The Romanian government is the armiger in Romania. It exercises this right under the mandatory advice of the National Committee of Heraldry, Genealogy and Sigillography (). The committee is subordinate to the Romanian Academy. All the coats of arms of Romanian institutions must be approved by this committee with two exceptions. The Romanian military is subject to the Ministry of National Defense Heraldric Committee, and Romanian law enforcement institutions are subject to the Ministry of Administration and Interior Heraldric Committee. Both of these committees may share members with the National Committee of Heraldry, Genealogy and Sigillography.
Romanian coats of arms
Medieval Voivodeships and States
Coat of Arms during the Early Modern Period
The coats of arms of the early modern period represent the states of Romania from about the 15th century to about the 19th century.
States of the modern period
The United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia 1859–1866
After the election of Alexandru Ioan Cuza as Domnitor of Wallachia and Moldavia, the heraldic symbols of the two countries were united to form the coat of arms of the new state. In 1862, this new state was named Romania. However, the idea was not new. Most of the Phanariotes used united symbols in their personal coat of arms to show that they held power in both countries. Until 1866, there was no official design of the coat of arms of Romania, although the painter, Carol Popp de Szathmary, created some draft designs.
Romania 1866–1878
After 10 May 1866, (when Carol I came to Romania), and the Constitution of 1 June 1866 was founded, the coat of arms of Romania was established. It used concepts found in previous coats of arms. From 1872, the coat of arms represented the Kingdom of Romania. In 1878, when Romania gained independence, the coat of arms was changed again.
Kingdom of Romania
1872–1921
In 1872, the heraldic symbols of Oltenia and the Black Sea coast were added to the Romanian coat of arms. In 1881, the symbol of Dobrudja was added and its aspect was slightly changed.
1921–1947
After World War I, Transylvania, Bessarabia, Banat, and Bukovina united with the Kingdom of Romania. As a result, symbols representing the new territories were added to the coat of arms.
Communist Romania
People's Republic of Romania
After 1948, the Communist authorities changed both the flag and the coat of arms. The coat of arms became more emblematically faithful to Communist symbolism: a landscape (depicting a rising sun, a tractor and an oil drill) surrounded by stocks of wheat tied together with a cloth in the colors of the national flag. Between 1948 and 1966, there were three variants. The first came shortly after 1948 (the proclamation of the republic). The next was in 1952 when a red star was added.
Socialist Republic of Romania
The final change to the communist emblem took place in 1966 when Romania ceased to be a People's Republic, and became a Socialist Republic. At this time, the wording changed from R. P. R. to Republica Socialista Romania.
Romania
1989–1992
Immediately after the fall of Nicolae Ceaușescu and the communist regime, the communist emblem was removed from all flags, and official seals. Some flags had a hole (a symbol of the revolution) and some changed to the later official blue-yellow-red format.
During this period, Romania had no de jure national emblem. 10-lei coins issued in this period bore a composition showing a wreath of olive overlaid on the Romanian Flag where the coat of arms would be located on later coins.
1992–present
In 1992, the Parliament of Romania adopted a new coat of arms. Two models, both inspired by the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Romania, were merged to achieve the final result.
In April 2016, deputies of the Judiciary Committee endorsed a bill voted previously by the Senate that returns the crown on the head of the eagle and mandates the public authorities to replace the existing emblems and seals to those provided by law until 31 December 2018 (to mark the centenary of the Union of Transylvania with Romania on 1 December 1918). The bill was adopted by the Chamber of Deputies on 8 June 2016 and promulgated by President Klaus Iohannis on 11 July 2016.