In most cases a recipient is first recommended by one of the government ministries, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Ministry of Education.
贈勳有著極崇高的內涵及意義，因此申請及授予也訂有極縝密的程序：首先要由有功者所屬單位將勳績事實，連同有關證明文件及預備頒授之勳章總類、等級，送初審機關審核。所謂初審機關，以公務員而言為銓敘部，非公務員為內政部，僑民為僑委會，外賓為外交部，軍人為國防部。