONAL AVIATION DAY

August 19

VICTORY OVER JAPAN (V-J) DAY

September 2

 

LABOR DAY

1st Monday in September

  

PATRIOT DAY

September 11 

  

CONSTITUTION DAY & CITIZENSHIP DAY

September 17

 

AIR FORCE BIRTHDAY

September 18

 

NATIONAL POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY

3rd Friday of September

 

GOLD STAR MOTHER'S DAY

Last Sunday in September

COLUMBUS DAY

2nd Monday in October

 

NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' DAY

2nd Monday in October

 

NAVY'S BIRTHDAY

October 13

   

NAVY DAY

October 27

 ELECTION DAY

First Tuesday following the First Monday in November

 

MARINE CORPS DAY

November 10

 

VETERANS DAY

November 11

 

THANKSGIVING DAY

4th Thursday in November

PEARL HARBOR REMEMBRANCE DAY

December 7

 

CHRISTMAS DAY

December 25

 


FLAG FLYING DAYS FOR YOUR STATE FLAG

You can fly your state flag every day of the year, from sunrise to sundown, if you would like. You can also choose to only fly your state flag on your state's birthday and/or on state holidays. The state's birthday is the date the state became a part of the Federal Government. Below is a list of each state's birthday with the state's order number when it officially became part of the United States.

Alabama (22): December 14, 1819
Alaska (49): January 3, 1959
Arizona (48): February 14, 1912
Arkansas (25): June 15, 1836
California (31): September 9, 1850
Colorado (38): August 1, 1876
Connecticut (5): January 9, 1788
Delaware (1): December 7, 1787
Florida (27): March 3, 1845
Georgia (4): January 2, 1788
Hawaii (50): August 21, 1959
Idaho (43): July 3, 1890
Illinois (21): December 3, 1818
Indiana (19): December 11, 1816
Iowa (29): December 28, 1846
Kansas (34): January 29, 1861
Kentucky (15): June 1, 1792

Louisiana (18): April 30, 1812
Maine (23): March 15, 1820
Maryland (7): April 28, 1788
Massachusetts (6): February 6, 1788
Michigan (26): January 26, 1837
Minnesota (32): May 11, 1858
Mississippi (20): December 10, 1817
Missouri (24): August 10, 1821
Montana (41): November 8, 1889
Nebraska (37): March 1, 1867
Nevada (36): October 31, 1864
New Hampshire (9): June 21, 1788
New Jersey (3): December 18, 1787
New Mexico (47): January 6, 1912
New York (11): July 26, 1788
North Carolina (12): November 21, 1789
North Dakota (39): November 2, 1889

Ohio (17): March 1, 1803
Oklahoma (46): November 16, 1907
Oregon (33): February 14, 1859
Pennsylvania (2): December 12, 1787
Rhode Island (13): May 29, 1790
South Carolina (8): May 23, 1788
South Dakota (40): November 2, 1889
Tennessee (16): June 1, 1796
Texas (28): December 29, 1845
Utah (45): January 4, 1896
Vermont (14): March 4, 1791
Virginia (10): June 25, 1788
Washington (42): November 11, 1889
West Virginia (35): June 20, 1863
Wisconsin (30): May 29, 1848
Wyoming (44): July 10, 1890


How Long Should I Fly the Flag at Half-Staff?

The President may order the flag to be flown at half-mast, or half-staff, to mark the death of other officials, former officials, or foreign dignitaries. In addition to these occasions, the president may also order half-staff display of the flag after other tragic events. When a half-staff order is issued, it will state when and how long the American flag or any state flag should be flown at half-staff. In any event, the flag should be briskly run up to the top of the staff before being lowered slowly to the half-mast position.

During half-staff flag flying days, all flags should be lowered as stated. For flagpoles with multiple flags, remove any additional flags below the American flag that are suspended at or below the cleat on your flagpole for the duration of the half-staff order. This will eliminate the chance that one of your flags will be dishonored by touching the ground.

The flag is to be flown at half-staff at all federal buildings, grounds, and naval vessels in the Washington, D.C. area on the day and day after the death of a United States senator, representative, territorial delegate, or the resident commissioner from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It should also be flown at half-staff on all federal facilities in the state, congressional district, territory, or commonwealth of these officials.

Click here for more information on Presidential Proclamations.


After the death of
President or
former President


After the death of a sitting
Vice-President, the Chief of
Justice, a retired Chief of Justice,
or the Speaker of the
House of Representatives


Day of and the day
after the death of
a member of Congress


Associate Justice of the
Supreme Court, secretary
of a military department,
former Vice President, or
the Governor of a state



If Your Flag Can't Fly at Half-Staff

If your flag cannot be lowered, such as a flag on a home, The American Legion says an acceptable alternative is to attach a black ribbon on top of the flag. The ribbon should be the same width as a stripe on the flag and the same length as the flag. In the case of wall-mounted flags, three mourning bows should be attached to the top edge of the flag, one at each corner, and one in the center.


Black Nylon Mourning Bow

Offers an alternative for
flagpoles that cannot have
a flag flown at half-staff

POW/MIA Recognition Day

Congress designated the third Friday of September as National POW/MIA Recognition Day and ordered prominent display of the POW/MIA flag on this day and several other national observances, including Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day. The 1998 Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 105- 85) mandates that on these national observances, the POW/MIA flag is to be flown over the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Korean and Vietnam Veterans War Memorials, the offices of the Secretaries of State, Defense and Veterans Affairs, offices of the Director of the Selective Service System, every major military installation (as directed by the Secretary of Defense), every post office, and all Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers and national cemeteries. The act also directs VA Medical Centers to fly the POW/MIA flag on any day on which the flag of the United States is displayed.



Click here for more information on POW/MIA Recognition Day.


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