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U.S. Code as of:
01/3/05
Section 7. 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 in subsection (i) of this
section.
(b) The flag should not be draped over the hood, top, sides, or
back of a vehicle or of a railroad train or a boat. When the flag
is displayed on a motorcar, the staff shall be fixed firmly to the
chassis or clamped to the right fender.
(c) No other flag or pennant should be placed above or, if on the
same level, to the right of the flag of the United States of
America, except during church services conducted by naval chaplains
at sea, when the church pennant may be flown above the flag during
church services for the personnel of the Navy. No person shall
display the flag of the United Nations or any other national or
international flag equal, above, or in a position of superior
prominence or honor to, or in place of, the flag of the United
States at any place within the United States or any Territory or
possession thereof: Provided, That nothing in this section shall
make unlawful the continuance of the practice heretofore followed
of displaying the flag of the United Nations in a position of
superior prominence or honor, and other national flags in positions
of equal prominence or honor, with that of the flag of the United
States at the headquarters of the United Nations.
(d) The flag of the United States of America, when it is
displayed with another flag against a wall from crossed staffs,
should be on the right, the flag's own right, and its staff should
be in front of the staff of the other flag.
(e) The flag of the United States of America should be at the
center and at the highest point of the group when a number of flags
of States or localities or pennants of societies are grouped and
displayed from staffs.
(f) When flags of States, cities, or localities, or pennants of
societies are flown on the same halyard with the flag of the United
States, the latter should always be at the peak. When the flags are
flown from adjacent staffs, the flag of the United States should be
hoisted first and lowered last. No such flag or pennant may be
placed above the flag of the United States or to the United States
flag's right.
(g) When flags of two or more nations are displayed, they are to
be flown from separate staffs of the same height. The flags should
be of approximately equal size. International usage forbids the
display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation in
time of peace.
(h) When the flag of the United States is displayed from a staff
projecting horizontally or at an angle from the window sill,
balcony, or front of a building, the union of the flag should be
placed at the peak of the staff unless the flag is at half-staff.
When the flag is suspended over a sidewalk from a rope extending
from a house to a pole at the edge of the sidewalk, the flag should
be hoisted out, union first, from the building.
(i) When displayed either horizontally or vertically against a
wall, the union should be uppermost and to the flag's own right,
that is, to the observer's left. When displayed in a window, the
flag should be displayed in the same way, with the union or blue
field to the left of the observer in the street.
(j) When the flag is displayed over the middle of the street, it
should be suspended vertically with the union to the north in an
east and west street or to the east in a north and south street.
(k) When used on a speaker's platform, the flag, if displayed
flat, should be displayed above and behind the speaker. When
displayed from a staff in a church or public auditorium, the flag
of the United States of America should hold the position of
superior prominence, in advance of the audience, and in the
position of honor at the clergyman's or speaker's right as he faces
the audience. Any other flag so displayed should be placed on the
left of the clergyman or speaker or to the right of the audience.
(l) The flag should form a distinctive feature of the ceremony of
unveiling a statue or monument, but it should never be used as the
covering for the statue or monument.
(m) The flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted
to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff
position. The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is
lowered for the day. On Memorial Day the flag should be displayed
at half-staff until noon only, then raised to the top of the staff.
By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff
upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government
and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a mark of
respect to their memory. In the event of the death of other
officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be displayed at
half-staff according to Presidential instructions or orders, or in
accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent
with law. In the event of the death of a present or former official
of the government of any State, territory, or possession of the
United States, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession
may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff.
The flag shall be flown at half-staff 30 days from the death of the
President or a former President; 10 days from the day of death of
the Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of
the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
from the day of death until interment of an Associate Justice of
the Supreme Court, a Secretary of an executive or military
department, a former Vice President, or the Governor of a State,
territory, or possession; and on the day of death and the following
day for a Member of Congress. The flag shall be flown at half-staff
on Peace Officers Memorial Day, unless that day is also Armed
Forces Day. As used in this subsection -
(1) the term "half-staff" means the position of the flag when
it is one-half the distance between the top and bottom of the
staff;
(2) the term "executive or military department" means any
agency listed under sections 101 and 102 of title 5, United
States Code; and
(3) the term "Member of Congress" means a Senator, a
Representative, a Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner from
Puerto Rico.
(n) When the flag is used to cover a casket, it should be so
placed that the union is at the head and over the left shoulder.
The flag should not be lowered into the grave or allowed to touch
the ground.
(o) When the flag is suspended across a corridor or lobby in a
building with only one main entrance, it should be suspended
vertically with the union of the flag to the observer's left upon
entering. If the building has more than one main entrance, the flag
should be suspended vertically near the center of the corridor or
lobby with the union to the north, when entrances are to the east
and west or to the east when entrances are to the north and south.
If there are entrances in more than two directions, the union
should be to the east.
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