Orden del Mérito Civil

Order of Civil Merit Orden del Civil Mérito
Grand Cross With Collar's Star of the Order
Awarded by the Spanish Monarch
Type	State Order
Royal house	House of Bourbon-Spain
Awarded for	Service to the State, the Provinces and Municipalities
Status	Currently Constituted
Grand Master	King Felipe VI
Grand Chancellor	José García-Margallo y Marfil, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Chancellor	Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs
Grades	Knight Grand Cross with Collar Knight/Dame Grand Cross Knight/Dame Grand Officer Knight/Dame Commander Knight/Dame Officer Knight/Dame Cross Medal
Precedence
Next (higher)	Order of Isabella the Catholic
Next (lower)	Civil Order of Alfonso X, the Wise
- The Ribbons of the Order

The Order of Civil Merit (Spanish: Orden del Mérito Civil) was established by King Alfonso XIII of Spain in 1926. The order recognizes "the civic virtue of officers in the service of the Nation, as well as extraordinary service by Spanish and foreign citizens for the benefit of Spain."

According to Basic Norms on Protocol & Decorations

The Order of Civil Merit was established by King Alfonso XIII of Spain, by Royal Decree on 25 June 1926, after the proposition of the President of the Council of Ministers, General D. Miguel Primo de Rivera (1870–1930). Its first regulations was published next 25 May 1927.

This Order was created to reward civic virtues of the functionaries in service for the State, the Provinces and Municipalities, as well as extraordinary services performed by Spanish citizens for the good of Nation, and could possibly be awarded, moreover, to foreign citizens by courtesy or reciprocity.

At the origin, it consisted of four categories: Grand Cross Commander by Number Commander and Knight Silver Cross (lower rank)

Entry into the Order was conferred by the King, upon proposition of the Minister of State, requiring the agreement of the Council of Ministers when it concerned the concession of the Grand Cross, instructing them in all cases a demonstrative record of the justification of the award and issuing appointments and diplomas by the Section of Foreign Ministry and Orders of the Ministry of State.

The Provisional Government of the Republic, by decree of 24 July 1931, abolished this order and other orders of the State, except that of Isabel the Catholic, and wanted to replace them with the creation of the Order of the Republic.

Saved this interregnum, by Decree of 7 November 1942 restores the Order of Civil Merit, with his previous features, privileges and seniority, with the following categories: Grand Cross, Cordon (designation of the Grand Cross when given to women), Commander of Number, Commander, Officer, Knight, Knot (name of degree Knight when given to women) and Silver Cross, approving its rules by decree of 3 February 1945.

Subsequently, by decree of 26 July 1957, the Knight of the Collar category is established in the Order of Civil Merit, as the highest distinction of the Order. This high level is reserved to decorate Sovereigns and Heads of State and, exceptionally, to those, enjoying relevant significance, who are already in possession of the Grand Cross of the Order.