Legion of Honor

Verified 08 September 2025 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

The Legion of Honor is the most high national distinction to honor French citizens and foreign persons. It rewards the merits acquired as civilian or under arms. Would you like to know the conditions for obtaining the Legion of Honor, the course of its delivery and whether it can be withdrawn from you? We present you the information to know.

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

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

The Legion of Honor consists of:

  • 3 grades (knight, officer and commander)
  • And 2 dignitaries (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 appointment in the order of the Legion of Honor differs depending on whether it is a citizens' initiative or a ministerial procedure:

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Citizens' Initiative

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

That's what we call a proposal for a 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 memory detailed description of the merits of the proposed person.

The proposal must be addressed by post :

  • To the prefect or the territorial collectivity of residence of the person proposed (or to the consular or diplomatic authority for the foreigner Frenchmen)
  • And at 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 Solférino

    75700 Paris 07 SP

    By phone

    01 40 62 84 00

The number of nominations 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 Dossier

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

The competent minister shall forward his opinion on the proposal to the Grand Chancellor.

The Grand Chancellor examines the file and decides what action he will take.

Examination of the file

Each member of the Council of the Order of the Legion of Honor consider proposals within its area of expertise.

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, prefects, ministerial offices, territorial administrations and economic and associative actors can submit candidates for the Legion of Honor.

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

Proposal Dossier

The files are reviewed by the ministers.

Only the ministers are authorized to propose persons for the appointment and promotion of the ranks of knight, officer and commander. Proposals are then sent to the Prime Minister. He sends them to grand chancellor with its opinions and observations if it deems 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 Grand Chancery services check the regulatory conditions for the admissibility of appointments and analyse 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 decorated. As grand master, it can remove names, but cannot add names.

The Legion of Honor includes 5 steps.

They are awarded gradually according to seniority, merit and service.

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

  • Knight: awarded 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 the rank of officer 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: awarded after 3 years in the dignity of a grand officer and for even more exceptional merits.

FYI  

Advancement to the Legion of Honor must reward new merits and not already rewarded merits.

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

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Civilian

You must respond to 3 following conditions :

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

The proposal must be validated by the Council of the Order of the Legion of Honor, chaired by the grand chancellor.

FYI  

You do not necessarily have to be a French national. Persons of foreign nationality 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 outstanding merits in the exercise, during at least 20 years, activities in the general interest and the Nation
  • Have a clean criminal record and good character (criminal record bulletin no. 2 from less than 2 months)
  • Be entered on a competition board under the conditions set by decree.

FYI  

You do not necessarily have to be a French national. Persons of foreign nationality may be awarded the Legion of Honor. However, they cannot become members of the Order of the Legion of Honor.

Each year, on an exceptional basis, the Legion of Honor can be awarded to individuals who have achieved a occasional act of bravery or who have exposed 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 a civilian or a 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 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 (insignia, ribbon or rosette) that are associated with the Legion of Honor before a ceremony (public or private) during which the decoration is given to you.

Choice of 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 dignitaries of grand officer and grand cross (or in case of impediment, the grand chancellor or a dignitary having 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 ranks and dignitaries of the order by delegation of the President of the Republic. This exemption is valid for 6 months after the end of their ministerial duties
  • President of the Senate, the National Assembly, of Constitutional Council and the Economic, Social and Environmental Council for all ranks and dignitaries of the order by delegation of the President of the Republic. Such delegation shall be permitted during their chairmanship
  • State representative in departments and communities for the rank of knight.

FYI  

There is no legal deadline to organize this ceremony, but it is recommended to be decorated 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 dignitaries of grand officer and grand cross (or in case of impediment, the grand chancellor or a dignitary having 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 ranks and dignitaries of the order by delegation of the President of the Republic. This exemption is valid for 6 months after the end of their ministerial duties
  • President of the Senate, the National Assembly, of Constitutional Council and the Economic, Social and Environmental Council for all ranks and dignitaries of the order by delegation of the President of the Republic. Such delegation shall be permitted during their chairmanship
  • Ambassador in post for the 3 grades.

FYI  

There is no legal deadline to organize this ceremony, but it is recommended to be decorated within one year of the date of appointment or promotion.

Please note

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

Request for approval

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

Request 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 Solférino

    75700 Paris 07 SP

    By phone

    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 in a military capacity is entitled to a annual reward.

Please note

The daughters, granddaughters and great-granddaughters of the French or foreigners decorated can ask to integrate the Legion of Honor Education Houses.

The medal is not provided by the administration.

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

Yes, the Legion of Honor may be withdrawn from you in one of the following :

  • Forfeit of French nationality
  • Conviction for crime
  • Sentencing to imprisonmentimprisonment without a stay of one year or more
  • Conviction to a correctional penalty
  • Have committed acts contrary to honor or likely to harm the interests of France.

The decision to exclude or suspend 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 definitive withdrawal of the right to wear the insignia of any decoration, whether French or foreign, associated with the Grand Chancery.

The suspension of the rights and privileges of a member of the Order of the Legion of Honor also entails 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 Solférino

    75700 Paris 07 SP

    By phone

    01 40 62 84 00

  • Legion of Honor business (LHIN)