Governor Pritzker is Ordering All U.S. Flags Be Lowered to Half Staff

All U.S. flags across Illinois will be flying at half-staff in the upcoming days, according to an order from the Governor.

When Will U.S. Flags Be Lowered?

The order to have U.S. and state flags lowered is given by Illinois Governor Pritzker under the Illinois Flag Display Act, which honors an Illinois member of the armed forces, police force, fire service, or other organizations covered by the law.

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According to the directive, flags must remain at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on the day of the funeral and for the two days immediately after the service.

Honoring National Leaders

Nationally, U.S. flags are to be lowered when a president, former president, or other top national leader dies.

Flags are also lowered after national tragedies like terror attacks, mass shootings, or other major losses of American life.. On Memorial Day, they are flown at half-staff until noon, then raised to full-staff to honor both the fallen and the living.

The length of time flags are to stay lowered varies, with 30 days for a president, and shorter periods for the vice president or Supreme Court justices.

Honoring Patriot Day

A notice was sent from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to the Department of Central Management Services that flags are to be lowered to half-staff for Patriot Day.

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All persons and entities covered by the Illinois Flag Display Act should lower all U.S. and Illinois state flags from sunrise on Thursday, September 11, 2025, until sunset on that evening.

Every year on September 11, the Governor has flags at half-staff to honor the nearly 3,000 lives lost during the terror attacks in 2001, and to pay tribute to the first responders who lost their lives running into the danger.