Gandolfini died Wednesday in Rome at age 51. A family spokesman has said an autopsy revealed the cause was a heart attack, though authorities have not released the report.
The flag directive was issued Friday by Gov. Chris Christie. It says Gandolfini was an iconic actor who "left a timeless impact upon television and film in the state of New Jersey and across our nation."
Gandolfini was born in Westwood . He grew up in Park Ridge and attended Rutgers, the state's flagship public university.
Christie has called the actor, acclaimed for his role as mobster Tony Soprano, a "New Jersey treasure."