Home > Advancement and Awards > Merit Badge Counselors

Merit Badge Counselors

Click here to learn how to access the most up to date Merit Badge Counselor list using Scoutbook. If you have questions, please email us.

The merit badge counselor is a key player in the Boy Scout advancement program. Whatever your area of expertise or interest—whether it is a special craft or hobby (basketry, leatherwork, coin collecting), a profession (veterinary medicine, aviation, engineering), or perhaps a life skill (cooking, personal management, communications)—as a merit badge counselor, you can play a vital role in stirring a young man’s curiosity about that particular topic. By serving as a merit badge counselor, you offer your time, knowledge, and other resources so that Scouts can explore a topic of interest.

To register to be a new merit badge counselor, the following must be completed and sent to the council:

  • Adult BSA application, with position code = 42. No approval from the Chartered Organization is necessary. This is a no-fee registration. For many this may be a second Adult application submitted.
  • The signed Criminal Background or Additional Disclosure page associated with the application.
  • Proof that Youth Protection Training has been taken within the last 2 years. This training can be done through The BSA’s Online Learning Center .
  • Merit badge counselor information form  Merit Badge Counselor, No. 34405 (indicates which merit badges will be taught).

Each year, registered merit badge counselors are renewed on May 1 through their district. Contact info can be changed in my.scouting.org or scoutbook.or

Merit badge counselor registration is automatically terminated if more than 2 years have expired since the last Youth Protection Training. If this occurs, the three items listed above must be sent into the council to become registered as a merit badge counselor again.

For more information, consult the Guide for Merit Badge Counseling, No. 512-065 or Merit Badge Counselor Information, No. 34405 . To learn more about the merit badge program, see section 7 of the Guide to Advancement, “The Merit Badge Program.”

For help with individual or Troop Merit Badge Counselor registrations, please contact skip.chase@scouting.org.

The recommended process for earning merit badges

  1. The Scout develops an interest in a merit badge and may begin working on the requirements.
  2. The Scout discusses his interest in the merit badge with his unit leader.
  3. The unit leader signs a blue card and provides the Scout with at least one counselor contact.
  4. The Scout contacts the counselor.
  5. The counselor considers any work toward requirements completed prior to the initial discussion with the unit leader.
  6. The Scout, his buddy and the counselor meet (often several times).
  7. The Scout finishes the requirements.
  8. The counselor approves completion.
  9. The Scout returns the signed blue card to his unit leader, who signs the applicant record section of the blue card.
  10. The unit leader gives the Scout the applicant record.
  11. The unit reports the merit badge to the council.
  12. The Scout receives his merit badge.

The Merit Badge Counselor List that was here has been removed. The list may be accessed through Scoutbook.org. The whole list is not available as counselors set their status to work with their troop, district, council and world-wide, so they may not be visible to you. 

Should you have specific questions about an individual counselor or your troop counselors, please contact us.