In 1916, a certificate of honorable mention was established to recognize relief service in connection with the earthquake which did not rise to a level meeting the criteria for the medal itself.

The decree creating the medal established three classes of it — gold, silver, and bronze — to be awarded depending on the level of merit for which the recipient qualified.

King Victor Emmanuel III awarded the medal or certificate of honorable mention[5] with the relevant diploma upon proposal of the Minister of the Interior, following the opinion of a commission composed of: The Lieutenant General of the King could also award the medal upon a simple proposal from the Minister of the Interior in the case provided for by Royal Decree no.

The reverse bears the inscription "TERREMOTO 13 GENNAIO 1915" ("EARTHQUAKE 13 JANUARY 1915") surrounded by two oak branches tied at the bottom with a ribbon.

Other versions of the medal exist that differ in the engraver, bust, and inscriptions,[8] Some of them were produced by private companies such as Stefano Johnson, based in Baranzate.