Merit Badges

For a complete list of Merit Badges and their Requirements visit here.

A Merit Badge is an award earned based on activities within an area of study by completing a list of requirements.  There are more than 135 Merit Badges. Scouts can earn a merit badge at any time after they join BSA. A merit badge is one of the Star to Eagle rank requirements.  To earn an Eagle, a scout must complete 21 merit badges, including 14  required Eagle Merit Badges which help the scout enhance basic scouting skills and teach the Scout Law.

Steps involved in pursuing a Merit Badge

Scout is responsible for making sure that the Blue Card is completed and signed: 

• Select a subject of interest.

• Ask a unit leader (Scoutmaster or ASM) to do initial approval on the Scoutbook or sign a blue card, and if needed, provide Merit Badge Counselor information.

• Contact/Connect with the Merit Badge Counselor or register for the merit badge class (see below for places to Earn Merit Badges).

• Work on Merit Badge requirement. 

• Merit Badge Counselor approves the completed works.

• Ask a unit leader (Scoutmaster or ASM) to approve the earned merit badge on Scoutbook and sign the blue card if you use physical blue cards.

• Turn in the signed blue card to the troop Advancement Chair if you use a physical blue card.  

• Receive Merit Badge patches at the Court of Honor.

  1. Note: The “Applicant’s Record” portion of the Blue Card with the awarded Merit Badge is provided to the Scout at the Court of Honor. The “Applicant’s Record” should be stored safely during your Scouting journey as proof of record. 

Where to go to Earn Merit Badges:

• Individual Merit Badge Counselor (MBC): Do the requirements independently with guidance from an adult (Please check with ASM or SM to obtain the counselor names). 

• Summer camps at/like Wente, Emerald Bay, Chawanakee, etc.. 

• Local Merit Badge Midway: initiated by other Troops or Councils

• Virtual Merit Badge Classes:

1. Western Los Angeles Council Virtual MBU: https://bsa-la.org/vmbu/ 

2. Calcasieu Council: https://www.calcasieubsa.org/VirtualMB?fbclid=IwAR32jV6lhMIJOXRFK_8ZwuZ9K1yOlp03DJCCJYq47EnNvjyJb7dbaH9cVg4 

3. Daniel Boone Council: https://www.danielboonecouncil.org/virtual 

4. New England Base Camp: https://experiencebasecamp.org/pages/online-workshops 

5. Counterterrorism Education Learning Lab’s (CELL):  https://www.thecell.org/events/bsa/ 

6. Burpee Museum of Natural History: https://burpee.org/bsa-scouts 

7.  Engineering MB via Western Los Angeles Council/Harley Davidson Museum: https://bsa-la.org/scout-virtual-experience/ 

8. Cape Fear Merit Badge Council

• Virtual Self-Paced MB Opportunities:

1. Art MB: https://sandramucha.thinkific.com/courses/Virtual-Art-Merit-Badge

2. Edmond Historical Museum: https://www.edmondhistory.org/scout-merit-badge-programs/

3. Engineering Merit Badge via SAFER-SIM:  http://safersim.nads-sc.uiowa.edu/emb/

4. Traffic Safety Merit Badge via SAFER-SIM: http://safersim.nads-sc.uiowa.edu/tsmb/ 

5. Monthly Merit Badge Club: https://www.homescouting.org/hac