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Advancement

Merit Badges

You can learn about sports, crafts, science, trades, business, and future careers as you earn merit badges. There are more than 135 merit badges, and any Scout, or any qualified Venturer or Sea Scout may earn any of these at any time.

NOTE:The requirements posted here are the most current, accurate, and official. This will always be the best place to find the most up-to-date requirements.

Pick a Subject. Talk to your unit leader about your interests. Read the requirements of the merit badges you think might interest you, and pick one to earn. Your leader will give you the name of a person from a list of counselors. These individuals have special knowledge in their merit badge subjects and are interested in helping you.

Scout Buddy SystemYou must have another person with you at each meeting with the merit badge counselor. This person can be your parent or legal guardian, or another registered adult.

Call the Merit Badge Counselor. Get a signed Application for Merit Badge, No. 34124 or No. 34130, from your unit leader. Get in touch with the merit badge counselor and explain that you want to earn the badge. The counselor may ask to meet you to explain what is expected and to start helping you meet the requirements. You should also discuss work you have already started or possibly completed.

At the first meeting, you and your merit badge counselor will review and may start working on the requirements. In some cases, you may share the work you have already started or completed.

Unless otherwise specified, work on a requirement can be started at any time. Ask your counselor to help you learn the things you need to know or do. You should read the merit badge pamphlet on the subject. Many troops, schools, and public libraries have them.

Show Your Stuff. When you are ready, call the counselor again to make an appointment. When you go, take along the things you have made to meet the requirements. If they are too big to move, take pictures or have an adult tell in writing what you have done. The counselor will test you on each requirement to make sure you know your stuff and have done or can do the things required.

Get the Badge. When the counselor is satisfied you have met each requirement, he or she will sign your application. Give the signed application to your unit leader so your merit badge emblem can be secured for you.

Merit badge requirements are revised as needed to reflect updated information and technology. Refer to the latest Scouts BSA Requirements book for merit badge requirement updates. The current Scouts BSA Requirements book is available from your local Scouting merchandise distributor. It may also be ordered online at ScoutShop.org.

Requirements. You are expected to meet the requirements as they are stated—no more and no less. You must do exactly what is stated in the requirements. If it says “show or demonstrate,” that is what you must do. Just telling about it isn’t enough. The same thing holds true for such words as “make,” “list,” “in the field,” and “collect,” “identify,” and “label.”

The requirements listed below are the current and official requirements of the Boy Scouts of America. Occasionally, the requirements will not match those in the printed Scout Handbook, the annual Scouts BSA Requirements book, or some merit badge pamphlets because of the timing of their printing schedules.

If a new edition of a merit badge pamphlet is introduced with updated requirements after the Scouts BSA Requirements book has been released, a Scout who is starting the badge may choose to follow either set of requirements until the end of the year. At the start of the new year, Scouts who are beginning must use only the new requirements.

If a Scout has already started working on a merit badge when a new edition of the pamphlet is introduced, they may continue to use the same pamphlet and fulfill the requirements therein to earn the badge. They need not start over again with the new pamphlet and revised requirements.

There is no time limit for starting and completing a merit badge, but all work must be completed by the time a Scout turns 18.

Requirements Updated 2022

Merit badge requirement updates from 2022 Scouts BSA Requirements (33216):

Merit Badge Requirements

American Business

Current

American Cultures

Current

American Heritage

Current

American Labor

Current

Animal Science

Current

Animation

Current

Archaeology

Current | Previous

Archery

Current

Architecture

Current

Art

Current

Astronomy

Current

Athletics

Current

Automotive Maintenance

Current

Aviation

Current

Backpacking

Current

Basketry

Current

Bird Study

Current

Bugling

Current

Camping

Current

Canoeing

Current

Chemistry

Current

Chess

Current

Citizenship in the Community

Current

Citizenship in the Nation

Current

Citizenship in Society

Counselor | Scouts

Citizenship in the World

Current

Climbing

Current

Coin Collecting

Current

Collections

Current | Previous

Communication

Current

Composite Materials

Current

Cooking

Current

Crime Prevention

Current

Cycling

Current

Dentistry

Current

Digital Technology

Current | Previous

Disabilities Awareness

Current | Previous

Dog Care

Current

Drafting

Current

Electricity

Current | Previous

Electronics

Current | Previous

Emergency Preparedness

Current

Energy

Current

Engineering

Current

Entrepreneurship

Current

Environmental Science

Current

Exploring Graphic

Exploration

Current

Family Life

Current

Farm Mechanics

Current

Fingerprinting

Current

Fire Safety

Current

First Aid

Current

Fish & Wildlife Management

Current | Previous

Fishing

Current | Previous

Fly Fishing

Current | Previous

Forestry

Current

Game Design

Current

Gardening

Current

Genealogy

Current

Geocaching

Current

Geology

Current

Golf

Current

Graphic Arts

Current

Health Care Professions

Current | Previous

Hiking

Current

Home Repairs

Current

Horsemanship

Current

Indian Lore

Current

Insect Study

Current

Inventing

Current

Journalism

Current

Kayaking

Current

Landscape Architecture

Current

Law

Current

Leatherwork

Current

Lifesaving

Current | Previous

Mammal Study

Current

Metalwork

Current

Mining in Society

Current

Model Design and Building

Current

Motorboating

Current | Previous

Moviemaking

Current

Music

Current

Nature

Current

Nuclear Science

Current

Oceanography

Current

Orienteering

Current

Painting

Current

Personal Fitness

Current

Personal Management

Current

Pets

Current

Photography

Current | Previous

Pioneering

Current

Plant Science

Current

Plumbing

Current

Pottery

Current

Programming

Current

Public Health

Current | Previous

Public Speaking

Current

Pulp and Paper

Current

Radio

Current

Railroading

Current

Reading

Current

Reptile and Amphibian Study

Current

Rifle Shooting

Current

Robotics

Current

Rowing

Current | Previous

Safety

Current

Salesmanship

Current

Scholarship

Current

Scouting Heritage

Current

Scuba Diving

Current

Sculpture

Current

Search and Rescue

Current

Shotgun Shooting

Current

Signs, Signals, and Codes

Current

Skating

Current

Small-Boat Sailing

Current

Snow Sports

Current

Soil and Water Conservation

Current

Space Exploration

Current

Sports

Current | Previous

Stamp Collecting

Current

Surveying

Current

Sustainability

Current

Swimming

Current

Textile

Current

Theater

Current | Previous

Traffic Safety

Current

Truck Transportation

Current

Veterinary Medicine

Current

Water Sports

Current

Weather

Current

Welding

Current

Whitewater

Current

Wilderness Survival

Current

Wood Carving

Current

Woodwork

Current | Previous

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