Flag of Utah
The current Utah flag, official since March 9, 2024, has bands of dark blue, white and red with a gold beehive and a star. It replaced a navy flag with the state seal that had flown in some form since 1913.
What the Utah flag looks like
The new Utah state flag is built from three unequal horizontal areas of color: dark blue at the top, white in the middle and red below, with the blue taking the largest share. The edge between them rises in a mountain-like line. A gold beehive appears at the center, drawn as a hexagon-shaped form, with a star above it.
The flag is 5:3 and has no text or seal. That makes it much easier to read at a distance than the earlier design, which placed a detailed state seal on a navy field. Four colors are used: blue, white, red and gold.
Utah flag meaning and symbolism
The beehive is the central symbol. It stands for industry and cooperation, and it connects to the state motto, Industry, and the nickname the Beehive State. Early settlers used the name Deseret, a word from the Book of Mormon that refers to the honeybee.
The dark blue is said to represent Utah's skies and lakes, the white the snow and the salt flats, and the red the red rock country of the south of the state. The star is explained as a tribute to the Native American tribes of Utah, whose presence in the region goes back thousands of years. The mountain edge refers to the ranges that run through the state.
History of the Utah flag
Utah became the 45th state in 1896. Its first state flag, adopted that year, showed the coat of arms on a white field. In 1913 the legislature changed it to a dark blue field with the state seal and a gold fringe, and it stayed in use for more than a century. The seal was redrawn in 1922 and again in 2011.
By the 2020s many people thought the seal flag was hard to tell apart from other state flags, and a state task force and a public contest were set up to propose a replacement. Thousands of designs were submitted, finalists were shown to the public, and the legislature approved the beehive flag in early 2024. It took effect on March 9, 2024. The earlier flag was kept as a historical version.
Salt Lake City also adopted its own new city flag in 2021, a separate design from the state flag.
Utah flag colors
#071D49RGB
7, 29, 73CMYK
90, 60, 0, 71#FFFFFFRGB
255, 255, 255CMYK
0, 0, 0, 0#AA0200RGB
170, 2, 0CMYK
0, 99, 100, 33#FFB81DRGB
255, 184, 29CMYK
0, 28, 89, 0Utah flag facts
| Adopted | March 9, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Proportions | 3:5 |
| State capital | Salt Lake City |
| State motto | Industry |
| Population | 3,271,616 |
Utah state flag FAQ
Why did Utah change its state flag?
Supporters argued the old flag, a seal on a navy field, looked like many other state flags and was too detailed to recognize easily. A task force and public contest led to a simpler design, approved in 2024.
When did the new Utah flag become official?
The new flag took effect on March 9, 2024.
Why is there a beehive on the Utah flag?
The beehive stands for industry and working together. It matches the state motto, Industry, and the Beehive State nickname, and it dates back to the pioneer-era name Deseret.
Does Utah have two state flags?
Utah has one current state flag, the 2024 beehive design. The earlier seal flag is kept as a historical flag, so you may still see it in some places.
What colors are on the Utah flag?
Dark blue, white, red and gold. The blue is said to represent sky and lakes, the white snow and salt, the red the red rock country, and the gold the beehive. See more at U.S. state flags.
