Merit Badge Requirements

The following list of merit badge requirements is current as of January 1, 2008. These requirements should be used for all Merit Badges STARTED after that date. If a Scout is currently working on a Merit Badge under older requirements, he may complete the Merit Badge using those requirements. (To see a letter confirming this statement, Click here)

Click here for an Introduction to Merit Badges, which describes the process for earning and receiving Merit badges.

If you are interested in proposing a new merit badge, or revised requirements for an existing merit badge, please CLICK HERE.

A ZIP file of all of the GIFS of the current Merit Badges can be obtained by CLICKING HERE. The ZIP file also contains a text file listing the Merit Badges and the BSA assigned numbers and the file names of the gifs. The Text file can be viewed by CLICKING HERE.

Please let us know if you find any errors so we can correct them. Corrections should be sent to our:
Merit Badge and Advancement Webmaster.

A table of the URL's for the various Merit Badge pages and graphics is also available. It also shows the numbers assigned to each Merit Badge by BSA's record system, and lists those Merit Badges which have been renamed and/or discontinued recently

This site contains the requirements for Merit Badges, and does not attempt to provide other information regarding how to earn the badges, other resources for added information, or similar data. Another web site that we can recommend that does provide much of that information. is Meritbadge.Com. We've noticed that the requirements and worksheets on that site are not up to date, so use OUR site for those items.

Worksheets

We also have a series of worksheets, in both MS Word and PDF formats, which can be used as aids to completing the requirements for the merit badges.  While workbooks are not required, Scouts are more likely to remember facts if they take notes. We have made every attempt to insure that these workbooks are accurate but please remember that requirements do change.

There are links to the worksheets at the bottom of the page for each Merit Badge, which look like this:

Worksheets
for use in working
on these requirements:		 Prepared by Format
Craig Lincoln Word Format  

Blanks in this worksheets table appear when we do not have a worksheet for the badge that includes these requirements.

If the there are no links shown in either or both table cells, as in the above example (where there is no entry for a PDF Format worksheet), it's because we have not yet gotten updated copies of the worksheet in one or both formats, with current requirements from the author.

In addition, we do have an index of the worksheets which can be accessed directly by clicking here.

Merit Badge Pamphlets and Revisions

A table of Current Merit Badge Pamphlet Revision Dates is also available on this system. The table also includes the BSA Stock Numbers for all current Merit Badge Pamphlets and the dates of the most recent changes to the requirements for each badge.

To our knowledge, there is NOWHERE on the web where you can find complete copies of any of the 120 merit badge pamphlets published by BSA.  The contents of those pamphlets are copyright by BSA,  they use the proceeds from the sale of the pamphlets to defray the cost of revising them periodically, and the sheer size of the files needed to have those available on line would probably be prohibitive.  The HISTORIC merit badges available in 2010 are special cases.  In those cases, no printed versions are available, but pdf copies can and should be downloaded from the BSA website.  We've provided links to those pdfs at appropriate places on this site.

Corrections and Clarifications

A number of omissions or editorial errors have been noted, and verified with the BSA National Office.

  1. Replace "troop" with "unit" - Since merit badges can be earned by any Boy Scout or Varsity Scout, and by qualified Sea Scouts and Venturers, in each case below, the word "troop" should be interpreted as meaning "unit" to include Varsity Teams, Sea Scout Ships and Venturing Crews.
    • American Business requirement 6A
    • Archaeology requirement 5
    • Bugling requirement 6
    • Cinematography requirement 2D
    • Coin Collecting requirement 10C
    • Communications requirements 7B, 7C, and 8
    • Computers requirements 6A, 6C, 6D, 6F, 6G, and 7D
    • Dentistry requirement 6A
    • Emergency Preparedness requirements 8A & 8B
    • Environmental Science requirements 3D1, and 3E1
    • Indian Lore requirement 4E
    • Landscape Architecture requirements 2A, 4, and 5
    • Law requirement 6B
    • Oceanography requirement 8C
    • Personal Management requirement 9
    • Pioneering requirement 10
    • Public Speaking requirement 1
    • Theatre requirement 6
  2. In Communications #8, "Patrol Leader’s Council" means "unit leadership" to include the youth leaders of Varsity Teams, Sea Scout Ships,  and Venturing Crews.
  3. In Disabilities Awareness #3A and 3B,  "Cub Scout pack or Boy Scout troop" should read "Scout unit." to include Varsity Teams, Sea Scout Ships, and Venturing Crews.
  4. Replace "parent" with "parent or guardian": It should be obvious to the Scout and Counselor that in each of these cases, the requirement is intended to include parents or guardians. Many requirements are corrected but the following have not yet been corrected. In each case below, the word "parent" should be interpreted as meaning "parent or guardian".
    • American Business requirement 3a
    • Citizenship in the Community requirement 6 (parents means 'family')
    • Coin Collecting requirement 10b
    • Communications requirement 7b
    • Computers requirement 4c
    • Engineering requirement 4
    • Journalism requirement 2a and 2b
    • Music requirement 3b
    • Personal Fitness preliminary note, requirement 6, and requirement 7
    • Railroading requirements 3d, 8a, 8b
    • Reading requirements 2, 3b, 4

Historical Merit Badges

The following 4 Historical Merit Badges can be earned only during calendar year 2010, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America.

The basics of the 2010 Historical Merit Badge program include:

  • An overall goal of the program is for a majority of the BSA’s registered Boy Scouts to earn one or more of the merit badges during the centennial year, 2010.
  • The badges offered have a history that can be traced back to the origins of the BSA.
  • The original requirements are being used, as well as supported by scanned pages of the early merit badge pamphlets so a Scout can view what a Scout 100 years ago used. Supporting the scanned pages of the original pamphlets are information guides for each merit badge that explain what a Scout of 1910 might have experienced, along with background information to assist a Scout in understanding what maybe unfamiliar terms.
  • The contemporary merit badges closely resemble the original designs of their counterparts with the exception of the border, which is gold. The unique border will immediately identify it as a 2010 historic merit badge.
  • The four historical merit badges may be used toward a Scout’s rank advancement.
  • The effective date for earning these new merit badges is April 1, 2010, and requirements must be completed no later than Dec. 31, 2010..
  • The BSA will not reprint the pamphlets for these merit badges. Reprints of the original merit badge pamphlets are posted to http://www.scouting.org/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/MeritBadges.aspx
  • As with all merit badges, units, districts, and councils should recruit and register qualified counselors for these badges.

Badges may be earned by individual Scouts. District and council advancement committees are encouraged to offer opportunities for Scouts to work on at least some of these merit badges at resident camp, at camporees, or during special anniversary celebrations. See the "how to" sections for additional support at http://www.scouting.org/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/MeritBadges.aspx

Required for Eagle

The following 15 badges are on the list of badges in requirement 3 for Eagle Scout.

Although a Scout must earn only 12 of them for the rank of Eagle Scout, and certain of them are therefore options for others, a Scout may choose any combination of these 15 merit badges to fulfill requirement number 3 for Star and Life Scout. (He must have a total of 4 of these badges for Star and 7 of these badges for Life) Click here to see which badges in the list are options.

Camping, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Communication, Cycling, Emergency Preparedness, Environmental Science, Family Life, First Aid, Hiking, Lifesaving, Personal Fitness, Personal Management,  Swimming

The following is a list of all 128 of the current Merit Badges, arranged into 14 logical fields of activity (categories) as they appear in the BSA Pamphlet "Worksheet for Building a Merit Badge Counselor List" (No. 04439).  New and "Historic" merit badges are shown in Maroon.

  1. AGRIBUSINESS
    ANIMAL SCIENCE, FARM MECHANICS, PLANT SCIENCE
     
  2. ARTS AND CRAFTS
    ART, BASKETRY, BUGLING, LEATHERWORK, METALWORK, MUSIC, POTTERY, SCULPTURE, THEATER, WOOD CARVING
     
  3. BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY
    AMERICAN BUSINESS, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, PULP AND PAPER, SALESMANSHIP, TEXTILE
     
  4. CONSERVATION
    ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT, FORESTRY, SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION
     
  5. HOBBIES
    BACKPACKING, CAMPING, COIN COLLECTING, COLLECTIONS, COOKING, DOG CARE, GARDENING, HIKING, HOME REPAIRS, INDIAN LORE, MODEL DESIGN AND BUILDING, PETS, PIONEERING, RADIO, ROWING, SCOUTING HERITAGE, STAMP COLLECTING
     
  6. NATURAL SCIENCE
    ARCHAEOLOGY, ASTRONOMY, BIRD STUDY, GEOLOGY, INSECT STUDY, MAMMAL STUDY, NATURE, OCEANOGRAPHY, PATHFINDING, REPTILE AND AMPHIBIAN STUDY, WEATHER
     
  7. COMMUNICATIONS
    CINEMATOGRAPHY, JOURNALISM, PHOTOGRAPHY, SIGNALING
     
  8. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
    AMERICAN CULTURES, AMERICAN HERITAGE, CITIZENSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY, CITIZENSHIP IN THE NATION, CITIZENSHIP IN THE WORLD, COMMUNICATION, DISABILITIES AWARENESS, FAMILY LIFE, GENEALOGY, PERSONAL FITNESS, PERSONAL MANAGEMENT, PUBLIC SPEAKING, READING, SCHOLARSHIP, TRACKING, TRAFFIC SAFETY, WILDERNESS SURVIVAL
     
  9. PHYSICAL SCIENCE
    CHEMISTRY, COMPUTERS, ELECTRICITY, ELECTRONICS, ENERGY, NUCLEAR SCIENCE, SPACE EXPLORATION
     
  10. PROFESSIONS
    ARCHITECTURE, DENTISTRY, ENGINEERING, INVENTING, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE, LAW, MEDICINE, SURVEYING, VETERINARY MEDICINE
     
  11. PUBLIC SERVICE
    CRIME PREVENTION, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, FINGERPRINTING, FIRE SAFETY, FIRST AID, LIFESAVING, PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY
     
  12. SPORTS
    ARCHERY, ATHLETICS, CANOEING, CLIMBING, CYCLING, FISHING, FLY FISHING, GOLF, GEOCACHING, HORSEMANSHIP, MOTORBOATING, ORIENTEERING, RIFLE SHOOTING, SCUBA DIVING, SHOTGUN SHOOTING, SKATING, SMALL-BOAT SAILING, SNOW SPORTS, SPORTS, SWIMMING, WATER SPORTS, WHITEWATER
     
  13. TRADES
    AMERICAN LABOR, AUTOMOTIVE MAINTENANCE, CARPENTRY, COMPOSITE MATERIALS, DRAFTING, GRAPHIC ARTS, PAINTING, PLUMBING, WOODWORK
     
  14. TRANSPORTATION
    AVIATION, RAILROADING, TRUCK TRANSPORTATION

Page updated on: July 14, 2010


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