Adopted in 2024, Utah’s flag sets a gold beehive inside a blue hexagon, with a white star beneath it. Behind them run three bands: blue sky above, white snow-capped peaks across the middle, and the red rock of southern Utah below. It replaced the older seal-on-blue design, which remains the state’s historic flag.
Blue, white, and red horizontal bands, the white shaped like mountain peaks, with a blue hexagon at the center holding a gold beehive above a white star.
Ratio: 3:5
Flag at a Glance
- Designer
- State Legislature redesign
- Ratio
- 3:5
- Text on flag
- No
- Animals
- None listed
- Design type
- Modern symbolic emblem flag
- Complexity
- 3/10
- Readability
- 9/10
- Seal-based design
- No
Colors used
Flag Symbolism
Beehive
Symbol of industry and community.
Mountains
Represent Utah’s natural landscape.
Red Arc
Represents southern red rock formations.
What Makes This Flag Unique
A lot of state flags share common themes. This one stands out for a few reasons:
- One of the newest U.S. state flag designs
- Uses the beehive as a standalone central symbol
- Deliberately replaces a seal-on-blue-field flag
Praised and Criticised
Common praise
- Clear symbolism without a seal
- Strong connection to state identity
- Modern, distinctive design
- Excellent visibility at distance
Common criticism
- Breaks from traditional seal-based expectations
- New design unfamiliar to some residents
Modern Discussion
Redesign debate: No
Notable proposals
- Final design adopted following the Utah State Flag Task Force process
For Teachers & Students
Classroom-ready prompts, printables, and citation info for studying the Utah state flag.
Subjects
Learning objectives
- Compare Utah’s old and new flag designs.
- Identify symbolism of the beehive in state culture.
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Printable classroom handouts for this flag page.
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MLA
APA
Note: Citation formats can vary by school. These are common classroom defaults.
Seal Deep Dive
Beehive
A gold beehive centered on the flag.
Attributes: Gold beehive
Meaning: Industry, community, and perseverance
Star
A white five-pointed star positioned below the beehive.
Attributes: White five-pointed star
Meaning: Utah’s statehood in 1896 and hope for the future
Mountains
Stylized white mountains forming a geometric backdrop.
Attributes: White mountain peaks
Meaning: Utah’s mountain ranges and rugged landscape
Color Field
Blue, white, and red bands with a gold beehive and hexagon outline.
Meaning: Continuity with historical Utah symbolism and national colors
Historical Timeline
Original flag with state seal adopted.
New simplified design officially adopted.
Fascinating Facts
Utah’s nickname, the Beehive State, reflects values of hard work and cooperation.
In 2024, Utah became one of the few states to modernize its flag design.
The beehive is the central symbol of the new flag.
The hexagon shape represents strength and unity.
Blue symbolizes Utah’s skies and waterways.
White represents snow and the state’s mountain peaks.
Red represents the red rock canyons of southern Utah.
The redesign moved away from a seal-on-blue layout for better recognition.
State Information
- Population
- 3,271,616
- Area
- 84,897
- Founded
- Jan 4, 1896
