South Carolina State Flag

U.S. state

South Carolina State Flag uses indigo field with a white crescent and palmetto tree. Ratio 2:3 and current adoption January 28, 1861.

Hoist Ratio 2:3 Fly

Flag Reference

Flag	South Carolina State Flag
Entity Type	U.S. state
Official Name	State of South Carolina
Identifier	US-SC
Region	United States

Flag Specifications

Current Adoption	January 28, 1861
Proportion	2:3
Shape	Rectangle
Colours	Indigo, White
Construction	Indigo field with a white crescent and palmetto tree

Documented Colour Values

Colour	Appearance	HEX	RGB	CMYK
Indigo		#003366	0, 51, 102	100, 50, 0, 60
White		#FFFFFF	255, 255, 255	0, 0, 0, 0

Design and Symbolism

Indigo	the uniforms of the state’s Revolutionary troops.
White	the crescent and palmetto.
Palmetto tree	The palmetto-log fort on Sullivan’s Island that absorbed British cannonballs in 1776.
Crescent	The silver emblem worn on the caps of the state’s Revolutionary soldiers — a gorget, not a moon.

Proportions

Ratio	2:3
Hoist	2 units
Fly	3 units

About the South Carolina State Flag

Indigo field with a white crescent and palmetto tree 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 South Carolina is Indigo (#003366) and White (#FFFFFF). 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

Palmetto tree: The palmetto-log fort on Sullivan’s Island that absorbed British cannonballs in 1776; Crescent: The silver emblem worn on the caps of the state’s Revolutionary soldiers — a gorget, not a moon.

History and adoption record

The adoption field for the present record is January 28, 1861.

Entity status

South Carolina 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 palmetto commemorates a fort on Sullivan's Island built from palmetto logs, which absorbed British cannon fire in 1776 instead of splintering.

The crescent is not a moon. It reproduces the silver gorget worn on the caps of Revolutionary War troops, and its original meaning is genuinely uncertain.

The exact shape of the palmetto and crescent was only standardised in 2021, after decades in which manufacturers produced noticeably different versions.

How to identify this flag

For quick identification, look for Indigo field with a white crescent and palmetto tree, a 2:3 proportion and the visible palmetto tree. 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 South Carolina

South Carolina is recorded as indigo field with a white crescent and palmetto tree.
The reference proportion for the flag of South Carolina is 2:3.
The stored palette for South Carolina contains Indigo and White.
The adoption field for this u.s. state flag record is January 28, 1861.
Its construction is grouped with the plain field with a central emblem design family in this library.
Palmetto tree: The palmetto-log fort on Sullivan’s Island that absorbed British cannonballs in 1776.
Crescent: The silver emblem worn on the caps of the state’s Revolutionary soldiers — a gorget, not a moon.
The palmetto commemorates a fort on Sullivan's Island built from palmetto logs, which absorbed British cannon fire in 1776 instead of splintering.
The crescent is not a moon. It reproduces the silver gorget worn on the caps of Revolutionary War troops, and its original meaning is genuinely uncertain.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Flag of South Carolina

What does the flag of South Carolina look like?

Indigo field with a white crescent and palmetto tree, with a recorded proportion of 2:3.

What proportion is recorded for the flag of South Carolina?

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

Which colours are recorded for the flag of South Carolina?

The reference palette lists Indigo #003366 and White #FFFFFF.

What do the symbols on the flag of South Carolina represent?

Palmetto tree — The palmetto-log fort on Sullivan’s Island that absorbed British cannonballs in 1776. Crescent — The silver emblem worn on the caps of the state’s Revolutionary soldiers — a gorget, not a moon.

When was the present flag record for South Carolina adopted?

The adoption field in this record is January 28, 1861.

Which design family does the flag of South Carolina 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 South Carolina?

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.