When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates

August 2019 dates to fly the U.S. flag

U.S. flag at Fort McHenry, near Baltimore, with fireworks – National Park Service photo

According to InfoPlease.com, the dates to fly the flag of the U.S.

When to Fly the Flag

The flag can be displayed on all days, but in particular it should be flown on these dates designated in the U.S. Flag Code:

New Year’s Day, January 1
Inauguration Day, January 20
Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, third Monday in January
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
Fathers Day, third Sunday in June

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
Other days as may be proclaimed by the President of the United States
The birthdays of States (date of admission)
State holidays

Though it’s not been added to the Flag Code, September 11 has been designated a national Patriot Day. Under the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, Public Law 111-13, the president should issue a proclamation, and government entities should, and private citizens are encouraged, to fly flags at half staff. [Updated on September 11, 2013.]

Replica of the 1814 flag, flying at Fort HcHenry in Baltimore Harbor, on the Fourth of July. NPS photo, perhaps

Replica of the 1814 flag, flying at Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor, on the Fourth of July. NPS photo, perhaps

See also 4 USC 1, sec. 6 Outside of the Flag Code Sections, or in a few cases duplicating the Flag Code, several laws designate recurring days and months of commemoration, celebration and remembrance. Some of these days carry urgings to fly the flag. From 36 USC Chapter 1:

§ 101. American Heart Month
§ 102. Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month
§ 103. Cancer Control Month
§ 104. Carl Garner Federal Lands Cleanup Day
§ 105. Child Health Day
§ 106. Constitution Day and Citizenship Day [September 17; fly the flag]
§ 107. Columbus Day [Second Monday in October; fly the flag]
§ 108. Constitution Week
§ 109. Father’s Day [Third Sunday in June; fly the flag]
§ 110. Flag Day [June 14; fly the flag]
§ 111. Gold Star Mother’s Day [Last Sunday in September; fly the flag]
§ 112. Honor America Days
§ 113. Law Day, U.S.A. [May 1; fly the flag]
§ 114. Leif Erikson Day [October 9; President may issue a proclamation]
§ 115. Loyalty Day [May 1; fly the flag (duplicates Law Day)]
§ 116. Memorial Day [Last Monday in May; 4 USC 1 calls for flag flying]
§ 117. Mother’s Day [Second Sunday in May; fly the flag]
§ 118. National Aviation Day [August 19; fly the flag]
§ 119. National Day of Prayer [First Thursday in May]
§ 120. National Defense Transportation Day
§ 121. National Disability Employment Awareness Month
§ 122. National Flag Week [Week in which June 14 falls, Flag day; fly the flag all week]
§ 123. National Forest Products Week
§ 124. National Freedom Day [February 1, honoring Lincoln’s signing of the 13th Amendment Resolution; President may issue a proclamation]
§ 125. National Grandparents Day
§ 126. National Hispanic Heritage Month
§ 127. National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day [July 27 each year until 2003; fly the flag at half-staff]
§ 128. National Maritime Day [May 22; fly the flag]
§ 129. National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day [December 7; fly the flag]
§ 130. National Poison Prevention Week
§ 131. National Safe Boating Week
§ 132. National School Lunch Week
§ 133. National Transportation Week
§ 134. Pan American Aviation Day
§ 135. Parents’ Day
§ 136. Peace Officers Memorial Day [May 15; fly flags at half-staff]
§ 137. Police Week [Week in which May 15 occurs; fly flags at half-staff all week]
§ 138. Save Your Vision Week
§ 139. Steelmark Month
§ 140. Stephen Foster Memorial Day
§ 141. Thomas Jefferson’s birthday
§ 142. White Cane Safety Day
§ 143. Wright Brothers Day
§ 144. Patriot Day [September 11; fly flags at half-staff]

*On Memorial Day, the flag should be hung at half-staff until noon, when it should be raised to the top of the staff. The U.S. flag also should be flown in each state on its statehood day, according to the Flag Code. For the 50 U.S. states, the dates are listed below; the chart also tells the order of admission of each state.

Alabama Dec. 14, 1819

22nd state

Alaska Jan. 3, 1959

49th

Arizona Feb. 14, 1912

48th

Arkansas June 15, 1836

25th

California Sept. 9, 1850

31st

Colorado Aug. 1, 1876

38th

Connecticut Jan. 9, 1788

5th

Delaware Dec. 7, 1787

1st

Florida March 3, 1845

27th

Georgia Jan. 2, 1788

4th

Hawaii Aug. 21, 1959

50th

Idaho July 3, 1890

43rd

Illinois Dec. 3, 1818

21st

Indiana Dec. 11, 1816

19th

Iowa Dec. 28, 1846

29th

Kansas Jan. 29, 1861

34th

Kentucky June 1, 1792

15th

Louisiana April 30, 1812

18th

Maine March 15, 1820

23rd

Maryland April 28, 1788

7th

Massachusetts Feb. 6, 1788

6th

Michigan Jan. 26, 1837

26th

Minnesota May 11, 1858

32nd

Mississippi Dec. 10, 1817

20th

Missouri Aug. 10, 1821

24th

Montana Nov. 8, 1889

41st

Nebraska March 1, 1867

37th

Nevada Oct. 31, 1864

36th

New Hampshire June 21, 1788

9th

New Jersey Dec. 18, 1787

3rd

New Mexico Jan. 6, 1912

47th

New York July 26, 1788

11th

North Carolina Nov. 21, 1789

12th

North Dakota Nov. 2, 1889

39th or 40th

Ohio March 1, 1803

17th

Oklahoma Nov. 16, 1907

46th

Oregon Feb. 14, 1859

33rd

Pennsylvania Dec. 12, 1787

2nd

Rhode Island May 29, 1790

13th

South Carolina May 23, 1788

8th

South Dakota Nov. 2, 1889

39th or 40th

Tennessee June 1, 1796

16th

Texas Dec. 29, 1845

28th

Utah Jan. 4, 1896

45th

Vermont March 4, 1791

14th

Virginia June 25, 1788

10th

Washington Nov. 11, 1889

42nd

West Virginia June 20, 1863

35th

Wisconsin May 29, 1848

30th

Wyoming July 10, 1890

44th

How to fly the flag

Rules of flag etiquette are not many, but they have been subject to a lot of exaggeration over the years. The U.S. Flag Code puts into law the general etiquette rules. There are no penalties for violating the rules. Even the clear language of the statue confuses many.

The Library of Congress’s Congressional Research Service provides a good summary of the law; a publication of the U.S. Senate gives the law and pictorial examples of proper flag display. Other groups, like the Boy Scouts of America, have separate publications. MFB recommends the U.S. Senate’s brochure and the Boy Scouts’ publication, Your Flag, both of which offer more history and illustrations of how flags should be displayed in a variety of different circumstances.

Please consult one of these sources if you are not sure how to display the flag. If you do consult those publications, you will discover most Fourth of July parades display Old Glory “incorrectly.” No flag police will ever ticket your local Lions Club or City Council. Those Americans probably mean no disrespect to the flag or the nation, but are carried away with exuberance at the prospect of waving the flag.

More, at Millard Fillmore’s Bathtub:

More, at other sources:

Boy Scouts of America list many of their rules online.
Purchase Your Flag from Scout Stuff, online (also available at your local Scout shop) (booklet is often available for less than a dollar, plus shipping at Amazon, Tattered Cover in Denver, Sam Weller’s Zion Bookstore in Salt Lake City, Half-Price Books, or other sources)

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141 Responses to When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates

Remember to fly your flag on Father’s Day 2023! | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

June 18, 2023 at 12:48 am

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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Ed Darrell says:

June 13, 2023 at 2:06 pm

Oy.

Two days ago these people were absolutely incensed over some imagined slight to America due to a supposed violation of the flag code because the Biden Administration flew a Pride flag from the White House. https://t.co/xOgJTC0m3R

— Stonekettle (@Stonekettle) June 13, 2023

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December 11: Hoosiers fly the flag for Indiana Statehood | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

December 11, 2019 at 12:33 pm

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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November 2019 days to fly the flag | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

November 14, 2019 at 3:01 am

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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April 2019: When do we fly our flags? | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

March 30, 2019 at 4:15 am

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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Fly the U.S. flag in March 2019 | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

March 8, 2019 at 6:32 pm

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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February 2019 dates to fly Stars and Stripes | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

February 9, 2019 at 6:35 pm

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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Fly your flag today for the 2019 holiday honoring Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

January 21, 2019 at 6:34 pm

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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New Jersey flies flags for statehood, December 18, 2018 | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

December 18, 2018 at 1:40 pm

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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December 14, Alabama flies the flag for 199 years of statehood | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

December 14, 2018 at 3:46 am

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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December 11: Fly the flag for Indiana Statehood, Hoosiers! | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

December 11, 2018 at 2:31 am

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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Illinois flies flags December 3 for statehood | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

December 3, 2018 at 2:34 pm

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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Fly flags on November 11, or November 12? | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

November 11, 2018 at 12:31 pm

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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November 2018 days for flying the flag | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

November 1, 2018 at 6:06 am

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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Navy Day 2018 – Fly your flag October 27 | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

October 27, 2018 at 11:20 am

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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October 2018 dates to fly Old Glory | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

October 18, 2018 at 4:27 am

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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September 2018: When to fly the the U.S. flag | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

August 31, 2018 at 5:15 am

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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July 21, 2018: Hawaii statehood, fly your flag! | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

August 20, 2018 at 3:41 pm

[…] day in 1959 when Hawaii was recognized as a member of the union of the United States of America. Hawaiians should fly their flags to day in honor of the date (you may, […]

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July 2018: When do we fly the flag? | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

July 19, 2018 at 12:10 am

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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June 2018: On what dates should we fly the flag? | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

June 11, 2018 at 3:28 am

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 19, 2018 – fly your flag | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

May 19, 2018 at 3:57 pm

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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May 2018, flag-flying dates | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

May 8, 2018 at 1:33 pm

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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April 2018: When do we fly our flags? | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

April 3, 2018 at 2:40 am

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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Fly the U.S. flag in March 2018? | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

March 2, 2018 at 11:07 am

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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Fly your flag on Valentine’s Day? Okay in Oregon and Arizona | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

February 14, 2018 at 12:40 pm

[…] Flag Code urges flying the flag on the day a state achieved statehood, […]

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Fly your flag, a Valentine for Oregon and Arizona | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

February 14, 2018 at 12:30 pm

[…] Flag Code urges flying the flag on the day a state achieved statehood, […]

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February 2018, dates to fly the U.S. flag | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

February 7, 2018 at 5:18 pm

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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Fly your flag today for the 2018 holiday honoring Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

January 15, 2018 at 4:03 am

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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Iowans, fly your flags today: Iowa Statehood, December 28, 1846 | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

December 28, 2017 at 2:15 pm

[…] flag may be flown on “the birthdays of States (date of admission),” in addition to the other score of dates specifically written into […]

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December 7, 2018: Fly flags for Pearl Harbor Remembrance, and for Delaware statehood — and at half staff | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

December 7, 2017 at 4:17 am

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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November 2017 flag-flying dates | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

October 28, 2017 at 2:58 pm

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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Fly your flag for Navy Day, October 27, 2017 | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

October 27, 2017 at 5:23 am

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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October 2017 dates to fly Old Glory | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

October 1, 2017 at 5:05 pm

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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September 2017: When to fly the the U.S. flag | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

September 3, 2017 at 3:31 pm

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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Ed Darrell says:

August 28, 2017 at 3:41 pm

Doggoned if I know. Where were you when you saw the flags? Which state?

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Tom says:

August 26, 2017 at 11:39 am

some people are flying there flag today on Aug 26. What does that comemmerate?

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July 27, 2017: National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, go ahead, fly your flag | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

July 27, 2017 at 9:03 am

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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July 26, 2017, New York flies U.S. flags for statehood | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

July 26, 2017 at 11:22 am

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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June 20, 2017: Fly the flag for West Virginia Statehood, and remembering Muhammad Ali | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

June 20, 2017 at 3:44 am

[…] any case, per the guidelines in the U.S. Flag Code, West Virginians should fly the U.S. flag today in honor of their statehood, 154 years ago. West […]

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Flying the flag for West Virginia Statehood, and remembering Muhammad Ali | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

June 7, 2017 at 2:10 am

[…] any case, per the guidelines in the U.S. Flag Code, West Virginians should fly the U.S. flag today in honor of their statehood, 153 years ago. West […]

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On what dates should we fly the flag in June 2017? | Millard Fillmore's Bathtub says:

June 5, 2017 at 4:40 pm

[…] When do we fly the U.S. flag? Flag fly dates […]

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Alabama	Dec. 14, 1819
	22nd state
Alaska	Jan. 3, 1959
	49th
Arizona	Feb. 14, 1912
	48th
Arkansas	June 15, 1836
	25th
California	Sept. 9, 1850
	31st
Colorado	Aug. 1, 1876
	38th
Connecticut	Jan. 9, 1788
	5th
Delaware	Dec. 7, 1787
	1st
Florida	March 3, 1845
	27th
Georgia	Jan. 2, 1788
	4th
Hawaii	Aug. 21, 1959
	50th
Idaho	July 3, 1890
	43rd
Illinois	Dec. 3, 1818
	21st
Indiana	Dec. 11, 1816
	19th
Iowa	Dec. 28, 1846
	29th
Kansas	Jan. 29, 1861
	34th
Kentucky	June 1, 1792
	15th
Louisiana	April 30, 1812
	18th
Maine	March 15, 1820
	23rd
Maryland	April 28, 1788
	7th
Massachusetts	Feb. 6, 1788
	6th
Michigan	Jan. 26, 1837
	26th
Minnesota	May 11, 1858
	32nd
Mississippi	Dec. 10, 1817
	20th
Missouri	Aug. 10, 1821
	24th
Montana	Nov. 8, 1889
	41st
Nebraska	March 1, 1867
	37th
Nevada	Oct. 31, 1864
	36th
New Hampshire	June 21, 1788
	9th
New Jersey	Dec. 18, 1787
	3rd
New Mexico	Jan. 6, 1912
	47th
New York	July 26, 1788
	11th
North Carolina	Nov. 21, 1789
	12th
North Dakota	Nov. 2, 1889
	39th or 40th
Ohio	March 1, 1803
	17th
Oklahoma	Nov. 16, 1907
	46th
Oregon	Feb. 14, 1859
	33rd
Pennsylvania	Dec. 12, 1787
	2nd
Rhode Island	May 29, 1790
	13th
South Carolina	May 23, 1788
	8th
South Dakota	Nov. 2, 1889
	39th or 40th
Tennessee	June 1, 1796
	16th
Texas	Dec. 29, 1845
	28th
Utah	Jan. 4, 1896
	45th
Vermont	March 4, 1791
	14th
Virginia	June 25, 1788
	10th
Washington	Nov. 11, 1889
	42nd
West Virginia	June 20, 1863
	35th
Wisconsin	May 29, 1848
	30th
Wyoming	July 10, 1890
	44th

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