Lower Saxony Order of Merit

{{infobox military award

| name = Lower Saxony Order of Merit

| image = Niedersächsischer Verdienstorden Verdienstkreuz am Bande.jpg

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| presenter = the Minister-President of Lower Saxony

| country = Germany

| type = Civil order of merit

| eligibility =

| awarded_for = Outstanding contributions to the state of Lower Saxony{{cite web|url=http://www.state-chancellery.niedersachsen.de/portal/live.php?navigation_id=5796&article_id=16156&_psmand=1003 |title=State awards and honours in Lower Saxony |publisher=State-chancellery.niedersachsen.de |date= |accessdate=13 April 2012}}

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| established = 27 March 1961

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| higher = Lower Saxony State Medal (Niedersächsische Landesmedaille)

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| image2 = DE-NI Der Niedersächsische Verdienstorden (Bande) BAR.png

| image2_size = 100px

| caption2 = Ribbon bar of the order

}}

The Lower Saxony Order of Merit ({{langx|de|Niedersächsischer Verdienstorden}}) is a civil order of merit, of the German State of Lower Saxony. The order was established 27 March 1961.{{cite web|title=Beschluss des Niedersächsischen Landesministeriums über die Stiftung des Niedersächsischen Verdienstordens|url=http://www.stk.niedersachsen.de/download/2281/Beschluss_ueber_die_Stiftung_des_Nds_Verdienstordens.pdf|publisher=Das Niedersächsische Landesministerium|accessdate=13 April 2012|language=German}} The order is presented in three classes, the highest is the Grand Cross of Merit (Großes Verdienstkreuz), the next is the Cross of Merit First Class (Verdienstkreuz 1. Klasse), and the lowest is the Cross of Merit on Ribbon (Verdienstkreuz am Bande).{{cite web|title=Staatliche Auszeichnungen und Ehrungen|url=http://www.stk.niedersachsen.de/portal/live.php?navigation_id=1138&article_id=2730&_psmand=6|work=stk.niedersachsen.de/portal/|publisher=Niedersachsen Staatskanzlei|accessdate=13 April 2012|language=German}}