Patriot Day 2025
In 2025, the U.S. flag will be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on September 11 for Patriot Day, in accordance with federal law and tradition. This practice honors the victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks.
Legal basis for half-staff on Patriot Day:
Legal basis for half-staff on Patriot Day:
- Public Law 107-89: Approved on December 18, 2001, this joint resolution officially designated September 11th of each year as “Patriot Day”.
- Presidential Proclamation: The law annually requests the President to issue a proclamation for Patriot Day, urging federal entities and the American people to fly the flag at half-staff from sunrise to sunset.
Half-staff flag rules for Patriot Day
- Duration: Fly the flag at half-staff from sunrise to sunset.
- Procedure: To fly the flag at half-staff, first hoist it briskly to the peak for a moment before lowering it to the halfway position. When lowering the flag for the night, first raise it to the peak again before bringing it all the way down.
- Other flags: If other flags (state, military, or custom) are flown on the same pole as the U.S. flag, they should either be removed or also flown at half-staff.
- Non-standard poles: For flags that cannot be lowered to half-staff, a black mourning ribbon or streamer can be attached to the top of the flagpole as an alternative.
- Moment of silence: The law also calls for a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m. EDT, the time the first plane struck the World Trade Center, to remember the victims.