Orders, decorations, and medals of Norway



This is a list of Norwegian orders and medals, in order of precedence. This list contains all medals approved for wearing on a Norwegian military uniform in ranked order.

Group 1: Awarded by or approved by H.M. The King
Those awards presented by or approved by the King of Norway are worn in an order of precedence established by Royal Decree of 11 June 1943, with subsequent additions.

Royal Family Orders

 * St. Olavs Orden stripe.svg Royal Family Order of King Haakon VII of Norway (1906–1957)
 * St. Olavs Orden stripe.svg Royal Family Order of King Olav V of Norway (1957–1991)
 * St. Olavs Orden stripe.svg Royal Family Order of King Harald V of Norway (1991–current)

These are not worn on military uniform.

Group 2: Foreign state decorations
Decorations that are awarded or approved by foreign heads of state. They are ranked as follows: British, Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Swedish, other countries are ranked alphabetically by their name in French.

Group 3: Decorations of UN, NATO, EU, OSCE and similar
Decorations from international operations led by UN, NATO and other international organisations. The Multinational Force and Observers Medal is also placed in this group, so was the formerly approved PLANELM Medal. Medals are ranked by the year a mission started, oldest first.

Group 5: Other foreign decorations
Foreign awards that do not fall into any of the groups above can be approved for use on Norwegian military uniform upon application. The order of wear as for group 2.

Group 6: Medals awarded for military skills
Since 2008, the old medals were no longer approved worn on military uniform, and got replaced by the following medals in 2012:
 * Ferdighetsmerke skyting ny.png Norwegian defence shooting badge
 * Ferdighetsmerke feltsport ny.png Norwegian defence military sports badge

Military medals of skills
These decorations are most often divided in three classes: bronze, silver and gold. They are most often awarded as metal badges, but if the gold requirements are met over several years a medal is awarded:
 * Det Militære Skarpskyttermerke.png The military sharp shooting badge (shooting)
 * Det militære marsjmerket.png The military marching badge (30 km march with gear)
 * Det militære skimerket.png The military skiing badge (30 km skiing, including shooting)
 * Det militære infanterimerket.svg The military infantry badge (infantry skills)
 * Det militære feltidrettsmerket.png The military sports badge (military sports)
 * Det militære femkampmerket.png The military penthathlon badge (Military pentathlon)

Since 2008, the above medals are no longer approved worn on military uniform. The requirements for these medals can be a part of earning the current military medals

Civilian medals of skills
These share most of the characteristics of the badges and medals awarded for military skills, but the requirements may vary more:
 * Det Friville Skyttervesens Dugleiksmedalje.png Norwegian Civilian Marksmanship Association's merit badge (shooting)
 * Green ribbon bar - general use.svg Norwegian Confederation of Sports Medal (sports)
 * Den Store Havhesten.svg Norwegian Swimming Federation's «The big seahorse» (swimming)
 * Outstanding Unit ribbon.svg Norwegian Shooting Association's army rifle medal (NAIS-medal) (shooting)
 * Det Friville Skyttervesens Skiskyttermedalje.png Norwegian Civilian Marksmanship Association's biathlon medal ( –1983) / Norwegian Biathlon Association's medal (1983– ) (biathlon)

Since 2008, the above medals are no longer approved worn on military uniform. The requirements for these medals can be a part of earning the current military medals.

Additional civilian skills medal no longer approved worn on military uniform:
 * Båndstripe for Den Norske Skyttermedalje.png Norwegian Civilian Marksmanship Association's medal of shooting (gold), also known as DFS organization medal (shooting) – Old ribbon version, the current is the same as the silver medal.
 * Det Frivillige Skyttervesens Skyttermedalje - Organisasjonsmedaljen.svg Norwegian Civilian Marksmanship Association's medal of shooting (silver), also known as DFS organization medal (shooting).

Foreign medals of skills
Foreign military and civilian skill medals are generally not permitted to be used on Norwegian military uniforms, unless permission has been applied and granted. Such skill medals then rank very last, after all other awards and skill marks.

The following foreign skill mark is approved:
 * Nijmegenmedaljen_stripe.svg Cross for the Four Day Marches

Unit citations
The Norwegian Armed Forces does not have any unit citations.

Norwegian personnel who have fought in departments that have been honored with a foreign unit citation or unit award and who have received a ribbon as a sign of this, are allowed to wear these on Norwegian military uniform, but then separate from other ribbon stripes and located below these.

Unit citations in the form of ribbons are not worn with medals.

Examples of foreign unit citations given to Norwegian personnel:
 * Korean Presidential Unit Citation.png Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, South Korea
 * Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg Army Meritorious Unit Commendation, USA
 * United States Navy Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.png Navy Presidential Unit Citation, USA
 * Joint Meritorious Unit Award ribbon.svg Joint Meritorious Unit Award, USA

No longer awarded


The following obsolete awards are no longer approved on military uniform:
 * Order of the Norwegian Lion - Ribbon bar.svg The Royal Norwegian Order of the Norwegian Lion
 * Militærkorset med sverd.svg Military cross with sword
 * Militærkorset.svg Military cross
 * Forsvarets medalje for edel dåd med laurbærgren stripe.svg Armed Forces Medal for Heroic Deeds with Golden Laurel Branch
 * PLANELM Medal, awarded to the Planning Element staff in SHIRBRIG

The Military cross, in both versions, are since 2014 no longer approved worn on military uniform. Personnel still serving got it converted to other medals. Similarly has the Medal for International Operations with Golden Laurel Branch been converted for personnel still serving.

Approved worn on military uniform in the years 1961–1981:
 * Båndstripe for Den Norske Skyttermedalje.png Norwegian Confederation of Sports' 100 Years Anniversary Medal