Flag Etiquette

Information courtesy of http://www.ushistory.org/

The flag should be displayed daily on or near the main administration building of every public institution. Additionally, the flag should be displayed in or near every polling place on election days, and it should be displayed in or near every schoolhouse during school days.

When flags of States, cities, or localities, or pennants of societies are flown on the same halyard with the National flag, the latter should always be at the peak. When the flags are flown from adjacent flagpoles, the National flag should be hoisted first and lowered last. No such flag or pennant may be placed above the National flag or to the right of the National flag (i.e. the viewer's left). No other flag should be larger than the National Flag.

In the event of the death of a present or former State official, the Governor may proclaim that the National flag be flown at half-staff. When the National flag is flown at half-staff, the flags of States, cities, or localities, or pennants of societies are to be flown below the National flag.

When flown at half-staff, the flag 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. "Half-staff" means lowering the flag to one-half the distance between the top and bottom of the staff.