Bernd Rauch (* 1943), architect, entrepreneur, honorary president of FC Bayern Munich (awarded on December 17, 2014)
Konrad Rebholz , Honorary Master of the Guild for Electrical and Information Technology Augsburg, Chairman of the Association for the Restoration of the Golden Hall in Augsburg City Hall (awarded on July 29, 2010)
Josef M. Redl , Vice President of the “Festring München e. V. "and the" Bavarian Club "(awarded on October 14, 2015)
Hermann Regensburger (* 1940), Member of the State Parliament 1974–2003, State Secretary in Bayer. State Ministry of the Interior 1993-2003 (awarded 1989)
Otto Regenspurger (1939–2003), Federal Government Commissioner for the Issues of Disabled People, Member of the Bundestag (conferred on July 4, 1991)
Uschi Reich (* 1949), film producer (awarded on July 9, 2009)
Jürgen Reichardt (* 1938), retired major general D. (awarded on July 29, 2010)
Siglinde Reichart , Superior General of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of St. Vincent de Paul
Klaus Reichel , Honorary Chairman of the Hartmannbund, Regional Association of Bavaria (awarded on July 17, 2003)
Marlene Reidel (1923–2014), painter and children's book author (awarded 1997)
Willi Reiland (1933–2015), Lord Mayor of Aschaffenburg (1970–2000) (awarded 1993)
Friedrich Carl Rein, lawyer (awarded on July 12, 2017)
Christoph Reiners , Medical Director of the University Hospital Würzburg (awarded on October 14, 2015)
Otto Reiser , President of the Nuremberg Regional Labor Court (awarded on July 4, 1991)
Norbert Reithofer (* 1956), Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG (awarded on July 29, 2010)
Lorenz Reitmeier (1930–2020), Lord Mayor (awarded on July 4, 1991)
Franz Reitmeir (1930–2017), entrepreneur (awarded on July 17, 2003)
Wolf Armin Freiherr von Reitzenstein , 1st Chairman of the Association for Location and Field Name Research in Bavaria e. V., Lecturer for onomatology (awarded on October 14, 2015)
Heinrich Riedel (1903–1989), Oberkirchenrat (awarded on December 15, 1959)
Mercedes Riederer (* 1952), Editor-in-Chief Radio and Head of the Politics and Current Affairs Department at Bayerischer Rundfunk (awarded on July 20, 2011)
Anna Rieger , honorary district farmer (awarded on October 10, 2012)
Fritz Rieger (1910–1978), General Music Director (awarded on December 15, 1959)
Hans Riehl (1935–2019), historian and journalist (awarded on July 4, 1991)
Franz Riemer (1884–1965), Vicar General in the Diocese of Passau (awarded on December 15, 1959)
Walter Riemerschmid (1908–1999), Honorary President of the Bavarian Chamber of Pharmacists and Honorary President of the ABDA (awarded 1975)
Barbara Riepl , Honorary Consul General of the Kingdom of Thailand in the Free State of Bavaria and Free State of Saxony (awarded on October 14, 2015)
Josef Riepl (1898–1987), building contractor (awarded on December 15, 1959)
Roswitha Riess (* 1937), Vice President of the Bavarian State Parliament (awarded on June 20, 2001)
Werner Riethmann , Managing Director of LOWA Sportschuhe GmbH (awarded on July 20, 2011)
Martha Rietsch , Asylum Social Advisor, Sister of the Community Christ Brotherhood Selbitz (awarded on October 14, 2015)
Wolf-Dieter Ring (* 1941), President of the Bavarian State Center for New Media (awarded on July 3, 1996)
Richard Ringelmann (1889–1965), State Secretary (awarded December 15, 1959)
Renate Rink , housewife (awarded on October 10, 2012)
Ingrid Ritt , association official (awarded on July 22, 2019)
Joseph Maria Ritz (1892–1960), Director of the Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation (awarded on December 15, 1959)
Maja Robert-Pesl (1919–2008), patron of the arts (awarded on July 4, 1991)
Gisela Rockola, founder and chairwoman of the Justin-Rockola-Soforthilfe eV association (awarded on June 27, 2018)
Randolf Rodenstock (* 1948), President of the Association of Bavarian Economy (awarded in 2007)
Birgitt Rodler , founder and managing director of AFW Creativ Stickerei (awarded on July 13, 2016)
Ambrosia Roecklein (1893–1973), Superior General of the Generalate of Poor School Sisters (awarded December 15, 1959)
Bernd Rödl , Managing Partner Rödl & Partner, Vice President of the Nuremberg Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Middle Franconia (awarded on July 29, 2010)
Eva Maria Roer (* 1944), managing partner of DT & SHOP GmbH (awarded 2007)
Eberhard Rotter (* 1954), member of the state parliament (awarded on July 9, 2009)
Christoph Rottner , Government and School Council (awarded on December 15, 1959)
Christian Ruck (* 1954), member of the Bundestag (awarded on July 9, 2009)
August Rucker (1900–1978), architect, university professor and Bavarian State Minister (awarded December 15, 1959)
Georg Rückert (1914–1988), Protestant pastor and founder of the Collegium Augustinum (awarded on June 8, 1972)
Heinrich Rudrof (* 1955), member of the Bavarian State Parliament (awarded on July 29, 2010)
Ingrid Rudzki-Janson , former university professor and director of the Polyclinic for Orthodontics at the Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich (awarded on July 29, 2010)
Karl Ruf (1922–2019), President of the Bavarian Stone and Earth Industry Association and the Concrete and Precast Parts Industry (awarded on July 4, 1991)
Paul Ruf , Director of the Bavarian State Library (awarded on December 15, 1959)
Sep Ruf (1908–1982), professor, architect and urban planner (awarded 1973)
Christa Ruf-Werner , head of the children's and Malteser Youth Hospice Service in Munich (awarded on July 13, 2016)
Ingold Ruge (* 1934), Managing Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solid State Technology (awarded on July 4, 1991)
Hildegund Rüger , Director of Education (awarded on October 10, 2012)
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (* 1955), Chairman of the Board of Directors of FC Bayern Munich (awarded in 2007)
Hermann Rumschöttel (* 1941), formerly Director General of the Bavarian State Archives (awarded 2007)
Martin Runge (* 1958), Member of the Bavarian State Parliament (awarded on July 29, 2010)
Marlene Rupprecht (* 1947), member of the German Bundestag (awarded on July 29, 2010)
Rudolf Rupprecht (* 1940), Chairman of the Management Board of MAN Aktiengesellschaft (awarded on June 20, 2001)