PURCHASE AND DISPLAY OF FLAGS AT STATE BUILDINGS - 1330.8

(Revised: 09/2016)

General

Government Code Sections 420 and 430-439 provide basic information regarding the State Flag of California and the Flag of the United States. A pamphlet entitled California Bear Flag is available from DGS, Office of Procurement, Documents and Publications Section.

Information pertaining to the Flag of the United States is available at a nominal charge from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 20402. The Flags of the World web site also has information and links on this topic.

Purchase and Display

State law requires the State and American flags to be displayed at all state buildings when the state is the sole or major tenant of the building (occupying more than 50 percent of the available space). The flags must be flown outside the building and must be prominently placed although a freestanding flagpole is not necessarily required.

Flying any other flags outside or on state buildings will require the approval of the Director of DGS.

The responsibility for purchase and display of flags is:

1. With an individual state agency when the agency is the sole or major tenant of the building, and the building is not maintained by DGS.
2. With FMD where it manages and maintains the buildings and grounds.

Should a duly elected California official on behalf of a democratic sovereign nation or its duly appointed representative(s) request the flying of its national flag at a state building to commemorate or honor the special day, such request should be made in writing to the Director of DGS 60 days in advance of the event, when practical.

The Governor annually proclaims the third Friday of September to be known as Prisoner-of-War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) Recognition Day. On that day the flag of the National League of POW/MIA Families shall be flown over certain prescribed state buildings and public buildings and grounds as specified in Military and Veterans Code Section 1831.

Flying the Flag at Half-mast

Generally, the American flag is flown at half-mast at state buildings only by presidential and/or gubernatorial decree. In the event a state agency wishes to fly flags at half- mast, authorization will be obtained from their agency secretary. The state flag shall be displayed in the same manner as the American flag.