Flags to Fly at Full-Staff for Veterans Day

Veterans Day, observed each year on November 11, calls for flags to be flown at full-staff rather than half-staff.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Military

Bold flat-color vector editorial illustration of a single tall flagpole with a fully raised flag against a pale blue sky, evoking the full-staff display of Veterans Day. — Flags are flown at full-staff on Veterans Day, November 11, a federal holiday honoring U.S. veterans, with half-staff reserved for governor or presidential proclamations. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Flags will be flown at full-staff on Veterans Day, November 11, a federal holiday honoring U.S. veterans who served in different wars. Most government offices and businesses are closed, and USPS services are halted.

Why it matters

Veterans Day is a celebration of those who served in the U.S. military, which is why flags are displayed at full-staff. Flags are flown at half-staff on this day only if a proclamation is made by a state governor or the U.S. president.

Veterans Day is observed each year on November 11, and flags are normally flown at full-staff on that date, in contrast to Memorial Day, when they are usually flown at half-staff. Whether any proclamation will change that practice this year has not been announced.

The players

United States Postal Service

The USPS is the independent federal agency responsible for mail delivery across the United States, and its services are halted on Veterans Day.

The details

Most government offices and businesses are closed on Veterans Day, and USPS services are halted. Many banks are also closed on the holiday.

November 11: Veterans Day is officially observed each year.

Roadmap

Veterans Day's full-staff flag convention is set in deliberate contrast to Memorial Day's half-staff observance, which mourns service members who died in uniform. The distinction reflects the holiday's purpose of honoring living veterans rather than marking loss.

Veterans Day falls on November 11, and most government offices, banks, and businesses will be closed that day. Mail delivery through the USPS will also be halted, so plan any time-sensitive errands accordingly.

The takeaway

Flags fly at full-staff on Veterans Day to celebrate those who served, a practice distinct from Memorial Day's mourning observance. Knowing the difference helps explain why flags look different on each holiday.