When to Fly Your Flag at Half-Staff (Rules and Dates)

The American flag at half-staff is one of the most powerful visual statements in our country. It says more than words ever could: we lost someone, we're grieving, and we stand together in that grief. Most Americans don't actually know the rules, though. They see a flag lowered and assume someone important died, but the protocol runs deeper than that. Federal law, presidential proclamations, and governor orders all play a role. Some dates are fixed every single year. Others come without warning.

This guide breaks down every half-staff rule you need to know. The permanent dates on the calendar, who has the authority to order flags lowered, the correct procedure for lowering and raising your flag, and the mistakes people make that you can easily avoid. If you fly an American flag at your home, your business, or anywhere else, this is required reading.

What Half-Staff Actually Means

Half-staff means the flag flies at a position halfway between the top and bottom of the pole. That's it. Not "a little lower than normal." Not "wherever looks about right." Halfway.

The term "half-mast" technically applies to flags on ships. On land, the correct term is half-staff. Most people use them interchangeably and nobody's going to call you out for saying half-mast, but if you want to be precise about it, half-staff is the right call for flags on shore.

One critical detail people miss: you don't just pull the flag down to half-staff. The proper protocol is to raise the flag briskly to the top of the pole first, then lower it slowly and ceremonially to the half-staff position. When you take it down at the end of the day, you raise it briskly back to the top, then lower it. That brief moment at full staff is a sign of respect. Skipping it is the single most common mistake people make.

Permanent Half-Staff Dates (Every Year)

These dates are written into federal law or established by long-standing presidential proclamation. You don't need to wait for an announcement. They happen every single year.

Peace Officers Memorial Day (May 15) honors law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. President Kennedy established this one in 1962. Half-staff from sunrise to sunset.

Memorial Day (Last Monday in May) is the only half-staff day where you raise the flag back to full-staff partway through the day. From sunrise to noon, it flies at half-staff to honor the fallen. At noon, it goes up to full-staff for the remainder of the day, honoring living veterans and service members still in the fight.

Patriot Day (September 11) commemorates the 2,977 lives lost in the terrorist attacks of 2001. First observed in 2002. Sunrise to sunset.

National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Day (First Sunday in October) honors firefighters who died in the line of duty during the previous year.

Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (December 7) commemorates the 2,403 Americans killed in the 1941 attack that pulled the United States into World War II. Sunrise to sunset.

5 Permanent half-staff dates are written into federal law. They happen every year regardless of who is President.

Who Can Order Half-Staff

Only two positions in the country have the authority to order the American flag to half-staff by proclamation.

The President of the United States can issue a half-staff order for any reason, and it applies nationwide. Presidents typically do this after the death of significant government officials, national tragedies, mass shootings, and deaths of former presidents. When a former president dies, the flag flies at half-staff for 30 days. For a sitting president, it's from the day of death until the day of interment. A sitting Vice President gets 10 days.

State Governors can order flags to half-staff within their own state. Governors frequently use this for fallen soldiers from their state, state officials, line-of-duty deaths of police and firefighters, and state-level tragedies. A governor's order only applies within that state's borders.

Nobody else has this authority. Your mayor can't do it. Your county commissioner can't do it. Your HOA president definitely can't do it. If someone who isn't the President or your Governor tells you to lower your flag, they don't have the legal standing to make that call.

How Long Flags Stay at Half-Staff by Official

The duration depends on who died. Federal law spells this out clearly in 4 U.S.C. § 7(m).

30	Days for a President or Former President 30 days from the day of death. The longest half-staff period in the code.
10	Days for VP, Chief Justice, or Speaker of the House 10 days from the day of death for these top government officials.
†	Until Interment for Associate Justices, Cabinet, and Senate Leaders From the day of death until the day of burial for Supreme Court Associate Justices, Cabinet members, former Vice Presidents, and Senate/House majority and minority leaders.
2	Days for Senators and Representatives The day of death and the following day, within the state or district they represented.

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How to Lower Your Flag to Half-Staff

The procedure matters. Doing it wrong sends the wrong message.

1	Raise the flag briskly to the very top of the pole. Even if you're lowering it for a somber occasion, the flag touches the peak first. This momentary display at full-staff is a salute of respect. Not optional.
2	Lower the flag slowly and ceremonially to half-staff. The center of the flag should sit at roughly the midpoint of the pole. On a residential pole, this usually means the top of the flag sits about one flag-width below the peak.
3	At sunset, raise it back to the peak before bringing it down. When taking the flag down at the end of the day, raise it briskly back to the top before lowering it for removal. The flag always touches the peak one more time.
4	No pulley system? Use a black ribbon instead. If you fly a flag on a fixed bracket on your house with no way to lower it, attach a black ribbon or streamer to the top. The ribbon should be the same length as the flag.

Common Half-Staff Mistakes

You'd be surprised how many well-meaning flag owners get these wrong. All four of these are easy to fix once you know about them.

MISTAKE 01

Lowering the Flag Without Raising It First

The number one error. The protocol specifically requires the flag to be raised to the peak before being lowered to half-staff. That brief moment at the top is the salute. Skip it and you've skipped the most important part of the gesture.

MISTAKE 02

Leaving the Flag at Half-Staff Too Long

When a proclamation says "sunrise to sunset," the flag goes back to full-staff the next morning. When it specifies a number of days, it ends at sunset on the final day. Keeping it down longer is not "extra respectful." It's incorrect.

MISTAKE 03

Flying Half-Staff for Personal Reasons Without a Proclamation

Lowering your flag because a neighbor passed away or your favorite public figure died is well-intentioned but technically not in line with the U.S. Flag Code. Half-staff is reserved for official proclamations. For personal mourning, attach a black ribbon or streamer to the flag instead.

MISTAKE 04

Not Tracking Your State's Orders

Governors issue half-staff orders regularly, sometimes weekly, for fallen soldiers, officers, and firefighters. Most states have an email notification system. If you fly a flag, sign up. Saying you didn't know is not a great look.

The good news: every one of these mistakes comes from good intentions, not disrespect. Now that you know the rules, you can follow them properly.

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How to Stay Informed About Half-Staff Orders

Keeping up with half-staff orders takes a little effort, but it's worth doing right.

If you want to take it seriously, set a reminder to check at the start of each month. The five permanent dates are easy enough to memorize, but governor orders can come any week. One five-minute check keeps you ahead of it.

For more flag care and display guidance, check out our guides on how to hang an American flag on your house and how to fold an American flag the right way. Both cover the U.S. Flag Code rules you need to know.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I fly my flag at half-staff whenever I want?

Technically, no. The U.S. Flag Code reserves half-staff for presidential and gubernatorial proclamations. For personal mourning, attach a black ribbon or streamer to the flag instead.

What's the difference between half-staff and half-mast?

Half-staff refers to flags on land. Half-mast refers to flags on ships. Most people use them interchangeably, and both are widely understood. On shore, half-staff is the technically correct term.

Do I have to fly my flag at half-staff when ordered?

The U.S. Flag Code is advisory, not punitive. There's no legal penalty for not lowering your flag. But if you fly the American flag, following the code is a basic sign of respect for the people being honored.

What about flags on house-mounted brackets that can't be lowered?

Attach a black ribbon or streamer to the top of the flag. The streamer should be the same length as the flag itself. This is the accepted substitute when lowering is not physically possible.

Is Memorial Day half-staff all day?

No. Memorial Day is half-staff from sunrise to noon only. At noon, raise the flag to full-staff for the rest of the day. The morning honors the fallen. The afternoon honors those still serving.

What happens when multiple half-staff orders overlap?

The longer order takes precedence. If a 30-day presidential order for a former president overlaps with a single-day state order, you stay at half-staff for the full 30 days.

Got an old flag that needs replacing? Learn how to retire an American flag the right way before putting up a new one.

For the complete guide to every flag rule, see our pillar reference: American Flag Etiquette: The Complete U.S. Flag Code Guide.

Planning ahead for the holiday? Read our complete guide to Memorial Day 2026: History, Traditions, and How to Honor It.

Related reading: Veterans Day vs Memorial Day: What's the Difference?

Planning for the biggest 4th of July in 250 years? Read our complete guide to celebrating America's 250th birthday.

For more on one of Memorial Day's oldest symbols, read our guide to Memorial Day poppies and the story behind the red flower pinned to so many lapels.

Related: When the flag drops to half-staff, the bugler often follows. Read the story of Taps and what those 24 notes really mean.

Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day; for the full origin story, see What Is Decoration Day? The Civil War Origins of Memorial Day.

Memorial Day is the only flag-lowering day on the calendar with a noon raise. The Memorial Day half-staff until noon rule walks through the exact morning-to-noon-to-sunset sequence.

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