Legion of Honor

Verified 27 May 2025 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

The Legion of Honor is the most high national honor to honor French citizens and foreign persons. It rewards merits acquired by virtue civil or under arms. Would you like to know the conditions for obtaining the Legion of Honor, how it will be awarded and whether it can be withdrawn? We present you with the information you need to know.

The Legion of Honor is the most high national honor to honor French citizens and foreign persons. It constitutes a national order.

The Legion of Honor rewards outstanding merits acquired in the service of the Nation, either in a civilian capacity or under arms.

The Legion of Honor consists of:

  • 3 grades (knight, officer and commander)
  • And 2 dignities (Grand Officer and Grand Cross).

FYI  

You can't ask for the Legion of Honor for yourself. You must be nominated by someone else (citizens' initiative or ministerial procedure).

The order of appointment of the Legion of Honor differs according to whether it is a citizens' initiative or a ministerial procedure:

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Citizens' Initiative

An adult of French nationality may suggest a person whom he considers deserving for appointment in the order of the Legion of Honor.

This is called a proposed citizens' initiative.

To be admissible, the proposed citizens' initiative must be reasoned and signed by 50 adults of French nationality enjoying their civil rights. The proposal must be accompanied by a memoir detailed description of the merits of the nominee.

The proposal must be addressed by post :

  • To the prefect or the local authority of residence of the nominee (or to the consular or diplomatic authority for the foreigners)
  • And to the Grand Chancellor.
Who shall I contact

  • Grand Chancery of the Legion of Honor

    By mail

    Grand Chancery of the Legion of Honor

    1 rue de Solferino

    75700 Paris 07 SP

    By telephone

    01 40 62 84 00

The number of appointments from a citizens' initiative is limited. This number is fixed by decree of the President of the Republic for 3 years.

Please note

The citizens' initiative cannot be proposed for a deceased person, a foreign person or a serving member.

Proposal Package

After examining the proposal, the representative of the State or the diplomatic or consular authority shall send the competent minister an initial opinion on the action to be taken on the proposal.

The Minister responsible shall forward his opinion on the proposal to the Grand Chancellor.

The Grand Chancellor looks at it and decides what he's going to do with it.

Examination of the file

Each member of the Council of the Order of the Legion of Honor consider proposals that fall within its area of competence.

Deliberation

Under the chairmanship of the Grand Chancellor, the Council of the Order of the Legion of Honor meets to deliberate and decide on the admissibility of the proposal.

Decision

For the rank of commander and the dignities of grand officer and grand cross, the Council of Ministers must give its consent.

Ministerial Procedure

Mayors, parliamentarians, reeves, ministerial offices, territorial administrations and economic and community stakeholders can submit candidates for the Legion of Honor.

The prefects then send the various applications to the relevant ministries.

Proposal Package

The files are reviewed by the ministers.

Only the ministers are entitled to nominate persons for appointment and promotion to the ranks of Knight, Officer and Commander. Proposals are then sent to the Prime Minister. It shall address them to the Grand Chancellor with its opinions and observations if it considers it necessary.

Candidates for the dignities of Grand Officer and Grand Cross are proposed only by the Prime Minister.

FYI  

Each department has a predetermined number of decorations, proportional to the areas of activity it represents.

Examination of the file

The services of the Grand Chancery check the regulatory conditions for the admissibility of appointments and analyze the files before they are sent to the Council of the Order of the Legion of Honor.

Deliberation

Under the chairmanship of the Grand Chancellor, the Council of the Order of the Legion of Honor meets to deliberate and decide on the admissibility of proposals.

Decision

The Head of State validates the final list of the decorated. As a grand master, it can remove names, but it cannot add names.

The Legion of Honor includes 5 steps.

They are awarded progressively based on seniority, merit and service.

The 3 grades and 2 dignities (from lowest to highest) are as follows:

  • Knight: assigned after 20 years of public services or professional activities, with outstanding merits
  • Officer: assigned after 8 years in the rank of knight and in recognition of new merits
  • Commander: assigned after 5 years in officer rank and for even more distinguished merits
  • Grand Officer: assigned after 3 years in the rank of commander and for services of exceptional importance
  • Grand'croix: assigned after 3 years in the dignity of a great officer and for even more exceptional merits.

FYI  

A promotion in the Legion of Honor must reward new merits and not merits already rewarded.

The criteria for obtaining the Legion of Honor differ depending on whether you are civilian or military:

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Civilian

You must respond to 3 following conditions :

  • Have prominent merits in exercise, during at least 20 years, activities in the public interest and of the Nation
  • Have a clean criminal record and good morals (criminal record bulletin no. 2 dating from less than 2 months)
  • To be proposed by a minister, after consideration of a file constituted at the request of a political figure (mayor, parliamentarian, ministerial cabinet, etc.), a territorial administration, a prefect, an association or a group of at least 50 persons (for the citizens' initiative).

Proposal must be validated by the Council of the Order of the Legion of Honor, chaired by the Grand Chancellor.

FYI  

You don't necessarily have to be a French national. Foreign nationals may be awarded the Legion of Honor. However, they cannot become members of the Order of the Legion of Honor.

Military

You must respond to 3 following conditions :

  • Have prominent merits in exercise, during at least 20 yearsactivities serving the general interest and the Nation
  • Have a clean criminal record and good morals (criminal record bulletin no. 2 dating from less than 2 months)
  • To be entered on a competition board under the conditions laid down by decree.

FYI  

You don't necessarily have to be a French national. Foreign nationals may be awarded the Legion of Honor. However, they cannot become members of the Order of the Legion of Honor.

Each year, as an exception, the Legion of Honor may be awarded to recognize individuals who have completed a act of punctual bravery or who have to expose their lives in the performance of their duties. And this, without delay (i.e. without waiting for 20 years of service).

The dates differ depending on whether you are civilian or military:

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Civilian

It exists 2 annual promotions : 1er January and July 14.

Military

It exists 2 annual promotions :

  • June - July for active duty members
  • November for reserve members and veterans.

Please note

On the occasion of historical commemorations (for example, the Liberation of France) or special events such as the Olympic Games, special promotions may be published.

You may not wear the distinctive signs (badge, ribbon or rosette) associated with the Legion of Honor front a ceremony (public or private) during which the decoration is given to you.

Choosing the person who will give you the medal

Depending on whether you live in France or abroad, the people who can give you the decoration differ:

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You live in France

The decoration must be given to you by one of the following :

  • President of the Republic for the dignities of grand officer and grand cross (or in case of incapacity, the Grand Chancellor or a dignitary with at least the same rank in the order of the Legion of Honor)
  • Grand Chancellor for the ranks of knight, officer and commander
  • Prime Minister and Ministers for all grades and dignitaries of the order by delegation of the President of the Republic. This derogation shall be valid for six months following the end of their ministerial duties
  • Speaker of the Senate, of the National Assembly, of Constitutional Council and the Economic, Social and Environmental Council for all grades and dignitaries of the order by delegation of the President of the Republic. Such delegation shall be permitted during their term of office
  • State Representative in Departments and Communities for the rank of knight.

FYI  

There is no legal time limit for organizing this ceremony, but it is recommended that you receive your decoration within one year of the date of appointment or promotion.

You live abroad

The decoration must be given to you by one of the following :

  • President of the Republic for the dignities of grand officer and grand cross (or in case of incapacity, the Grand Chancellor or a dignitary with at least the same rank in the order of the Legion of Honor)
  • Grand Chancellor for the ranks of knight, officer and commander
  • Prime Minister and Ministers for all grades and dignitaries of the order by delegation of the President of the Republic. This derogation shall be valid for six months following the end of their ministerial duties
  • Speaker of the Senate, of the National Assembly, of Constitutional Council and the Economic, Social and Environmental Council for all grades and dignitaries of the order by delegation of the President of the Republic. Such delegation shall be permitted during their term of office
  • Ambassador on the job for all 3 grades.

FYI  

There is no legal time limit for organizing this ceremony, but it is recommended that you receive your decoration within one year of the date of appointment or promotion.

Please note

If you are a foreigner, the reception ceremony is not mandatory.

Application for authorization to receive

You must send to the Grand Chancery a request for authorization of receipt, accompanied by the payment check for the chancery fees.

Application for authorization of reception in the Legion of Honor

Who shall I contact

  • Grand Chancery of the Legion of Honor

    By mail

    Grand Chancery of the Legion of Honor

    1 rue de Solferino

    75700 Paris 07 SP

    By telephone

    01 40 62 84 00

NoHowever, the Legion of Honor is not accompanied by any real material or financial benefit.

One patentsigned by the President of the Republic and countersigned by the Grand Chancellor, is issued to you after the delivery of the decoration.

It attests to your membership in the order of the Legion of Honor.

Only the Legion of Honor awarded on a military basis entitles annual reward.

Please note

The daughters, granddaughters and great-granddaughters of French or foreigners decorators can ask to be part of the Legion of Honor educational institutions.

The medal is not provided by the administration.

You can buy the medal from the Monnaie de Paris or with a specialist manufacturer.

Who shall I contact

Yes, the Legion of Honor can be removed from your any of the following :

  • Revocation of French nationality
  • Conviction for crime
  • Sentence of imprisonmentimprisonment without a suspension of one year or more
  • Sentence to a correctional penalty
  • To have committed acts contrary to honor or likely to harm the interests of France.

The exclusion or suspension decision of the order of the Legion of Honor is pronounced by decree of the President of the Republic. The Grand Chancellor inform the Council of the Order of the Legion of Honor by order.

Exclusion of the order of the Legion of Honor entails the permanent withdrawal of the right to wear the insignia of any decoration, whether French or foreign, associated with the Grand Chancery.

The suspension The rights and privileges of a member of the order of the Legion of Honor also entail the suspension of the right to wear the insignia of any decoration, whether French or foreign, associated with the Grand Chancery.

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

  • Grand Chancery of the Legion of Honor

    By mail

    Grand Chancery of the Legion of Honor

    1 rue de Solferino

    75700 Paris 07 SP

    By telephone

    01 40 62 84 00

  • Business of the Legion of Honor (LHLS)