District of Columbia Flag Status — Is the Flag at Half-Staff Today?
The current status could not be loaded just now. The national status is on the main flag page.
Who lowers the flag in District of Columbia
The District of Columbia is not a state and has no governor. Flags in the District are lowered by order of the Mayor, announced through the Mayor’s newsroom, and — because the District is the seat of the federal government — the great majority of lowerings people notice there follow a presidential proclamation rather than a local order. Federal buildings in the District follow the national order regardless of any District action.
The flag of District of Columbia
Three red stars above two horizontal red bars on a white field, derived directly from the coat of arms of George Washington’s family. Adopted as the District’s flag in 1938.
Sunrise and sunset in Washington
The flag is raised at sunrise and lowered at sunset. Today at the state capital:
How the District came to be
Created by the Residence Act of 1790 as a federal capital independent of any state, the District of Columbia was carved from land ceded by Maryland and Virginia. Congress retains ultimate authority over the District, but its residents have gained electoral votes (1961) and a non-voting House delegate; full statehood remains contested.
Established July 16, 1790 by the Residence Act.
District of Columbia at a glance
Did you know
- DC is not part of any state — Congress has constitutional authority over the District.
- The Washington Monument is the world’s tallest stone obelisk, at 555 feet.
- DC residents pay federal income tax but lack voting representation in Congress.
- The district’s license plates read “Taxation Without Representation.”
Born or raised here: Duke Ellington (composer; Washington) · Marvin Gaye (singer; Washington) · Edward Brooke (first popularly elected Black U.S. senator) · Goldie Hawn (actress; Washington) · Dave Chappelle (comedian; Washington) · Frederick Douglass (lived in DC after the Civil War)
District of Columbia in the American Record
Moments from the daily edition that happened in the District of Columbia.
Official source
Orders are announced by the Mayor’s office.
Common questions.
Is the flag at half-staff in District of Columbia today?+
The status above answers that for today. A national half-staff order applies in District of Columbia as it does everywhere else; the Governor can also lower flags within the state independently.
Who orders flags to half-staff in District of Columbia?+
The District of Columbia is not a state and has no governor. Flags in the District are lowered by order of the Mayor, announced through the Mayor’s newsroom, and — because the District is the seat of the federal government — the great majority of lowerings people notice there follow a presidential proclamation rather than a local order. Federal buildings in the District follow the national order regardless of any District action.
Does a county order mean the whole of District of Columbia lowers its flags?+
No. A county or single-facility order (the State Capitol, for instance) applies only where it says it does. This page shows those separately from the statewide status precisely so the two are never confused — if the status above reads full-staff, District of Columbia has no statewide order in effect regardless of any local one.
When should the flag be raised and lowered in District of Columbia?+
The flag flies from sunrise to sunset. Today at the state capital, Washington, those times are shown above. On the final day of a half-staff order that runs "until sunset", the flag returns to full height at the local sunset — which is why the West Coast stays lowered a few hours after the East.
Flag status for every state, and the day in American history — one page, every morning.
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