Heraldic authority

Europe

Azerbaijan

• Heraldic Council, forming part of the Presidency.

Belgium

• The Council of Nobility – deals with grants arms to the nobility in all of Belgium and municipal arms in the German Speaking Community of Belgium.
• Council of Heraldry and Vexillology – supervises and advises the Government of the French Community regarding registration of non-noble personal, familial and municipal arms within the French Community of Belgium.
• Flemish Heraldic Council – supervises and advises the Flemish Government regarding grants of non-noble personal, official, municipal, and corporate arms within the Flemish Community of Belgium.

Burgundy

• Toison d'Or King of Arms

Croatia

• Ministry of Public Administration – Commission for approving the coat-of-arms and flags to the local self-government units

Czech Republic

• Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic – Subcommittee on heraldry and vexillology

Denmark

• Statens Heraldiske Konsulent . The National Archives of Denmark is the State Heraldry Advisor since 1985.

Finland

• Heraldinen lautakunta, founded in 1957, known 1957–88 as Heraldinen toimikunta. It operates as a part of the National Archives of Finland.

France

• College d'armes
• Commission nationale d'héraldique, operating as part of the National Archives of France.

Georgia

• State Council of Heraldry

Germany

• Reichsherold

• Reichsherold

• Oberheroldsamt – dealt with noble and municipal arms.
• Königlich Preussisches Heroldsamt

• Kommissariatt für Adelsangelegenheiten

Hungary

• Országos Községi Törzskönyvbizottság
• Képző és Iparművészeti Lektorátus
• Nemzeti Címer Bizottság

Ireland

• Ulster Office, headed by Ulster King of Arms.
• Genealogical Office, headed by the Chief Herald of Ireland and forming part of the National Library of Ireland – grants personal, official, municipal, and corporate arms.

Italy

• Consulta Araldica
• Istituto Nazionale del Nastro Azzurro
• Ufficio Cerimoniale della Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri

Latvia

• State Heraldry Commission, forming part of the Presidency – deals with official and municipal arms.

Lithuania

• Heraldry Commission, forming part of the Presidency – deals with official and municipal arms.

Luxembourg

• Commission héraldique de l'Etat

Malta

• Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta, an agency of Heritage Malta — deals with personal, corporate and municipal arms.

Netherlands

• – grants personal arms and official, military, and municipal arms. Also provides advice regarding arms of members of the royal family.

Norway

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs – all matters concerning the Coat of arms of Norway

Poland

Portugal

• Cartório da Nobreza – heraldic authority for the Kingdom of Portugal;
• Comissão de Heráldica da Associação dos Arqueólogos Portugueses – heraldic authority for the municipalities of Portugal;
• Gabinete de Heráldica Corporativa – heraldic authority for the corporations ;
• Secção de Heráldica da Direção de Cultura e História Militar – heraldic authority for the Portuguese Army;
• Gabinete de Heráldica Naval – heraldic authority for the Portuguese Navy;
• Adjunto de Heráldica do Arquivo Histórico da Força Aérea – heraldic authority for the Portuguese Air Force;
• Gabinete de Heráldica Autárquica – heraldic authority for the municipalities of Portugal.

Romania

Russia

• Office of Heraldry, headed by the Master Herald – granted personal, official, and municipal arms.
• Heraldic Council of the President of the Russian Federation or State Heraldry Service, headed by the Master Herald and forming part of the President's Office.

Slovakia

• Heraldic Commission
• Heraldic Registry of the Slovak Republic

Spain

• Real Academia de la Historia. For Asturias, Cantabria, Castilla–La Mancha, La Rioja and Balearic Islands.
• Consejo Asesor de Heráldica y Simbología de Aragón. For Aragon.
• Sociedad de Estudios Vascos/Eusko Ikaskuntza. For Basque Country.
• Instituto de Estudios Canarios. For Canary Islands.
• Cronistas de Armas de Castilla y León, established in 1496. For provinces of Castile and León.
• Institut d'Estudis Catalans. For Catalonia.
• Comisión de Heráldica de Galicia. For Galicia.
• Real Academia Matritense de Heráldica y Genealogía, together with the Real Academia de la Historia, for Madrid.
• Real Academia Alfonso X el Sabio. For the Region of Murcia.
• Consell Tècnic d'Heràldica i Vexil·logia. For Valencian Community.

Sweden

• Riksheraldiker
• Statens Heraldiska Nämnd, headed by a State Herald, and forming part of the Royal Archives. registered with the Swedish Patent and Registration Office. Only official arms are handled. Burgher and commoner arms are less strictly controlled and may be recognized by publication in the annual Scandinavian Roll of Arms.

United Kingdom

• College of Arms, headed by the Garter Principal King of Arms, under the general jurisdiction of the Earl Marshal – grants personal, municipal, and corporate arms, also records pedigrees and genealogies.

• Until 1943, Northern Ireland came under the Ulster Office; since then, it has fallen under the College of Arms part of the jurisdiction of the Norroy and Ulster King of Arms which also covers the counties of England and Wales North of the River Trent.

• Court of the Lord Lyon, headed by the Lord Lyon – grants personal, municipal, and corporate arms; it is illegal to bear arms in Scotland unless they have been granted or recorded by the Lord Lyon.

Africa

Kenya

• Kenya College of Arms, headed by a Registrar, and forming part of the Attorney-General's Office – grants and registers personal, municipal, and corporate coats of arms. It was established by the College of Arms Act of 1968.

South Africa

• Department of the Interior – inter alia registered the arms of associations and institutions, as "badges".
• Provincial administrations – inter alia registered the arms of municipalities in their respective provinces.
• Department of Education, Arts & Sciences – inter alia registered the arms of associations and institutions, as "badges".
• Bureau of Heraldry, headed by the National Herald, and forming part of the National Archives & Records Service – registers personal, official, military, municipal, and corporate arms. Together with the Heraldry Council, it forms part of the National Archives and Records Service, which is currently under the authority of the Minister of Arts & Culture.

Zambia

• Colours Control Board – inter alia registers the arms of associations and institutions, as "badges".

Zimbabwe

• Registrar of Names, Uniforms, Badges and Heraldic Representations, forming part of the Patents Office – registers official, municipal, corporate, and personal arms.

Asia

Philippines

• Philippine Heraldry Committee – government coat of arms, seals, and other symbols of state
• National Historical Commission of the Philippines – absorbed responsibilities of the Philippine Heraldry Committee after the Reorganization Act of 1972. Final approval of works required from the Office of the President

North America

Canada

• Canadian Heraldic Authority, headed by the Chief Herald of Canada and forming part of the Governor General's office– grants personal, corporate, governmental, military and other organizational arms.

United States

• Carolina Herald was an English herald responsible for heraldry in Carolina in early and mid 18th Century colonial times.
• The Institute of Heraldry, U.S. Army, is the organization responsible for furnishing heraldic services to the President of the United States and all federal government agencies.

Oceania

New Zealand

• New Zealand Herald Extraordinary in the Governor-General's Household – represents the English College of Arms.