CHAPTER 1. Emblems [611. - 617.]

Cal. Military and Veterans Code - MVC 1.

in effect

Cal. Military and Veterans Code - MVC § 611. Section 611.

(a) “Flag,” as used in this division, means the State Flag of California and the Flag of the United States, as defined in this section. (b) “State Flag of California” includes any flag, standard, color, or ensign authorized by the laws of this state, and every picture or representation thereof, of any size, made of any substance, or represented on any substance evidently purporting to be any such flag, standard, color, or ensign of this state, and every picture or representation which shows the design thereof. (c) “Flag of the United States” includes any flag, standard, colors, or ensign authorized by the laws of the United States or any picture or representation of either, or of any part or parts of either, made of any substance or represented on any substance, of any size evidently purporting to be either of said flag, standard, colors, or ensign of the United States of America, or a picture or a representation of either, upon which shall be shown the colors, the stars and the stripes, in any number of either thereof, or of any part or parts of either, by which the average person seeing the same without deliberation may believe the same to represent the flag, standards, colors, or ensign of the United States of America.

Cal. Military and Veterans Code - MVC § 612. Section 612.

(a) The colors and standards carried by organizations of the National Guard or Naval Militia shall be those which are carried by similar organizations of the United States Army, Air Force, or Navy, except that the regimental or battalion colors or standards may show the state coat of arms, instead of the coat of arms of the United States. (b) The Adjutant General may, pursuant to rules and regulations adopted for the purpose, deliver to the members of the family of a deceased member of the National Guard or of the State Guard the colors used during the disposition of the remains of the deceased member according to the custom and usual practice of the United States Army, Air Force, or Navy, which then become the property of the members of the family.

Cal. Military and Veterans Code - MVC § 613. Section 613.

No military organization provided for by the Constitution and laws of this State and receiving State support shall, while under arms, either for ceremony or duty, carry any device, banner or flag of any State or Nation except that of the United States or of this State.

Cal. Military and Veterans Code - MVC § 614. Section 614.

A person is guilty of a misdemeanor who knowingly casts contempt upon any Flag of the United States or of this state by publicly mutilating, defacing, defiling, burning, or trampling upon it.

Cal. Military and Veterans Code - MVC § 615. Section 615.

No provision of this code or of any law of this State which makes unlawful the use of the flag of the United States or of this State or of any picture or representation thereof shall apply to any act permitted by the statutes of the United States or of this State or by any regulations of the United States Army, or United States Air Force, or United States Navy, nor shall it be contrued to apply to any newspaper, periodical, book, pamphlet, circular, certificate, diploma, warrant or commission of appointment to office, ornamental picture, article of jewelry, or stationery for use in correspondence, on which is printed, painted, or placed a flag with no design or writing thereon and not connected with any advertisement.

Cal. Military and Veterans Code - MVC § 616. Section 616.

Any person who displays a red flag, banner, or badge or any flag, badge, banner, or device of any color or form whatever in any public place or in any meeting place or public assembly, or from or on any house, building, or window as a sign, symbol, or emblem of forceful or violent opposition to organized government or as an invitation or stimulus to anarchistic action or as aid to propaganda that advocates by force or violence the overthrow of government is guilty of a felony.

Cal. Military and Veterans Code - MVC § 617. Section 617.

No other flag or pennant shall be placed above, or if on the same level, to the right of the Flag of the United States of America, except during church services, when the church flag may be flown.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026