A blue vertical bar at the hoist with a white star between the gold letters N and C, beside horizontal red and white stripes.
The design
The Flag of usa-state/north-carolina/" data-it-autolink="1">North Carolina is a national emblem rendered in the colours and proportions defined by the country’s flag law. Its official aspect ratio is 2:3, the height-to-length ratio that fixes how the flag should be cut and flown. The colour scheme uses red, white, blue, gold, with each shade specified to particular Pantone or RGB values for official reproduction.
Colour palette
| Colour | Name | Common symbolism |
|---|---|---|
| Red | red | Often signifies courage, sacrifice, revolution or the blood of those who fought for the nation. |
| White | white | Commonly represents peace, purity, honesty or snow-capped landscapes. |
| Blue | blue | Frequently symbolises sky, sea, freedom, vigilance or perseverance. |
| Gold | gold | Stands in for sunlight, mineral wealth or sovereign authority. |
Symbolism & heraldry
Two scrolls flank the central star: the upper bears the date "May 20, 1775" (Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence), the lower "April 12, 1776" (Halifax Resolves authorising independence). Together they assert North Carolina's claim as a leader of revolution.
Heraldic elements on the Flag of North Carolina — bands, charges, emblems or stars — each carry meaning agreed at the moment of the flag’s adoption. Re-readings happen across generations: a colour or a symbol that began with one meaning often picks up further layers as the country’s history unfolds.
Adoption & history
The current flag was adopted in 1885. Earlier banners flown by Flag of North Carolina reflected the politics of their day; each redesign typically marked a moment of independence, regime change or constitutional reform. The current flag was chosen, debated and codified through the country’s official channels and is now protected by flag law.
Etiquette & protocol
The Flag of North Carolina should be flown with respect: never allowed to touch the ground, never used as drapery for ceremonies it was not made for, and lowered or removed at sundown unless illuminated. When flown alongside other national flags, it takes precedence on home soil and is hoisted first and lowered last. On days of national mourning, the flag is flown at half-mast in line with directives from the head of state. These conventions are common to most nations and are usually written into the flag’s founding statute.
Specifications
| Field | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Flag of North Carolina | — |
| Continent | North America | — |
| ISO alpha-2 | 2-letter code | |
| ISO alpha-3 | 3-letter code | |
| Adopted | 1885 | year of current design |
| Proportion | 2:3 | height : length |
| Colours | red, white, blue, gold | — |
| Designer | — | |
| Emoji | Unicode codepoint sequence |
Did you know?
The two dates on the flag commemorate North Carolina events that pre-date the federal Declaration of Independence by months — a point of state pride.
