When to Fly the U.S. Flag: A Guide to Holidays & Half-Staff Rules

U.S. Flag Holidays: A Complete Calendar & Guide

Here is a detailed guide answering both of these common questions.

1. On Which Holidays Should I Fly the U.S. Flag?

According to the U.S. Flag Code, the flag should be displayed on all days, but especially on the following holidays and observances:

• New Year's Day (January 1)
• Inauguration Day (January 20, every four years)
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Third Monday in January)
• Lincoln's Birthday (February 12)
• Washington's Birthday / Presidents' Day (Third Monday in February)
• Easter Sunday (Variable)
• Mother's Day (Second Sunday in May)
• Armed Forces Day (Third Saturday in May)
• Memorial Day (Last Monday in May - see half-staff rules below)
• Flag Day (June 14)
• Juneteenth (June 19)
• Father's Day (Third Sunday in June)
• Independence Day (July 4)
• National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day (July 27)
• Labor Day (First Monday in September)
• Patriot Day (September 11 - see half-staff rules below)
• Constitution Day (September 17)
• Gold Star Mother's Day (Last Sunday in September)
• Columbus Day (Second Monday in October)
• Navy Day (October 27)
• Election Day (First Tuesday after the first Monday in November)
• Veterans Day (November 11)
• Thanksgiving Day (Fourth Thursday in November)
• Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (December 7 - see half-staff rules below)
• Christmas Day (December 25)
• State Holidays (Dates vary) and state admission birthdays.

A common misconception is that you can only fly the flag on these holidays. In fact, the U.S. Flag Code states that the flag can be displayed every day of the year, as long as it is done respectfully (e.g., from sunrise to sunset, or 24 hours a day if properly illuminated).

 

2. When Should the Flag Be Flown at Half-Staff?

This is one of the most common points of confusion. "Half-staff" (or "half-mast" on a ship) is a sign of mourning and respect. On holidays, the rules are particular:

• Memorial Day: The flag should be flown at half-staff from sunrise until noon only. At noon, it should be briskly raised to the top of the staff, where it flies for the rest of the day. This unique custom honors the nation's fallen in the morning and then, as a symbol of their sacrifice, the living raise the flag to show that the country lives on.
• Patriot Day (September 11): The flag should be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset in honor of the individuals who lost their lives in the 2001 terrorist attacks.
• National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day (July 27): The flag should be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset.
• Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (December 7): The flag should be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset to honor those who died in the 1941 attack.
• Peace Officers Memorial Day (May 15): The flag should be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset.

The flag is also flown at half-staff by presidential or state gubernatorial proclamation to mark the death of a significant public figure or to honor victims of a national tragedy.