Proper Disposal of the American Flag

Should you buy an estate that includes an American flag, it is important to know how to take care of it until you sell it or, if the flag is so worn as to no longer be serviceable, it is important to know how to properly dispose of it.

There is a United States Flag Code that was established to lay down rules concerning the care and the display of the American flag. It is Section 1 of Title 4 of the United States Code (4 U.S.C. § 1 et seq). Although this code is a federal law it carries no penalty.

Should you need to dispose of an American flag but do not wish to do so yourself, you might be able to take it to the V.F.W. They have disposed of a number of flags in the past. If you are going to dispose of it yourself, it must be done in a dignified manner. The preferable method is by burning.

If the flag you received in the estate is in decent condition you can sell it. However, it is important to make sure that it is treated respectfully in the meantime. Here are some of the rules:

1. The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water or merchandise of any kind.
2. It should never be used as clothing, bedding or drapery.
3. It should never be fastened, displayed, used or stored in a manner as to permit harm to come to it.
4. The flag should never be placed on a ceiling.
5. It may never be used as a receptacle for receiving, carrying or delivery anything.
6. It should never be used as advertising in any way.
7. If it is to be folded it must be folded properly.
8. If it will be displayed it cannot be displayed with the union down (stars at the bottom).

Should you decide to keep the flag and you want to display it, here are some other rules governing the flag:

1. It is customary to only display the flag outside from sunrise to sunset. It is acceptable to display it 24 hours a day if properly illuminated at night.
2. It should not be displayed outside during inclement weather.
3. No other flag, pennant or banner may fly above the American flag. If another flag is to fly at the same level, it is never to be to the right of the American flag.
4. If you are required to fly the flag at half-staff, you must first hoist the flag to the top and then lower it to half-staff. If the flag is at half-staff and you are removing it, you must first hoist it back to the top and then lower it for removal.
5. The flag can only be flown with the union down (stars at the bottom) as a distress signal.

How to fold the American flag properly:

Fold the flag in half width-wise twice. If done by two, then the blue field should be facing the bottom on the first fold. Fold up a triangle, starting at the striped end ... and repeat ... until only the end of the union is exposed. Then fold down the square into a triangle and tuck inside the folds.

"The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing."
U.S. Flag Code