When to Lower Your American Flag to Half-Staff

When to Lower Your American Flag to Half-Staff

Use this guide as a helpful reminder of when to lower your American Flag.

There are five official days marked by presidential proclamation that we honor annually as days of remembrance. On each of these days it is appropriate to lower your flags to half-staff as a sign of respect and mourning. Use this handy list to mark your calendars for adherence to half-staff days.


1. Peace Officers Memorial Day-MAY (the exact date varies by year, but occurs annually during National Police Week)

2. Memorial Day-MAY (observed on the last Monday in May)

3. Patriot Day-SEPTEMBER 11

4. National Firefighters Memorial Day-OCTOBER (the exact date varies by year, but occurs annually during National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend)

5. Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day- DECEMBER 7

It’s important to note that private citizens operating nonfederal facilities are not required to adhere to these guidelines, and also may lower their flags in remembrance of prominent local citizens.

2019-09-08 20:40:00