Days to Fly the American Flag: Flag Code Dates and Half-Staff

The days to fly the American flag are, by the letter of the U.S. Flag Code, all of them: the statute says the flag “should be displayed on all days,” then singles out more than 20 specific dates for particular emphasis and adds several half-staff observances set by other federal laws.¹

The Everyday Rule

A common misreading is that the flag comes out only on holidays. The code’s baseline is the opposite. If you have a flagpole, the preference is that you use it daily, and the named dates below simply carry extra weight.¹

Dates the Flag Code Specifically Names

4 U.S.C. § 6(d) lists the following as occasions when display is especially appropriate:¹

New Year’s Day, January 1
Inauguration Day, January 20 (every four years)
Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, third Monday in January
Lincoln’s Birthday, February 12
Washington’s Birthday, third Monday in February
National Vietnam War Veterans Day, March 29
Easter Sunday (variable)
Mother’s Day, second Sunday in May
Armed Forces Day, third Saturday in May
Memorial Day, last Monday in May (half-staff until noon, then full staff)
Flag Day, June 14
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
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

Two additional categories fill out the list: the anniversary of your state’s admission to the Union, and any state holiday observed where you live. The President can also proclaim additional display days at any time.¹

A couple of notes worth carrying. National Vietnam War Veterans Day was added to the statute in 2017, so older reference lists omit it. And National Aviation Day on August 19 often shows up on unofficial lists but is not in the Flag Code; you are free to fly the flag then, but the statute does not name it.

Half-Staff Days Set by Other Federal Laws

Several dates each year call for half-staff display under separate statutes. Congress has directed the President to issue annual proclamations for each one.

Peace Officers Memorial Day, May 15, honoring law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. This date also appears directly in 4 U.S.C. § 7(m), which calls for half-staff on that day unless it falls on Armed Forces Day.²³
Patriot Day, September 11, in memory of those lost in the 2001 attacks.⁴
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, December 7.⁵
National Fallen Firefighters Memorial, first Sunday in October. Under Public Law 107-51, the President orders half-staff at federal buildings for the annual memorial service.

The Korean War Veterans Armistice Day half-staff provision in 36 U.S.C. § 127 originally applied only through 2003, but presidential proclamations have continued the practice in subsequent years.⁶

Half-Staff After the Death of an Official

When a government official dies, the length of half-staff display depends on the person’s rank:³

President or former President: 30 days
Vice President, Chief Justice (current or retired), or Speaker of the House: 10 days from the day of death
Associate Justice, cabinet secretary, former Vice President, or state Governor: from the day of death until interment
Member of Congress: day of death and the following day

The President can order half-staff for the death of any official or foreign dignitary not covered above, or for national tragedies and commemorations. State Governors hold similar authority within their own jurisdictions and can proclaim half-staff for a state official, a service member from that state who dies on active duty, or a first responder killed in the line of duty. When a Governor issues a half-staff order for a fallen service member, federal installations in that state must comply.³

Memorial Day has its own rule. The flag stays at half-staff only until noon, then rises to full staff for the rest of the day.³ People skip this transition constantly, so getting it right is a small but meaningful act.

Time of Day and Weather

Whichever day you are flying, the traditional rule is raise at sunrise, lower at sunset, for buildings and freestanding flagpoles outdoors. Twenty-four-hour display is allowed as long as the flag is properly illuminated after dark.¹ A dedicated spotlight aimed at the flag satisfies this. A distant porch light that vaguely reaches it does not. Someone passing by at night should be able to clearly see the colors.

The flag should not fly in heavy rain, snow, or high winds unless you are using an all-weather flag built for those conditions.¹ Most all-weather flags are nylon or heavy-duty polyester that resists moisture and tearing. A standard cotton flag comes inside when the weather turns.

Are These Rules Enforceable

No. The Flag Code contains no enforcement mechanism and prescribes no penalties for civilians or private organizations. You will not face fines or arrest for flying the flag at night without a light, leaving it out in a rainstorm, or skipping any of the designated dates. In practice the code functions as etiquette that most people follow out of respect rather than a set of legal obligations.

1
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 4 U.S.C. 6 – Time and Occasions for Display
2
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 36 U.S.C. 136 – Peace Officers Memorial Day
3
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 4 U.S.C. 7 – Position and Manner of Display
4
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 36 U.S.C. 144 – Patriot Day
5
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 36 U.S.C. 129 – National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
6
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 36 U.S.C. 127 – National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day