In 2026 the American flag flies at half-staff on five recurring days: May 3 (National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service), May 15 (Peace Officers Memorial Day), May 25 (Memorial Day), September 11 (Patriot Day) and December 7 (National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day). Beyond those, the flag comes down only when a President or a governor orders it. Today is October 30, so only one recurring date remains this year: December 7.
A flag lowered at the right moment says something no speech can. It whispers of loss, of debts owed to the fallen, and of a nation that pauses together. This guide gives you the dates, the hours, the authority behind each order and the exact motion of raising and lowering, so your flag speaks correctly.
TL;DR
- Five recurring half-staff days fall in 2026: May 3, May 15, May 25, September 11 and December 7.
- On Memorial Day the flag stays low only until noon, then rises to full staff.
- Only the President (for federal facilities) and governors or the D.C. mayor (for their jurisdictions) can order additional half-staff periods.
- Raise the flag briskly to the peak, pause, then lower it slowly to the halfway point. Reverse the ritual at day’s end.
- December 7 is the last scheduled half-staff day of 2026. Watch for presidential or state notices between now and then.
Table of Contents
- The 2026 half-staff calendar at a glance
- Each day and what it honors
- Beyond the calendar: who can order half-staff
- How to lower the flag correctly
- Half-staff versus half-mast
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Honoring the day beyond the flagpole
- Our perspective
- Ready your flag for the next solemn day
- FAQ
- Sources
The 2026 half-staff calendar at a glance
The five recurring days are written into the U.S. Flag Code, and other occasions arise when the President or a governor issues an order. Here is how 2026 lined up.
| Observance | 2026 date | How long the flag stays low |
|---|---|---|
| National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service | Sunday, May 3 | Observed at federal buildings by presidential proclamation |
| Peace Officers Memorial Day | Friday, May 15 | Sunrise to sunset, unless the date falls on Armed Forces Day |
| Memorial Day | Monday, May 25 | Sunrise until noon only |
| Patriot Day | Friday, September 11 | Sunrise to sunset |
| National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day | Monday, December 7 | Sunrise to sunset |
For the firefighters’ observance, the White House proclaimed that flags be flown at half-staff at all Federal office buildings on Sunday, May 3. The date moves from year to year with the memorial weekend, so always confirm it against the current proclamation rather than a printed calendar from a prior year.
If you want the full picture of every flag day, not only the solemn ones, our guide to 19 federal dates for flying the American flag lays out which days call for full staff and which for half.
Each day and what it honors
National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service (May 3)
This observance honors firefighters who gave their lives in the line of duty. In 2026 the proclamation directed half-staff display at federal office buildings, and individuals and communities have long followed the federal lead. Fire stations, town halls and many homes lowered their flags in step.
Peace Officers Memorial Day (May 15)
Every May 15, the nation remembers officers killed in the line of duty. The flag flies low all day, with one exception written into the law: Peace Officers Memorial Day is observed at half-staff on May 15 unless it falls on Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May, according to 4 U.S.C. 7(m). In 2026 the date fell on a Friday, so no conflict arose.
Memorial Day (May 25)
Memorial Day is the one observance with a split schedule. The flag is flown at half-staff until noon, and then raised to full staff for the rest of the day. The morning belongs to the fallen. The afternoon belongs to the living who carry their memory forward. We cover the full sequence in our Memorial Day flag etiquette steps.
Patriot Day (September 11)
Patriot Day remembers the victims of the attacks of 2001. The flag flies low from sunrise to sunset. It is one of the most widely observed half-staff days among private citizens, and for good reason: almost every American can say where they stood that morning.
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (December 7)
The last recurring date of the year honors those killed at Pearl Harbor in 1941. Lower the flag at sunrise on Monday, December 7, and raise it to full staff at sunset. If you display your flag only by day, that is simple. If you fly it at night under a light, the same rule applies: the flag stays low until the day ends.
Beyond the calendar: who can order half-staff
The five days above are the predictable part. The rest of the year depends on orders, and those can arrive with little warning.
The President may order half-staff display for federal facilities, while governors and the D.C. mayor may order it for specified deaths in their jurisdictions. Presidential orders can follow the death of principal government figures, other officials or foreign dignitaries. In 2026, for example, the President ordered flags at half-staff for Dolly Parton until sunset on September 1, a reminder that the honor is not limited to officeholders.
A longer-standing framework sets default lengths. Proclamation 3044 prescribes 30 days for a President or former President; 10 days for the Vice President, Chief Justice or Speaker of the House; and until interment for an Associate Justice, Cabinet member or Governor. The same proclamation lets agency heads direct half-staff on facilities under their jurisdiction on occasions they consider appropriate. Our rundown of half-staff rules after a President’s death walks through each tier in plain language.
Does a federal order bind your home?
No. A presidential order directs the flag over federal facilities, but individuals, other levels of government and private organizations are encouraged to follow the observance. Most Americans do, out of respect rather than obligation. If you are unsure whether your state has issued its own order, check your governor’s official website, since state notices can differ from national ones.
How to lower the flag correctly
Half-staff does not mean dropping the flag a few inches, and it does not mean stopping wherever the rope happens to reach. Half-staff is the position one-half the distance between the top and bottom of the staff. Follow this order:
- Raise to the peak first. The flag is raised briskly to the peak for an instant, then lowered slowly to the half-staff position.
- Lower it slowly. The slow descent is the gesture of mourning. Do not rush it.
- Secure the halyard. Tie it off at the cleat so the flag does not slip. If your pole is fitted for it, check our notes on where to mount the cleat for an easy tie-off.
- At day’s end, raise it again. Before it is lowered for the day, it must be raised to the peak again, then brought down in the usual way.
When several flags share a pole
When the U.S. flag and other flags fly on the same halyard, the U.S. flag sits at the peak; on adjacent staffs it is hoisted first and lowered last. On a half-staff day, the other flags come down with it. Do not leave a state or organizational flag flying above a lowered American flag. See our guide to displaying multiple flags on one pole or separate staffs for the arrangements that work.
If your pole cannot be lowered
Many house-mounted staffs and fixed brackets cannot carry a flag to the halfway point. The longstanding custom on such poles is to attach a black mourning streamer above the flag, though the Flag Code itself speaks only of the half-staff position. Our flag etiquette guide covers what to do with fixed poles. If you are shopping for a staff that lets you honor these days properly, look at flagpole types and footing rules and the right house flagpole size before you buy.
Half-staff versus half-mast
On land the term is half-staff; half-mast belongs to ships. In everyday speech the two are used interchangeably, and searches for either lead to the same answer. The meaning is the same: respect for those who have died, expressed by lowering the nation’s emblem. The flag may be flown at half-staff to signify mourning and to memorialize honored citizens.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving the flag low on Memorial Day afternoon. It goes up at noon. A flag kept low all day on that date is incorrect.
- Skipping the peak. Hoisting straight to half-staff, or lowering straight from half-staff at night, bypasses the required salute to the peak.
- Treating every news story as a national order. Check whether an order is federal, state or local before you act. A governor’s order covers that state’s jurisdiction.
- Flying a damaged flag on a solemn day. A frayed, faded flag undercuts the moment. Replace it first. Our flag qualities and uses guide helps you choose a flag built for daily outdoor weather.
- Mixing up Veterans Day. It is a full-staff day. Our explainer on Veterans Day flag etiquette shows why.
Honoring the day beyond the flagpole
A lowered flag is the public gesture. Many families pair it with a private one: a wreath, a visit, a memorial service. If you are planning flowers for a service or memorial, this memorial service flowers guide explains what to send and when, and it pairs naturally with a quiet morning at the flagpole.
Our perspective
We have sold flags for a long time, and we have watched the same moment repeat. A customer calls on the morning of a national tragedy, unsure whether the flag should be up, down or put away. That uncertainty tells us something: Americans want to get this right, because they understand that the flag is not decoration. It is a living statement.
Our view is simple. A flag deserves to be treated as the steadfast emblem it is, and that begins with a pole and a flag you trust. A pole that lets you lower the flag cleanly, a halyard that holds, and a flag sewn to endure sun and wind mean you are never scrambling on the day that matters. The ceremony should be about the fallen, not about your equipment.
We also believe in the whole story of the flag, from the Revolution to the present, and the people who rally under it. Half-staff is one chapter of that story: the nation bowing its head together. When you lower your flag on May 15, September 11 or December 7, you join a chain of Americans reaching back through every generation that has mourned and endured.
John Hough
Ready your flag for the next solemn day
The last half-staff day of 2026 is close. If your flag is worn, or your pole will not let you lower it properly, now is the time to fix that. Ultimate Flags, America’s oldest online flag store, carries USA flags in a range of sizes and qualities, along with flagpoles and hardware to fly them with dignity. Browse the full range in our flag collections.
First responders also deserve their own colors. Our first responder flags and police flags are popular choices for fire stations, departments and families who observe the May memorial days.
FAQ
What are the half-staff dates in 2026?
The recurring dates are May 3, May 15, May 25 (until noon), September 11 and December 7. Presidential and gubernatorial orders add other days during the year. The last scheduled date of 2026 is December 7.
Who decides when the flag goes to half-staff?
The President directs it for federal facilities, and governors and the D.C. mayor can order it for specified deaths in their jurisdictions. Private citizens are encouraged to follow along. Agency heads may also order it for facilities under their own jurisdiction.
How long does the flag stay at half-staff after a President dies?
Proclamation 3044 prescribes 30 days for a President or former President. A Vice President, Chief Justice or Speaker of the House is honored for 10 days. For an Associate Justice, Cabinet member or Governor, it is until interment.
Why is the flag lowered only until noon on Memorial Day?
The flag is to be flown at half-staff until noon on Memorial Day, then raised to full staff. The morning honors those who died in service, and the afternoon is raised in tribute to the living and to the nation’s resolve.
How do I raise and lower a flag to half-staff?
Hoist the flag briskly to the peak, pause for an instant, then lower it slowly to the point halfway down the staff. To lower it at day’s end, raise it to the peak once more, then bring it down.
Sources
- Flag at half-staff are recommended on these days, USA Today
- National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend, 2026, The White House
- Memorial Day, 2026, The White House
- Honoring the Memory of Dolly Parton, The White House
- American Flag Protocol, Federal Bureau of Prisons
- Proclamations, National Archives
- President Ronald Reagan, White House archives
- H. Rept. 115-119, Honoring Hometown Heroes Act, Congress.gov
