Utah State Flag
Fact-checked • Updated January 2, 2025
Utah State Flag
Utah adopted a new state flag in 2024, featuring a beehive in a gold hexagon. The design includes horizontal stripes of blue, white, and red. A five-pointed star sits below the beehive.
What Is the Utah State Flag?
The Utah state flag is the official banner representing the state of Utah. The flag displays horizontal stripes in three colors. A blue stripe runs across the top. A white stripe forms irregular mountain peaks in the middle. A red stripe fills the bottom section.
A gold hexagon sits in the center of the flag. Inside the hexagon, a gold beehive appears with a white five-pointed star below it. This design replaced the previous flag on March 9, 2024.
What the Utah State Flag Means
The Utah state flag meaning comes from symbols representing the state's landscape and values. The design reflects Utah's geographic features and cultural identity.
The beehive stands for industry and community. Utah uses the beehive as its official emblem and calls itself the Beehive State. The hexagon shape represents strength and unity among Utah's people.
The five-pointed star honors the five original tribal nations in Utah. It also marks 1896, when Utah became the 45th state.
How Utah Chose Its State Flag
Utah authorized a new state flag through legislation signed on March 21, 2023. The bill went into effect on March 9, 2024. Governor Spencer Cox signed the measure after the Utah Legislature approved it. The State Flag Task Force managed the redesign process starting in 2021.
The task force received 5,703 design submissions from the public. More than 2,500 came from students. Twenty semifinalist designs were announced in September 2022. Utahns submitted 44,000 survey responses during the comment period. The task force presented a final proposal to the legislature in November 2022.
Utah's first state flag was created in March 1903 for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis. The flag showed the state seal embroidered on a blue field. The legislature made it official in 1911. That design served as Utah's flag for 113 years before the 2024 redesign. The old flag now holds status as the Historic State Flag and remains co-official.
Previous Versions of the Utah State Flag
Historic State Flag
Blue field with the state seal in color, corrected in 2011 after an 89-year mistake in date placement.
Governor's Flag
Original flag with state seal hand-embroidered in white thread before becoming official.
Beehive Flag
Current state flag adopted March 9, 2024, featuring tricolor stripes and gold hexagon with beehive.
Symbols of the Utah State Flag
Utah State Flag Beehive
A gold beehive sits inside the hexagon at the flag's center. The beehive represents Utah's history and sense of community. It connects to Utah's official state motto, Industry.
The beehive appeared on Utah's seal and earlier flags. Early Mormon settlers used the beehive as a symbol. They valued hard work and cooperation.
Utah State Flag Hexagon
A gold hexagon frames the beehive in the flag's center. The hexagon shape resembles honeycomb. It represents strength and unity.
The gold rim symbolizes prosperity. Hexagons are among nature's strongest shapes. This geometric form cradles the beehive.
Utah State Flag Star
A white five-pointed star sits below the beehive. The star honors Utah's five original tribal nations. These include the Navajo, Shoshone, Goshute, Paiute, and Ute peoples.
The star also represents 1896, the year Utah achieved statehood. Utah became the 45th star on the American flag. The star symbolizes hope and loyalty to the nation.
Utah State Flag Mountains
The white middle stripe forms five irregular peaks. These represent Utah's snowy mountain ranges. Mountains have sheltered residents from time immemorial.
The white color evokes peace and Utah's world-famous snow. The five peaks also connect to the five original tribal nations.
Utah State Flag Blue Stripe
A blue stripe runs across the top of the flag. Blue represents Utah's wide-open skies and lakes. It links to the background of the historic flag.
The color symbolizes core principles including faith, knowledge, freedom, optimism, and tradition.
Utah State Flag Red Stripe
A red stripe fills the bottom section of the flag. This represents Southern Utah's red-rock canyon landscape. Millions of people travel to see these formations each year.
Red symbolizes perseverance. The shade is slightly warmer than the red used in the United States flag.
Utah State Flag Colors
The Utah state flag uses four colors. Blue, white, and red reference the colors of the United States flag. Gold appears in the hexagon and beehive.
Utah State Flag Facts
- Utah adopted a new state flag on March 9, 2024
- The State Flag Task Force received 5,703 design submissions
- The previous flag served from 1903 to 2024
- The historic flag contained an 89-year date placement error until 2011
- The beehive is Utah's official state emblem
- The five-pointed star honors five original tribal nations
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Sources & References
This article has been researched using authoritative sources to ensure accuracy and reliability. All information has been fact-checked and verified against official government records and historical databases.
Official information on the new Utah state flag symbolism and design • Accessed: January 15, 2026
Legislative history and statutes regarding the state flag • Accessed: January 15, 2026
Historical background on Utah's flags and flag redesign process • Accessed: January 15, 2026
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