Flags United States — State Flags Virginia

Flag of Virginia

state

The flag of Virginia was adopted on April 30, 1861. Deep blue field with the state seal. It uses 3 colours: deep blue, white and gold. The official proportions are 2:3.

The national flag of Virginia
Hoist Ratio 2:3 Fly

Basic Flag Information

Flag Name Flag of Virginia
Country Virginia
Official Country Name State of Virginia
Continent North America
Region United States
ISO Country Code US-VA
Internet Domain .us
Calling Code +1
Currency United States dollar (USD)
National Language(s) English

Flag Specifications

Official Flag Name Flag of Virginia
Adopted On April 30, 1861
Current Version Adopted April 30, 1861
Flag Proportion 2:3
Flag Shape Rectangle
Number of Colors 3
Main Colors Deep Blue, White, Gold
Design Type Deep blue field with the state seal
Official Status Official State Flag
Government Authority State Government of Virginia

Flag Color Information

Color Appearance HEX Code RGB CMYK
Deep Blue #002868 0, 40, 104 100, 62, 0, 59
White #FFFFFF 255, 255, 255 0, 0, 0, 0
Gold #FFD100 255, 209, 0 0, 18, 100, 0

Flag Design and Symbols

Deep Blue colour Represents the field
White colour Represents the seal
Gold colour Represents the border
Virtus standing over Tyranny The Roman virtue defeating a fallen tyrant whose crown lies beside him
Motto “Sic Semper Tyrannis” — Thus always to tyrants

Flag History

Year / Period Event
1861-04-30 The current flag was officially adopted
Present The flag remains in official use
Present The flag remains in official use

Flag Dimensions and Construction

Official Ratio 2:3
Width 2 units (hoist)
Length 3 units (fly)

Virginia Flag Usage

Government Buildings Yes
Schools Yes
Civil Use Yes
Official Ceremonies Yes
Sports Events Yes

Other Official Flags of Virginia

Flag Type Use Link
National Flag National representation View flag
Civil Flag Used by civilians View flag
State Flag Used by government View flag
War Flag Used during military operations View flag
Naval Ensign Used by the navy View flag
Air Force Flag Used by the air force View flag
Presidential Standard Used by the head of state View flag
Royal Standard Used by the monarch View flag
Historical Flag Previous national flag View flag

Quick Facts About the Flag

Flag Age 165 years old as of 2026
Adoption Date April 30, 1861
Most Common Color Deep Blue
Similar Flags Alaska, Antarctica, Arkansas
Unique Feature Deep blue field with the state seal

Other plain field with a central emblem flags

See all

Facts about the Flag of Virginia

  1. The seal shows Virtue standing over a defeated tyrant, with the motto Sic Semper Tyrannis — thus always to tyrants.
  2. It is the only US state flag depicting a figure with an exposed breast, drawn from the classical convention for the goddess Virtus, and the detail has been the subject of periodic objection since 1861.
  3. The flag of Virginia was officially adopted on April 30, 1861.
  4. The flag in its present form is 165 years old as of 2026.
  5. Design type: Deep blue field with the state seal.
  6. The official proportions are 2:3. It shares that ratio with 83 national flags.
  7. The flag uses 3 colours: deep blue, white and gold.
  8. The deep blue on the flag stands for the field.
  9. The white on the flag stands for the seal.
  10. The gold on the flag stands for the border.
  11. Virtus standing over Tyranny: The Roman virtue defeating a fallen tyrant whose crown lies beside him.
  12. Motto: “Sic Semper Tyrannis” — Thus always to tyrants.
  13. The design belongs to the "Plain field with a central emblem" family, shared with 70 other flags in this reference.
  14. Flags most often confused with it: Alaska, Antarctica and Arkansas.
  15. Virginia joined the Union on 25 June 1788, as the 10th state.
  16. The state is nicknamed The Old Dominion.
  17. The state bird is the northern cardinal.
  18. The state flower is the flowering dogwood.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Flag of Virginia

When was the flag of Virginia adopted?

The flag of Virginia was officially adopted on April 30, 1861.

What do the colours of the flag of Virginia mean?

Deep blue for the field, white for the seal and gold for the border.

When did Virginia become a state?

Virginia entered the Union on 25 June 1788, as the 10th state.

What do the symbols on the flag of Virginia represent?

Virtus standing over Tyranny — The Roman virtue defeating a fallen tyrant whose crown lies beside him. Motto — “Sic Semper Tyrannis” — Thus always to tyrants.

What are the proportions of the flag of Virginia?

The official ratio is 2:3, which makes the flag rectangular. It shares those proportions with 83 national flags.

What are the state symbols of Virginia?

The state bird is the northern cardinal, the state flower is the flowering dogwood and the motto is "Sic semper tyrannis — Thus always to tyrants".

Which flags look similar to the flag of Virginia?

The closest matches are Alaska, Antarctica and Arkansas, which share both the construction and most of the colours.

How many colours are on the flag of Virginia?

It uses 3 colours: deep blue, white and gold.

Can I download the flag of Virginia for free?

Yes. This page offers the flag of Virginia in SVG, PNG, JPG and WebP at several sizes. The files are free to use for any purpose and no attribution is required.

What are the colour codes of the flag of Virginia?

The HEX values are Deep Blue #002868, White #FFFFFF and Gold #FFD100. RGB, CMYK and HSL equivalents are listed in the colour table on this page.