# Flags of the U.S. states and territories

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The flags of the U.S. states, territories, and the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.) exhibit a variety of regional influences and local histories, as well as different styles and design principles. Modern U.S. state flags date from the turn of the 20th century, when states considered distinctive symbols for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois. Most U.S. state flags were designed and adopted between 1893 and World War I.
The most recently adopted state flag is that of Minnesota, adopted on May 11, 2024, while the most recently adopted territorial flag is that of the Northern Mariana Islands, adopted on July 1, 1985. The flag of the District of Columbia was adopted in 1938. Recent legislations in Massachusetts (2021) and Illinois (2024) have started the process of redesigning their state flag. Michigan also has plans to redesign their flag in the future, but this has not been confirmed. Maine had put a flag redesign on the ballot in November 2024, but the redesign had failed the vote.
Despite a variety of designs, the majority of the states' flags share the same design pattern consisting of the state seal superimposed on a monochrome background, commonly a shade of blue, which remains a source of criticism from vexillologists. According to a 2001 survey by the North American Vexillological Association, New Mexico has the best-designed flag of any U.S. state, U.S. territory, or Canadian province, while Georgia's state flag was rated the worst (the latter of which has been changed since the survey was conducted).

## Current state flags

Listed alphabetically with their respective date of adoption.
* Flag of Alabama (February 16, 1895)
* Flag of Alaska (May 2, 1927)
* Flag of Arizona (February 27, 1917)
* Flag of Arkansas (February 26, 1913)
* Flag of California (February 3, 1911)
* Flag of Colorado (June 5, 1911)
* Flag of Connecticut (September 9, 1897)
* Flag of Delaware (July 24, 1913)
* Flag of Florida (November 6, 1900)
* Flag of Georgia (February 19, 2003)
* Flag of Hawaii (December 29, 1844)
* Flag of Idaho (March 12, 1907)
* Flag of Illinois (September 17, 1969)
* Flag of Indiana (May 31, 1917)
* Flag of Iowa (March 29, 1921)
* Flag of Kansas (September 24, 1961)
* Flag of Kentucky (March 26, 1918)
* Flag of Louisiana (July 1, 1912)
* Flag of Maine (February 23, 1909)
* Flag of Maryland (March 9, 1904)
* Flag of Massachusetts (July 3, 1971)
* Flag of Michigan (August 1, 1911)
* Flag of Minnesota (May 11, 2024)
* Flag of Mississippi (January 11, 2021)
* Flag of Missouri (March 22, 1913)
* Flag of Montana (July 1, 1981)
* Flag of Nebraska (April 2, 1925)
* Flag of Nevada (July 25, 1991)
* Flag of New Hampshire (1909)
* Flag of New Jersey (May 11, 1896)
* Flag of New Mexico (March 15, 1925)
* Flag of New York (April 2, 1901)
* Flag of North Carolina (March 9, 1885)
* Flag of North Dakota (March 11, 1911)
* Flag of Ohio (May 9, 1902)
* Flag of Oklahoma (1941)
* Flag of Oregon (obverse) (April 15, 1925)
* Flag of Oregon (reverse)
* Flag of Pennsylvania (June 13, 1907)
* Flag of Rhode Island (November 1, 1897)
* Flag of South Carolina (January 28, 1861)
* Flag of South Dakota (November 9, 1992)
* Flag of Tennessee (April 17, 1905)
* Flag of Texas (January 25, 1839)
* Flag of Utah (March 9, 2024)
* Flag of Vermont (June 1, 1923)
* Flag of Virginia (March 28, 1912)
* Flag of Washington (March 5, 1923)
* Flag of West Virginia (March 7, 1929)
* Flag of Wisconsin (May 1, 1981)
* Flag of Wyoming (January 31, 1917)

## Current federal district flag

This is the current flag of the District of Columbia.
* Flag of the District of Columbia (federal district) (October 15, 1938)

## Current territory flags

These are the current official flags of the five permanently inhabited territories of the United States.
* Flag of American Samoa (April 17, 1960)
* Flag of Guam (February 9, 1948)
* Flag of the Northern Mariana Islands (July 1, 1985)
* Flag of Puerto Rico (July 22, 1952)
* Flag of the U.S. Virgin Islands (May 17, 1921)

## Current state ensigns

Maine and Massachusetts have ensigns for use at sea.
* Merchant and marine flag of Maine (1939)
* Naval and maritime flag of Massachusetts (1971)

## Former state ensigns

* Former naval ensign of Massachusetts (1775 – 1971)

## Commemorative state flags

* Alabama Bicentennial Flag (2019)
* Illinois Centennial Flag (1918)
* Illinois Sesquicentennial Flag (1968)
* Illinois Bicentennial Flag (2018)
* Indiana Bicentennial Flag (2016)
* Maine Bicentennial Flag (2020)
* Mississippi Bicentennial Flag (2017)
* New Jersey Tricentennial Flag (1964)
* Texas Centennial Flag (1936)
* Texas Sesquicentennial Flag (1986)
* Utah Quasquicentennial Flag (2021)

## Historical state and territory flags
### Former state flags

* Flag of Alabama (November 7, 1861 – November 12, 1865)
* Flag of Alabama (reverse, November 7, 1861 – November 12, 1865)
* Flag of Arkansas (February 26, 1913 – 1923)
* Flag of Arkansas (1923–1924)
* Flag of Arkansas before standardization (1924 – February 28, 2011)
* Flag of California (1861 – 1864)
* Flag of California (1864 – 1911)
* Flag of California before standardization (1911 – February 3, 1953)
* Flag of Colorado (1907 – December 4, 1911)
* Flag of Colorado before standardization (December 4, 1911 – March 31, 1964)
* Flag of Florida (de facto, 1845)
* Flag of Florida (January 13 – September 12, 1861)
* Flag of Florida (September 27, 1861 – May 5, 1868)
* Flag of Florida (May 6, 1868 – November 6, 1900)
* Flag of Florida before standardization (1900)
* Flag of Florida before standardization of seal (November 6, 1900 – May 21, 1985)
* Flag of Georgia (de facto, 1861–1879)
* Flag of Georgia (1879–1902)
* Flag of Georgia (1902–1906)
* Flag of Georgia (1906–1920)
* Flag of Georgia (1920 – February 13, 1956)
* Flag of Georgia (February 13, 1956 – January 31, 2001)
* Flag of Georgia (January 31, 2001 – February 19, 2003)
* Flag of Idaho before first standardization (March 12, 1907 – March 15, 1927)
* Flag of Idaho before second standardization (March 15, 1927 – March 1957)
* Flag of Illinois (1915 – September 17, 1969)
* Flag of Indiana (1885 – May 17, 1901)
* Flag of Indiana (1901 – 1955)
* Banner of Indiana before standardization (May 17, 1917 – 1955)
* Banner of Kansas (1925 – 1927)
* Flag of Kansas (1927 – September 24, 1961)
* Flag of Kentucky before standardization (1918 – 1962)
* Flag of Louisiana (February 11, 1861 – July 1, 1912)
* Flag of Louisiana before first standardization (July 1, 1912 – May 7, 2006)
* Flag of Louisiana before second standardization (May 7, 2006 – November 22, 2010)
* Flag of Massachusetts (1775 – 1780)
* Flag of Massachusetts (reverse, 1908 – 1971)
* Flag of Maine (1901 – 1909)
* Flag of Minnesota (obverse, February 28, 1893 – August 1957)
* Flag of Minnesota (reverse, February 28, 1893 – August 1957)
* Flag of Minnesota (August 1957 – August 1983)
* Flag of Minnesota (August 1983 – May 11, 2024)
* Flag of Mississippi (1861 – 1865)
* Flag of Mississippi (February 7, 1894 – 1996)
* Flag of Mississippi (1996 – June 30, 2020)
* Flag of Missouri (June 5, 1861 – March 22, 1913)
* Flag of Montana (1905 – July 1, 1981)
* Flag of Nevada (July 20, 1905 – 1915)
* Flag of Nevada (1915 – 1929)
* Flag of Nevada before revised (1929 – July 25, 1991)
* Flag of New Hampshire before standardization of seal (1909 – November 30, 1931)
* Flag of New Mexico (1915 – 1925)
* Flag of New York (1896 – April 2, 1901)
* Flag of New York before standardization (April 2, 1901 – April 2020)
* Flag of North Carolina (March 16, 1861 – March 1, 1885)
* Flag of North Carolina before standardization (March 1885 – June 24, 1991)
* Flag of Oklahoma (1911 – 1925)
* Flag of Oklahoma (April 2, 1925 – 1941)
* Flag of Oklahoma (1941 – June 14, 1988)
* Flag of Oklahoma (June 14, 1988 – November 1, 2006)
* Flag of Pennsylvania (1778 – June 13, 1907)
* Flag of Rhode Island (1877 – 1882)
* Flag of Rhode Island (1882 – November 1, 1897)
* Flag of South Carolina (January 26, 1861 – January 27, 1861)
* Flag of South Carolina before first standardization (January 28, 1861 – 1910)
* Flag of South Carolina before second standardization (1910 – 1940)
* Flag of South Dakota before first redesign (obverse, 1909 – 1963)
* Flag of South Dakota (reverse, 1909 – 1963)
* Flag of South Dakota before second redesign (1963 – November 9, 1992)
* Flag of Tennessee (1897 – April 17, 1905)
* Flag of Utah (March 9, 1911 – March 11, 1913)
* Flag of Utah (March 11, 1913 – May 6, 1922)
* Flag of Utah (May 6, 1922 – February 16, 2011)
* Flag of Utah (February 16, 2011 – March 9, 2024)
* Flag of Vermont (1804–1837)
* Flag of Vermont (1837 – June 1, 1923)
* Flag of Virginia (1861–1865)
* Flag of Virginia before standardization of seal (1931–1950)
* Flag of Washington before standardization of seal (1923–April 1, 1967)
* Flag of West Virginia (1905 – 1907)
* Flag of West Virginia (obverse, 1907 – March 7, 1929)
* Flag of West Virginia (reverse, 1907 – March 7, 1929)
* Flag of Wisconsin (1866 –1913)
* Flag of Wisconsin (1913 – May 1, 1981)

### Former territory flags

* Former flag of the Panama Canal Zone (1915—1979)
* Flag of the Insular Government of the Philippine Islands (1919–1936)
* Flag of the Commonwealth of the Philippines (1936–1946)
* Former flag of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (1965 – 1980)
* Former flag of the Northern Mariana Islands (1976 – 1981)
* Former flag of the Northern Mariana Islands (1976 – 1989)
* Original flag of Puerto Rico (1895 – 1952)
* Former flag of Puerto Rico (1952 – 1995)

### Pre-statehood flags

California, Texas, and Hawaii were independent nations with flags before entering the union. The Utah Territory had a flag before receiving statehood.
* California Republic flag (June 14 – July 9, 1846)
* Republic of Hawaii flag (1816–1845)
* Republic of Texas flag (1836 – 1839)
* Republic of Texas flag (de facto, 1835 – 1839)
* Republic of Texas flag (1839 – 1845)
* Flag of Utah Territory (1850 – March 1903)

## Native American flags

Many Native American nations have tribal sovereignty, with jurisdiction over their members and reserved land. Although reservations are on state land, the laws of the state(s) do not necessarily apply. Below are the flags of some of the largest Indian tribes reservations by population and area:
* Flag of the Navajo Nation
* Flag of the Cherokee Nation
* Flag of the Choctaw Nation
* Flag of Chinook Nation
* Flag of the Osage Nation
* Flag of the Northern Arapaho of the Wind River Indian Reservation
* Flag of Chickasaw Nation
* Flag of Hassanamisco Nipmuc
* Flag of Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation
* Flag of Robinson Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California
* Flag of the Pine Ridge Reservation
* Flag of Ninilchik Village Tribe
* Flag of Miccosukee
* Flag of Sac and Fox Nation
* Flag of Pascua Yaqui Tribe
* Flag of Viejas Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians
* Flag of the Colorado River Indian Tribes
* Flag of the Iroquois Confederacy

## Unofficial flags of United States Minor Outlying Islands

The U.S. national flag is the official flag for all islands, atolls, and reefs composing the United States Minor Outlying Islands. However, unofficial flags are sometimes used to represent some of these insular areas:
* Johnston Atoll
* Midway Islands
* Wake Island