US Will Fly Flags at Half-Staff for 30 Days in Carter's Honor

President Biden has declared Jan. 9 a national day of mourning for Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday at the age of 100, per the AP. There's also another decree in honor of the late former president—American flags must be flown at half-staff for the month after Carter's death. WHTM notes that directive is due to US Department of Veterans Affairs guidelines, which mandate that flags at all federal buildings and grounds must be lowered in the 30 days after the death of a sitting or ex-president.

Per NorthJersey.com, the flags should remain at half-staff through Jan. 28—meaning that President-elect Trump will become the first president to take the oath of office while US flags are lowered. However, because this is just a guideline in US flag code and not a federal law, Trump could opt to raise the flags back up if he wanted after he assumes the presidency.

What about flags not on federal property? State flags typically are lowered under federal orders as well, and although it's not a requirement, private citizens and businesses are also supposed to lower their flags to half-staff (or half-mast on a boat or ship) if they have a flag on a vertical pole. If you have a flag on a post mounted from your home that's on an angle, NorthJersey.com suggests placing a black ribbon on the pole to remember Carter. (More Jimmy Carter stories.)