The Chancellery of Orders and Medals is a public State institution, funded by the State budget and other lawful sources, which is organised and operates in accordance with Law No. 93/2022, "On Decorations in the Republic of Albania", as well as the Regulation approved by Decision of the Council of Ministers No. 819, dated 26 December 2024,“Për miratimin e rregullores së kancelarisë së urdhrave dhe medaljeve”, të ndryshuar dhe legjislacionin në fuqi.

Law No. 93/2022, which entered into force upon its publication in Official Gazette No. 46, dated 13 March 2024, marks a fundamental reform in the reconception and reorganisation of the system of public honours in the Republic of Albania. This law established the foundations for a new, clear, and coherent faleristic architecture, aimed at restoring the dignity, functionality, and symbolic value of State decorations as instruments of institutional recognition, national memory, and the representation of public merit. In implementation thereof, by the aforementioned decision, the Council of Ministers approved the Regulation of the Chancellery of Orders and Medals, which defines the organisation, competences, and functioning of this institution as the public supervisory and regulatory authority in the field of State honours.

At the heart of the new system established by Law No. 93/2022 stands the Chancellery of Orders and Medals, which, beyond its administrative functions, also exercises a significant cultural and symbolic role. It serves as the custodian of the registers, archives, and institutional memory of State decorations, as well as of the personal histories of honoured individuals, thereby representing an archive of publicly recognised virtue and merit.

One of the most significant innovations of the law is the construction of the honours system around three national orders, presided over by the President of the Republic: the Supreme Order of the Eagle, the Order of Scanderbeg, and the Order of the Academic Laurel. These orders, complemented by clearly defined medals, today constitute the backbone of the modern Albanian State decoration system, guided by the general principles set forth in Article 3 of Law No. 93/2022, including merit, sustained contribution, and long-term service to society, regardless of the sector of activity.

The Chancellery is organised at central level and exercises its functions throughout the entire territory of the Republic of Albania, with the same level of organisation as general directorates. In accordance with Article 26 of Law No. 93/2022, its governing bodies are the Chancellor and the College of Orders and Medals.

The College of Orders and Medals is a collegiate body composed of nine members representing various State and academic institutions and authorities, as well as specialised expertise in the field of decorations. It functions as a collegiate advisory and decision-making body within the framework of the new decoration system. Its composition includes the Chancellor, who also serves as Chairperson of the College, and a representative appointed by the President of the Republic, who holds the office of Vice-Chairperson. Further members of the College are the Head of State Protocol, a representative appointed by the Presidency of the Academy of Sciences of Albania, and two experts in the field of decorations, appointed by Decision of the Council of Ministers. The composition of the College is further completed by the three Deans of the Orders, who are the oldest Albanian nationals honoured with the "Grand Star" decoration within each of the aforementioned national orders.

The members appointed by the President of the Republic, the Presidency of the Academy of Sciences of Albania, and the Council of Ministers shall serve a four-year term, with the right of reappointment.

The Chancellor represents the Chancellery in relations with third parties and reports on the activities of the Chancellery to the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister. The Chancellor is appointed, relieved, or dismissed from office by the Prime Minister. In the exercise of administrative functions, the Chancellor is supported by a Vice-Chancellor, who is appointed, relieved, or dismissed from office by the Chancellor in accordance with Article 5(7) of CMD No. 819/2024.

By Prime Ministerial Order No. 31, dated 18 February 2025, the Chancellor of the Chancellery of Orders and Medals was appointed. In implementation of Article 12(2) of Regulation No. 819/2024, pending the full establishment of the organisational structure and staffing complement, the Chancellor has been assisted by staff of the Prime Minister's Office.