NC General Statutes

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-381 (2026)

Desecration of State and United States flag

✓ current as of July 2026

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It shall be unlawful for any person willfully and knowingly to cast contempt upon any flag of the United States or upon any flag of North Carolina by public acts of physical contact including, but not limited to, mutilation, defiling, defacing or trampling. Any person violating this section shall be deemed guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.

The flag of the United States, as used in this section, shall be the same as defined in 4 U.S.C.A. 1 and 4 U.S.C.A. 2. The flag of North Carolina, as used in this section, shall be the same as defined in G.S. 144-1. (1917, c. 271; C.S., s. 4500; 1971, c. 295; 1993, c. 539, s. 253; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c).)

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 3 cases, 1971–1989 · leading case: Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397 (1989).

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Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397 (1989). · cites it 2× “Law § 136 (McKinney 1988); N. C. Gen. Stat. § 14-381 (1986); N. D. Cent.”

Parker v. Morgan, 322 F. Supp. 585 (W.D.N.C. 1971). · cites it 12× “CRAVEN, Circuit Judge: This is a suit brought to test the constitutionality of one of North Carolina's miscellaneous police regulations, codified as N.C.G.S. § 14-381, and entitled "Desecration of State and National flag".”

Poor Richard's, Inc. v. Stone, 356 S.E.2d 828 (N.C. Ct. App. 1987). “” This definition would seem to include weapons and other dangerous instrumen-talities, regulation of which is found elsewhere, see G.S. 14-381 to 415; 18 U.S.C. sections 921-928 (1982 & Supp.”

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