Flag Etiquette
Rules and Regulations |
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The National Flag represents our country and is considered to be a living thing emblematic of the respect and pride we have for our nation. Display it proudly. | |
UNITED STATES CODE
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PATRIOTIC CUSTOMS
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170. National anthem; Star-Spangled Banner.
171. Conduct during playing. 172. Pledge of allegiance to the flag; manner of delivery. 173. Display and use of flag by civilians; codification of rules and customs; definition. 174. Time and occasions for display. 175. Position and manner of display. 176. Respect for flag. 177. Conduct during hoisting, lowering or passing of flag. 178. Modification of rules and customs by President. 179. Design for service flag; persons entitled to display flag. 180. Design for service lapel button; persons entitled to wear button. 181. Approval of designs by Secretary of Defense; license to manufacture and sell; penalties. 182. Rules and regulations. 182a to 184. Repealed. 185. Transferred. 186. National motto. 187. National floral emblem. 188. National march. 189. Recognition of National League of Families POW/MIA flag. | |
170. National anthem; Star-Spangled Banner | |
The composition consisting of the words and music known as The Star-Spangled Banner is designated the national anthem of the United States of America. | |
171. Conduct during playing | |
During rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. Men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should render the military salute at the first note of the anthem and retain this position until the last note. When the flag is not displayed, those present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed there. | |
172. Pledge of allegiance to the flag; manner of delivery | |
The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, 'I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.', should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. When not in uniform men should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute. | |
173. Display and use of flag by civilians; codification of rules and customs; definition | |
The following codification of existing rules and customs pertaining to the display and use of the flag of the United States of America is established for the use of such civilians or civilian groups or organizations as may not be required to conform with regulations promulgated by one or more executive departments of the Government of the United States. The flag of the United States for the purpose of this chapter shall be defined according to sections 1 and 2 of title 4 and Executive Order 10834 issued pursuant thereto. | |
174. Time and occasions for display | |
(a) Display on buildings and stationary flagstaffs in open; night display It is the universal custom to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary flagstaffs in the open. However, when a patriotic effect is desired, the flag may be
(b) Manner of hoisting The flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered ceremoniously.
The flag should be displayed daily on or near the main administration building of every public institution.
The flag should be displayed in or near every polling place on election days.
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175. Position and manner of display | |
The flag, when carried in a procession with another flag or flags, should be either on the marching right; that is, the flag's own right, or, if there is a line of other flags, in front of the center of that line.
(a) The flag should not be displayed on a float in a parade except from a staff, or as provided
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176. Respect for flag | |
No disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of America; the flag should not be dipped to any person or thing. Regimental colors, State flags, and organization or institutional flags are to be dipped as a mark of honor.
(a) The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress
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177. Conduct during hoisting, lowering or passing of flag | |
During the ceremony of hoisting or lowering the flag or when the flag is passing in a parade or in review, all persons present except those in uniform should face the flag and stand at attention with the right hand over the heart. Those present in uniform should render the military salute. When not in uniform, men should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Aliens should stand at attention. The salute to the flag in a moving column should be rendered at the moment the flag passes. | |
178. Modification of rules and customs by President | |
Any rule or custom pertaining to the display of the flag of the United States of America, set forth herein, may be altered, modified, or repealed, or additional rules with respect thereto may be prescribed, by the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, whenever he deems it to be appropriate or desirable; and any such alteration or additional rule shall be set forth in a proclamation. | |
179. Design for service flag; persons entitled to display flag | |
The Secretary of Defense is authorized and directed to approve a design for a service flag, which flag may be displayed in a window of the place of residence of persons who are members of the immediate family of a person serving in the armed forces of the United States during any period of war or hostilities in which the Armed Forces of the United States may be engaged. | |
180. Design for service lapel button; persons entitled to wear button | |
The Secretary of Defense is also authorized and directed to approve a design for a service lapel button, which button may be worn by members of the immediate family of a person serving in the armed forces of the United States during any period of war or hostilities in which the Armed Forces of the United States may be engaged. | |
181. Approval of designs by Secretary of Defense; license to manufacture and sell;
penalties | |
Upon the approval by the Secretary of Defense of the design for such service flag and service lapel button, he shall cause notice thereof, together with a description of the approved flag and button, to be published in the Federal Register. Thereafter any person may apply to the Secretary of Defense for a license to manufacture and sell the approved service flag, or the approved service lapel button, or both. Any person, firm, or corporation who manufactures any such service flag or service lapel button without having first obtained such a license, or otherwise violates sections 179 to 182 of this title, shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not more than $1,000. | |
182. Rules and regulations | |
The Secretary of Defense is authorized to make such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of sections 179 to 182 of this title. | |
182a to 182d. Repealed. Pub. L. 89-534, § 2, Aug. 11, 1966, 80 Stat. 345 | |
183, 184. Repealed. Pub. L. 85-857, § 14(84), Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1272 | |
185. Transferred | |
186. National motto | |
The national motto of the United States is declared to be 'In God we trust.' | |
187. National floral emblem | |
The flower commonly known as the rose is designated and adopted as the national floral emblem of the United States of America, and the President of the United States is authorized and requested to declare such fact by proclamation. | |
188. National march | |
The composition by John Philip Sousa entitled 'The Stars and Stripes Forever' is hereby designated as the national march of the United States of America. | |
189. Recognition of National League of Families POW/MIA flag | |
The National League of Families POW/MIA flag is hereby recognized officially and designated as
the symbol of our Nation's concern and commitment to resolving as fully as possible the fates of Americans still prisoner, missing and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia, thus ending the uncertainty for their families and the Nation. | |
Miscellaneous References | |
UNITED STATES CODE
TITLE 4 CHAPTER 1 | |
THE FLAG
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1. Flag; stripes and stars on | |
The flag of the United States shall be thirteen horizontal stripes, alternate red and white; and the union of the flag shall be fifty stars, white in a blue field. | |
2. Same; additional stars | |
On the admission of a new State into the Union one star shall be added to the union of the flag; and such addition shall take effect on the fourth day of July then next succeeding such admission. | |
3. Use of flag for advertising purposes; mutilation of flag | |
Any person who, within the District of Columbia, in any manner, for exhibition or display, shall place or cause to be placed any word, figure, mark, picture, design, drawing, or any advertisement of any nature upon any flag, standard, colors, or ensign of the United States of America; or shall expose or cause to be exposed to public view any such flag, standard, colors, or ensign upon which shall have been printed, painted, or otherwise placed, or to which shall be attached, appended, affixed, or annexed any word, figure, mark, picture, design, or drawing, or any advertisement of any nature; or who, within the District of Columbia, shall manufacture, sell, expose for sale, or to public view, or give away or have in possession for sale, or to be given away or for use for any purpose, any article or substance being an article of merchandise, or a receptacle for merchandise or article or thing for carrying or transporting merchandise, upon which shall have been printed, painted, attached, or otherwise placed a representation of any such flag, standard, colors, or ensign, to advertise, call attention to, decorate, mark, or distinguish the article or substance on which so placed shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $100 or by imprisonment for not more than thirty days, or both, in the discretion of the court. The words 'flag, standard, colors, or ensign', as used herein, shall include any flag, standard, colors, ensign, or any picture or representation of either, or of any part or parts of either, made of any substance or represented on any substance, of any size evidently purporting to be either of said flag, standard, colors, or ensign of the United States of America or a picture or a representation of either, upon which shall be shown the colors, the stars and the stripes, in any number of either thereof, or of any part or parts of either, by which the average person seeing the same without deliberation may believe the same to represent the flag, colors, standard, or ensign of the United States of America. | |
UNITED STATES CODE
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THE SEAL
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41. Seal of the United States | |
The seal heretofore used by the United States in Congress assembled is declared to be the seal of the United States. | |
42. Same; custody and use of | |
The Secretary of State shall have the custody and charge of such seal. Except as provided by section 2902(a) of title 5, the seal shall not be affixed to any instrument without the special warrant of the President therefor. | |
UNITED STATES CODE
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COMMISSIONS, OATHS, RECORDS, AND REPORTS
SUBCHAPTER I - COMMISSIONS, OATHS, AND RECORDS | |
2902. Commission; where recorded | |
(a) Except as provided by subsections (b) and (c) of this section, the Secretary of State shall make out and record, and affix the seal of the United States to, the commission of an officer appointed by the President. The seal of the United States may not be affixed to the commission before the commission has been signed by the President. | |
UNITED STATES CODE
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ORGANIZATION
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101. Executive departments | |
The Executive departments are:
The Department of State. The Department of the Treasury. The Department of Defense. The
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102. Military departments | |
The military departments are:
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UNITED STATES CODE
CHAPTER 33 | |
Part I. CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
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700. Desecration of the flag of the United States; penalties | |
(a)(1) Whoever knowingly mutilates, defaces, physically defiles, burns, maintains on the floor
or ground, or tramples upon any flag of the United States shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both. (2) This subsection does not prohibit any conduct consisting of the disposal of a flag when it has become worn or soiled. (b) As used in this section, the term 'flag of the United States' means any flag of the United States, or any part thereof, made of any substance, of any size, in a form that is commonly displayed. (c) Nothing in this section shall be construed as indicating an intent on the part of Congress to deprive any State, territory, possession, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico of jurisdiction over any offense over which it would have jurisdiction in the absence of this section. (d)(1) An appeal may be taken directly to the Supreme Court of the United States from any interlocutory or final judgment, decree, or order issued by a United States district court ruling upon the constitutionality of subsection (a). (2) The Supreme Court shall, if it has not previously ruled on the question, accept jurisdiction over the appeal and advance on the docket and expedite to the greatest extent possible. | |
UNITED STATES CODE
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ORGANIZATION
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285b. Functions | |
The functions of the Office shall be as follows:
(1) To prepare, and submit to the Committee on the Judiciary one title at a time, a complete
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