The Fire Brigade Decoration of Honor is awarded by the State Minister of the Interior, for Sport and Integration as a service award

• as a second class decoration for 25 years,
• as a first class decoration for 40 years and
• as a Grand Decoration of Honor for 50 years

for 50 years of active service with a volunteer fire department or company fire department.

In the case of a volunteer fire department, the decisive factor is how long the firefighter has been a member of the municipal volunteer fire department and has performed active service - with interruptions if necessary. Periods of service with non-Bavarian fire departments can be credited if they can be proven. Military service, parental leave, pregnancy or proven illness do not count as interruptions.

Length of service awards are presented by the district administrator in rural districts and by the mayor in independent municipalities, if possible at fire department meetings. The award may also be presented by a person appointed by them. The form should be appropriate to the occasion.

The following may propose the awarding of service awards

• the commanders of volunteer fire departments for their members,
• the municipalities for the commanders of the volunteer fire departments,
• the district offices for the district fire councillors, the district fire inspectors and the district fire chiefs,
• the plant managers for members of the plant fire departments.

The proposals for commanders and company managers are to be submitted to the district administration offices via the municipalities. The municipality submits proposals to the district administrative authority.

Proposals for the awarding of long-service awards must be submitted to the competent district administrative authority in good time before the planned date of presentation.