Unit leader signs a blue card/document and proves at least one counselor contact after a scout discusses their interest in a merit badge. The scout must contact the counselor to who any work done toward the requirements the scout may have done before discussing with the unit leader. Partial progress is recorded as requirements are completed. Once all requirements are completed, the counselor signs the blue card/document. Scout turns in the blue card/document to the unit leader. Unit leader signs and completes the blue card/document and gives the scout the applicant record portion and reports the completion to Scouting America. Then the scout can receive the merit badge. See page 49 of 2025 Guide to Advancement for “The Merit Badge Process” step by step instructions.
Discontinued Merit badges cannot be earned to count towards rank advancement, even if you have the requirements and patch. See page 51 of 2025 Guide to Advancement.
Merit badges have been sorted into general categories, as the 2025 Guide to Advancement (See page 47) recommends councils and districts to have a Head Counselor over a set category.
(New 2025 merit badges of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity are added in the STEM category, and Multisport was added to the Hobbies, Skills, and Sports category.)
See the 2025 Merit Badge Requirement Updates file here.
Citizenship
- American Cultures
- American Heritage
- American Labor
- EAGLE – *Citizenship in Society
- EAGLE – Citizenship in the Community
- EAGLE – Citizenship in the Nation
- EAGLE – Citizenship in the World
Outdoor Activities
- *Archery
- Astronomy
- Backpacking
- Bird Study
- EAGLE – Camping
- *Canoeing
- EAGLE – Cycling
- Exploration
- Fishing
- Fly Fishing
- Geocaching
- EAGLE – Hiking
- Horsemanship
- Insect Study
- *Kayaking
- *Motorboating
- Pioneering
- *Rifle Shooting
- *Rowing
- *Scuba Diving
- *Shotgun Shooting
- *Small-Boat Sailing
- *Snow Sports
- *Swimming
- *Water Sports
- *Whitewater
- Wilderness Survival
Scout Skills
- Bugling
- EAGLE – Emergency Preparedness
- Fire Safety
- EAGLE – First Aid
- Indian Lore
- EAGLE – *Lifesaving
- Orienteering
- Public Health
- Safety
- Scouting Heritage
STEM
- Animation
- Artificial Intelligence
- Chemistry
- Composite Materials
- Cybersecurity
- Digital Technology
- Electronics
- Energy
- Engineering
- Game Design
- Geology
- Inventing
- Mammal Study
- Moviemaking
- Nature
- Nuclear Science
- Oceanography
- Plant Science
- Programming
- Reptile and Amphibian Study
- Robotics
- Weather
Trades & Careers
- Animal Science
- Archaeology
- Architecture
- Automotive Maintenance
- Aviation
- Crime Prevention
- Dentistry
- Drafting
- Electricity
- Farm Mechanics
- Fish & Wildlife Management
- Forestry
- Graphic Arts
- Health Care Professions
- Landscape Architecture
- Metalwork
- Mining in Society
- Plumbing
- Pulp and Paper
- Search and Rescue
- Soil and Water Conservation
- Surveying
- Truck Transportation
- Veterinary Medicine
- Welding
Hobbies, Skills, and Sports
- Athletics
- Basketry
- Chess
- *Climbing
- Coin Collecting
- Collections
- EAGLE – Cooking
- Golf
- Fingerprinting
- Gardening
- Leatherwork
- Model Design and Building
- Painting
- Photography
- Pottery
- Radio
- Railroading
- Sculpture
- Skating
- Space Exploration
- Sports
- Stamp Collecting
- Textile
- Theater
- Wood Carving
- Woodwork
Personal development
- Art
- Disabilities Awareness
- Dog Care
- EAGLE – Environmental Science
- EAGLE – Family Life
- Genealogy
- Home Repairs
- Music
- EAGLE – Personal Fitness
- EAGLE – Personal Management
- Pets
- EAGLE – Sustainability
- Traffic Safety
Business and industry
Communications
* – Requires special qualifications or certifications for the merit badge counselor or supervision
The Alphabetical List of current Scout BSA Merit Badges is available on Scouting America’s webpage.
The Badge Archive’s Goal:
Currently, The Badge Archive only has a list of the Merit Badges. The goal is that each Merit Badge will have a summary and links to the official Scouts BSA and links to any meeting plans, or workbooks put out by leader blogs or other sources to help scouts with earning their badges.
Any links (that are not to the Official Scouting America website) to activities and materials that can be used in earning any award, adventure, badge, etc. in the Scouting America programs falls under “Unofficial Worksheets and Learning Aids” (See page 52 of 2025 Guide to Advancement).
Go back to the Scouting America page.
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