The Flag Code and the Family Car
A patriotic magnet on the family car can be a small way to carry something important with you: pride in the country, support for someone serving or remembrance of someone still missing. When you also want to fly an American flag, a little care goes a long way. The U.S. Flag Code addresses flags on vehicles, the way they hang and their use on clothing, advertising and other objects. Giving the flag thoughtful attention is part of showing how much the symbol means to you.
Where the Rules Live
The vehicle-display rules are in section 7 of Title 4 of the U.S. Code. Section 8 of the same title covers respect for the flag, including its use as apparel and in advertising. These provisions say the flag "should" or "should never" be used in particular ways; the motorcar provision says the staff "shall" be attached as specified. The POW/MIA flag has a separate place in Title 36, section 902, which gives its designation, display days and display locations.
Flags on Vehicles
Section 7(b), position and manner of display, says the flag should not be draped over the hood, top, sides or back of a vehicle, railroad train or boat. When displayed on a motorcar, the staff shall be fixed firmly to the chassis or clamped to the right fender. For your car, that means attention to both the flag's position and the attachment of its staff.
A flag spread across the hood or draped over the back of a car is among the arrangements the section says should be avoided. If your plans include a parade float, section 7(a) addresses that display, too: the flag should not be displayed on a float except from a staff, or as provided in subsection (i).
Respect for the Flag
Section 8, respect for the flag, says the flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding or drapery. It should never be festooned or drawn back or up in folds, but always allowed to fall free. Let the flag fall free, without gathering it into folds or using it as drapery.
The advertising provision in section 8(i) says the flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner. It names embroidery on cushions or handkerchiefs, printing on paper napkins or boxes, and anything designed for temporary use and discard. It also says advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff or halyard from which the flag is flown. Respect for the flag includes care about its use on everyday objects as well as its place in a display.
Flag Imagery and the "Living Thing" Line
Section 8(j) says no part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. It then allows a flag patch to be affixed to the uniforms of military personnel, firemen, policemen and members of patriotic organizations. It also says: "The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing."
There is more behind the familiar colors than decoration. For someone carrying patriotic artwork on the family car, the country and the people it represents are the heart of the display. Pride can sit beside worry for a loved one far from home or remembrance of someone a family misses. Thoughtful care for the flag gives room to that meaning, whether your display is part of an everyday drive or a special occasion.
The POW/MIA Flag Since 2019
The National League of Families POW/MIA flag has its own designation in 36 U.S.C. ยง902. It symbolizes the Nation's concern and commitment to resolving as fully as possible the fates of Americans still prisoner, missing and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia, ending uncertainty for their families and the Nation. That concern reaches beyond a symbol to people whose fates remain unresolved and families waiting for answers.
The 2019 amendment replaced a list of specific display days. The section defines POW/MIA flag display days as all days on which the U.S. flag is displayed. The named locations include the Capitol, the White House, the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, each national cemetery, each VA medical center and each U.S. post office. The list also includes buildings containing the official offices of the Secretaries of State, Defense and Veterans Affairs and the Director of the Selective Service System. Major military installations are included as designated by the Secretary of Defense.
At those covered locations, the display schedule follows the days on which the U.S. flag is displayed. Section 902 also calls for the POW/MIA flag to be displayed in a manner designed to ensure visibility to the public. When you see it at one of these places, its designation is a reminder of the unresolved fates and the uncertainty facing those families.
Displaying With Care
A patriotic display starts with something personal: what you are proud of, whom you support or whom you remember. Give that meaning the same attention you give the display itself. For an American flag on a motorcar, the code specifies both an arrangement to avoid and how the staff is attached. For the magnet on your family car, our magnet care guide covers the practical side of looking after it. A little attention belongs with a symbol that means so much.