The Royal Heraldic College of Georgia is a dependency of the Royal House of Georgia responsible for managing and granting armorial bearings, heraldic emblems, and related documentation. The College operates under the auspices of the Royal House of Georgia. We are not a government office of the independent country of Georgia.

The College assists in granting and registering:

• Armorial bearings (coats of arms)
• Heraldic badges, flags, and other emblems
• Consultation on heraldic design
• Provision of professionally prepared Letters Patent for granted arms

Grant of Arms
You may require a Grant of Arms if:  

• You have not previously held armorial bearings.  
• Your existing arms were not conferred by an official state heraldic authority or the heraldic authority of a recognized non-regnant royal house.  
• You hold arms but are unable to provide sufficient evidence of their regular use by your family across an extended period.  

Registration of Arms
You may be eligible to register your arms if:  

• You can provide evidence that your family has consistently used these arms over multiple generations.  
• Your arms have been officially granted by a recognized state heraldic authority.  
• Your arms were conferred by the heraldic authority of a recognized non-regnant royal house.  

Once your Letters Patent are completed, your arms are entered into the official Register of Arms, Badges, Flags, and Other Emblems of the Royal House of Georgia. The College maintains a digital and physical record for archival purposes.

Grants of Arms 
The timeline for processing Grants of Arms depends on several factors, including the number of applicants, the complexity of the heraldic design, and the production of artwork. The College processes applications in the order received and works to complete them as efficiently as possible, though patience is requested. Petitioners who have a clear and well-developed concept of their arms tend to experience shorter processing times, as the design process can move more quickly. 

Registrations of Arms 
Registrations of arms generally take less time than grants. The simplest cases—where the arms are ready or need only straightforward amendments—can often be completed within a matter of weeks.

Fees depend on the complexity of your request and are listed in our pricelist. The fees include the following items:

• Grant or Registration fee
• Exemplification fee 
• Letters Patent fees (Option A is included in the Grant/Registration fees. Options B and C are optional and additional)  

For a detailed quote, please contact the College.

Only titles and honors conferred by the Royal House of Georgia may be referenced in the petitioner's Letters Patent. Similarly, only honors and decorations granted by the Royal House of Georgia may appear in the exemplification of arms.

Visit the official website of the Royal House of Georgia at www.royalhouseofgeorgia.ge.

As a fully volunteer organization, we do not receive any remuneration or monetary compensation for our services to the Royal House of Georgia. Furthermore, we are not employees of, nor do we maintain any contractual obligations with, the Royal House. 

We also lack the capacity to receive or process payments related to the College. All fees — with the exception of exemplifications and letter patents options B and C—must be paid directly by petitioners to the Royal House of Georgia, and not through this website.  

A Grant of Arms is the formal authorization by the Georgian Crown to an individual or organization to bear specific armorial bearings (a coat of arms). This grant signifies recognition and honor from the Crown.

The granting of armorial bearings and heraldic emblems is considered an honor bestowed by the Georgian Crown. Petitioners must submit a curriculum vitae (or resume) via email to the Royal Heraldic College of Georgia for review, enabling the College to assess eligibility.

Members of the Royal Georgian Orders, recipients of Crown merit medals, and those holding noble titles conferred or recognized by the Georgian Crown or a recognized fons honorum, provided they remain in good standing, are automatically eligible due to their recognized status.

Individuals of merit seeking to have their arms granted or registered by the Royal Heraldic College of Georgia, under the authority of the Royal House of Georgia, are invited to submit a petition. Each petitioner will be evaluated individually based on the credentials they provide.

Submit a petition to [email protected] An officer of arms will contact you to gather the necessary information and documents. Eligibility will be assessed, and you'll be informed on whether your petition is authorized to proceed.

The process includes:

• Petitioning: Submit your request and supporting documents.
• Review and Authorization: Your petition is evaluated, and fees are issued upon approval.
• Concept & Design Development: Collaborate with an officer of arms to design your armorial bearings.
• Exemplification (Artwork): We will paint your finalized arms.
• Grant of Arms Letter: Receive a digitally embellished letter with your emblazonment and blazon.
• Letters Patent: Opt for a professional or illuminated document representing your arms.

If the children or other direct descendants of a grantee do not bear the grantee's surname, whether alone or as part of a compound name, they are generally not eligible to inherit the arms under the default rules. However, they may either legally change their surname or request a special dispensation to permit the transmission of arms to their descendants. Once such a dispensation is granted, the arms will follow the standard rules of succession for the recipient’s descendants.

Arms are inherited by direct descendants of the original grantee, provided they bear the original grantee's surname (whether alone or as part of a compound name). However, exceptions can be made at the discretion of the Head of the Royal House.

The Head of the Royal House of Georgia can define unique inheritance or differencing rules for individual grants of arms at their discretion. These decisions are recorded in the grantee’s letters patent. Petitioners may request these changes, and the College provides guidance in such cases. Alternate systems may be implemented subject to fees, but the default inheritance system applies unless explicitly altered.

Yes, women can inherit and transmit arms. The system is intended to be gender-neutral, allowing all descendants of the original grantee who bear their surname (alone or as part of a compound name) to inherit the arms.

Differencing is not mandatory, but descendants may petition for a new grant of arms that includes permanent differences to establish a distinct armorial identity for their family branch.

Yes, arms granted or registered in other recognized jurisdictions may be registered with the College. 

Historic Georgian arms, including those granted before 2023, can be registered with the College under the rules that applied at their time of issuance. Armigers can also request to align their arms with the contemporary inheritance rules of the Royal House.

The College works closely with petitioners to develop and design their armorial bearings into a heraldically correct device that represents both the individual and future generations. Assistance is provided from the initial concept stage through to the finalization of the design, ensuring it meets both the petitioner’s vision and the College’s standards. Petitioners are welcome to present their own ideas or sketches, and the College offers creative input and guidance from the very beginning.

For those starting from scratch or looking to refine a concept, a detailed questionnaire is available. This questionnaire explores personal values, interests, and favorite themes to help inspire and shape the design process. The College also provides tips for creating strong and effective heraldic designs. Once the concept takes shape, an initial rough sketch is prepared and shared with the petitioner for review, feedback, and any necessary revisions. 

When the design process is complete, all proposed arms are thoroughly reviewed and approved by the College before being finalized. This ensures that every armorial bearing is both distinctive and properly aligned with heraldic tradition.

While the College will assist you, strong designs typically incorporate simplicity, symbolism, and adherence to heraldic traditions.

To ensure consistency and adherence to the College’s standards, all artwork used in grants and registrations is to be completed solely by the College’s two appointed artists: Herald Master Kingsley, as the official artist of the College, and Tania Crossingham, the honorary herald painter.

An exemplification is the final painted, professional depiction of your armorial bearings. It is a vital part of the process that ensures the emblazonment meets the College's standards. This artwork is submitted digitally for official record-keeping.

The goal is to create a straightforward version of the Blazon for clarity and record-keeping, while leaving room for artistic additions in later, more detailed renderings.

Including too many elements or honors in the exemplification could create visual clutter. A straightforward version ensures the blazon is clear and properly documented for official records.

​When reviewing exemplifications (or preliminary sketches for that matter), focus on the substance, not the style. Overlook minor details or artistic elements, as your arms will be based solely on the written description called the blazon, and not the artwork provided or even the exemplification on your letters patent. Your arms can be correctly depicted in any artistic style.

For reasons of both logistics and artistic coherence, only honors granted by the Royal House of Georgia shall be depicted in the exemplification. Similarly, references to any titles held by the petitioner must be limited to those conferred by the Royal House of Georgia.

You have a choice between:

• Simple Exemplification: A straightforward painting of your arms
• Complex Exemplification: A fully-detailed painting of your arms

 Please refer to our pricelist for more details.

A Letters Patent is the formal document issued by the College after a Grant of Arms has been authorized. It outlines your heraldic rights, includes your exemplification (artwork), and describes your coat of arms in heraldic terms (blazon).

The College offers three levels of Letters Patent documentation:

• Option A: Standard Letter (included with the fees)
• Option B: Professional Digital Print (and document holder)
• Option C: Illuminated Manuscript on calfskin vellum

Each format varies in detail, professional finish, and pricing.

The cost of Letters Patent varies depending on the selected option. You are officially granted arms when the Letters Patent (Option A) included with the fees paid to the College, is signed, sealed, and communicated to you. While this foundational document is not suitable for framing it is sufficient for confirming the grant of arms, and an armiger need not pursue additional options.

However, for those who desire to display their arms, Option B, priced at €450, provides a professional digital print presented in a distinguished embossed padded document cover.

For those with a taste for truly exquisite craftsmanship, Option C, priced between €2,000 and €6,000, offers an extraordinary hand-painted illuminated manuscript created in the style of medieval tradition. Each magnificent piece is meticulously rendered on calfskin vellum and painted by Tania Crossingham, Honorary Herald Painter, ensuring each letters patent is both unique and timeless.

For precise pricing, please contact the College directly.

• For general inquiries: email us through our Contact section or directly at [email protected]
• To send your Petition (application) and any other supporting materials: [email protected]
• To contact the Herald Master directly: [email protected]

The Royal Heraldic College of Georgia operates as a dependency of the Royal House of Georgia, located in Tbilisi, Georgia. It is a volunteer-led endeavor that functions entirely online, allowing it to serve petitioners globally. The Herald Master of Arms is based in New York City, while the Herald Painter is located in Helsinki, Finland. Additionally, the College works with consultants specializing in areas such as Georgian, Latin and blazon, who are stationed in various parts of the world. 

Our mailing address is:

Royal Heraldic College of Georgia 
1178 Broadway, 3rd Floor #3243
New York, NY 10001
USA

Please send correspondence to:

Royal Heraldic College of Georgia 
1178 Broadway, 3rd Floor #3243
New York, NY 10001
USA.