Illinois State Flag

U.S. state

Illinois State Flag uses white field with the state seal in colour. Ratio 2:3 and current adoption July 1, 1970.

Hoist Ratio 2:3 Fly

Flag Reference

Flag	Illinois State Flag
Entity Type	U.S. state
Official Name	State of Illinois
Identifier	US-IL
Region	United States

Flag Specifications

Current Adoption	July 1, 1970
Proportion	2:3
Shape	Rectangle
Colours	White, Blue, Brown, Red
Construction	White field with the state seal in colour

Documented Colour Values

Colour	HEX	RGB	CMYK
White	#FFFFFF	255, 255, 255	0, 0, 0, 0
Blue	#004B87	0, 75, 135	100, 44, 0, 47
Brown	#8B5A2B	139, 90, 43	0, 35, 69, 45
Red	#CE1126	206, 17, 38	0, 92, 82, 19

Design and Symbolism

White	the field.
Blue	the water.
Brown	the eagle and rock.
Red	the shield.
Bald eagle on a rock	Holding a shield of thirteen stars and stripes.
Motto	“State Sovereignty, National Union”, with the words deliberately reversed on the scroll.

Proportions

Ratio	2:3
Hoist	2 units
Fly	3 units

About the Illinois State Flag

White field with the state seal in colour The recorded proportion is 2:3. Within this library it is grouped with plain field with a central emblem designs.

Colours and construction

The reference palette stored for Illinois is White (#FFFFFF), Blue (#004B87), Brown (#8B5A2B) and Red (#CE1126). The colour table above is intended for digital reference; where an issuing authority publishes a different colour standard, that specification takes precedence.

Symbols and recorded meaning

Bald eagle on a rock: Holding a shield of thirteen stars and stripes; Motto: “State Sovereignty, National Union”, with the words deliberately reversed on the scroll.

History and adoption record

The adoption field for the present record is July 1, 1970.

Entity status

Illinois is classified here as u.s. state. That label describes the entity represented by the flag and prevents a territory, state or constituent area from being presented as a sovereign country.

Additional flag context

The word Illinois was added beneath the seal in 1970 after a campaign by a schoolteacher whose students pointed out that nobody could identify the flag.

On the seal the words State Sovereignty and National Union are deliberately reversed on the scroll, a compromise reached during the Civil War era when removing the first phrase proved politically impossible.

How to identify this flag

For quick identification, look for White field with the state seal in colour, a 2:3 proportion and the visible bald eagle on a rock. Use the comparison and design-family links on this page when another flag has a similar palette or layout.

Verification sources

Flags of the World — U.S. state flag reference — Specialist vexillological reference
USA.gov — state government directory — Government directory

Other plain field with a central emblem flags

See all

Facts about the Flag of Illinois

Illinois is recorded as white field with the state seal in colour.
The reference proportion for the flag of Illinois is 2:3.
The stored palette for Illinois contains White, Blue, Brown and Red.
The adoption field for this u.s. state flag record is July 1, 1970.
Its construction is grouped with the plain field with a central emblem design family in this library.
Bald eagle on a rock: Holding a shield of thirteen stars and stripes.
Motto: “State Sovereignty, National Union”, with the words deliberately reversed on the scroll.
The word Illinois was added beneath the seal in 1970 after a campaign by a schoolteacher whose students pointed out that nobody could identify the flag.
On the seal the words State Sovereignty and National Union are deliberately reversed on the scroll, a compromise reached during the Civil War era when removing the first phrase proved politically impossible.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Flag of Illinois

What does the flag of Illinois look like?

White field with the state seal in colour, with a recorded proportion of 2:3.

What proportion is recorded for the flag of Illinois?

The reference proportion stored for this flag is 2:3.

Which colours are recorded for the flag of Illinois?

The reference palette lists White #FFFFFF, Blue #004B87, Brown #8B5A2B and Red #CE1126.

What do the symbols on the flag of Illinois represent?

Bald eagle on a rock — Holding a shield of thirteen stars and stripes. Motto — “State Sovereignty, National Union”, with the words deliberately reversed on the scroll.

When was the present flag record for Illinois adopted?

The adoption field in this record is July 1, 1970.

Which design family does the flag of Illinois belong to?

WorldFlags.online groups it with plain field with a central emblem designs for visual browsing; that classification describes construction, not necessarily historical ancestry.

Where can I verify information about the flag of Illinois?

The verification-source section on this page links to an official, governmental or specialist reference used to check the underlying record. Source wording is not copied into the article.