To hang an American flag correctly, keep the blue field of stars, called the union, at the top and on the observer’s left. That single rule governs almost every wall, window, and bracket display, and getting it right is the difference between a respectful display and one that reads as a distress signal.
Wall and Window Displays
The core rule sits in 4 U.S.C. § 7(i): whether a flag hangs horizontally or vertically against a wall, the union goes uppermost and to the flag’s own right, which is the left side from the viewer’s perspective.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 4 USC 7 – Position and Manner of Display Stand in front of the flag and check that the stars sit in the upper-left corner. That holds true whether the stripes run side to side or up and down.
Window displays follow the same logic with a twist that trips people up. The statute says the union must appear to the left of an observer standing outside in the street.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 4 US Code 7 – Position and Manner of Display If you are inside the house taping the flag to the glass, you need to place the stars to your right. The public-facing side is what counts, not the view from your couch.
Flags on a Staff or Bracket
When you mount the flag on a staff that projects horizontally or at an angle from a windowsill, balcony, or building front, the union goes at the peak of the staff, the end farthest from the building. The only exception is when the flag is at half-staff.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 4 USC 7 – Position and Manner of Display The stars always take the position of highest honor, meaning closest to the peak or farthest from the supporting structure.
A less common setup involves suspending the flag on a rope running from a house to a pole at the edge of the sidewalk. In that case, hoist the flag outward with the union going first, away from the building.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 4 USC 7 – Position and Manner of Display
Displaying With Other Flags
The U.S. flag always takes the dominant position in any grouping. Displayed from staffs alongside state, city, or organizational flags, it goes at the center and highest point of the group.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 4 USC 7 – Position and Manner of Display No other flag or pennant can fly above it or to its right, which is the observer’s left.
When you fly multiple flags on the same halyard, the U.S. flag sits at the peak. On adjacent staffs, hoist it first and lower it last.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 4 USC 7 – Position and Manner of Display Flags of other nations get separate staffs of the same height, and international custom prohibits flying one nation’s flag above another’s during peacetime.
Never Union-Down Except in Distress
A flag hanging with the union at the bottom is not just sloppy display. Under 4 U.S.C. § 8(a), the flag should never be displayed union-down except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 4 USC 8 – Respect for Flag An inverted flag functions as an emergency beacon, the visual equivalent of an SOS.
Flying a flag upside down as political protest has become more common, and the practice is not illegal. But if your goal is a respectful display and you accidentally mount the flag upside down, passersby will read it as a distress signal or a deliberate political statement rather than patriotic decoration. Double-check the union’s position before you walk away from the mount.
Keeping the Flag Off the Ground
The Flag Code states that the flag should never touch anything beneath it, including the ground, floor, water, or merchandise.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 4 USC 8 – Respect for Flag For a hanging flag, measure the drop before you install the mount. A standard 3-by-5-foot flag hung vertically needs at least five feet of clearance from the attachment point to the surface below, plus a few extra inches for safety.
Fabric stretches over time, especially nylon in humid weather. If you notice the bottom edge getting close to a floor or railing, tighten the rope or raise the bracket. The code also says the flag should never be fastened or stored in a way that lets it become easily torn, soiled, or damaged.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 4 USC 8 – Respect for Flag A dragging flag violates both rules at once.
A flag that has faded, frayed, or torn is no longer a fitting emblem for display and should be removed. Once it reaches that point, the proper disposal method is to destroy it in a dignified way, preferably by burning.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 4 USC 8 – Respect for Flag Veterans’ organizations like the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars operate flag retirement collection programs if you’d rather not handle it yourself.
Lighting the Flag After Dark
The standard practice is to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset. If you want to leave a hanging flag up around the clock, you can, but only if it is properly illuminated after dark.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 4 USC 6 – Time and Occasions for Display The statute does not define “properly illuminated” in technical terms. In practice, a dedicated spotlight, a porch light, or a solar-powered LED aimed at the flag is generally considered sufficient as long as the flag remains recognizable as the Stars and Stripes in the dark.
This rule catches a lot of homeowners off guard. If you hang a flag in a window facing an unlit yard, or drape one on a fence with no nearby light source, either bring it in at sunset or add lighting. An unlit flag at night is one of the most common oversights.
Rain, Snow, and Wind
The flag should not be displayed in rain, snow, or high wind unless you are using an all-weather flag.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 4 USC 6 – Time and Occasions for Display Most outdoor flags sold today are marketed as all-weather and made from nylon or polyester that can handle moisture without rotting. A cotton ceremonial flag should come inside when the weather turns.
Even all-weather flags take a beating from sustained wind and UV exposure. A flag hung from a porch or balcony that catches direct sun all day will need replacing sooner than one in partial shade.
Are These Rules Actually Enforced?
The Flag Code was written “for the use of such civilians or civilian groups or organizations” who are not already governed by military regulations.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 4 USC 5 – Display and Use of Flag by Civilians Nothing in Title 4, Chapter 1 prescribes penalties for civilians who violate its provisions. The code reads as a set of strong recommendations, not criminal law.
The Supreme Court reinforced that limit in Texas v. Johnson (1989), holding that flag burning is expressive conduct protected by the First Amendment and that the government cannot ban it simply because onlookers find it offensive.7Cornell Law Institute. Texas v Johnson, 491 US 397 You cannot be fined or jailed for hanging a flag the wrong way. Still, for anyone who wants the display to read as respectful, the code is the authoritative playbook, and the union-up, observer’s-left rule is the one to get right.