The Merit Badge Process

7.0.0.0. Registered in Scouts BSA, or a qualified Venturer or Sea Scout Milestone

Where the clock starts. Requirements must be met while registered; work done before joining, or as a Cub Scout, does not count.

7.0.0.3. Go through the requirements with the counselor before starting Recommended Task

Not required, but it is the cheapest way to find out that a requirement means something other than what you assumed.

7.0.3.3. A partial: the requirements you passed, initialled and dated Optional Milestone

Recorded in the centre section on the reverse of the card. The counselor does not sign for completion and does not keep their portion.

7.0.0.3. Choose a merit badge Decision

Any badge, at any time, whatever your rank or age and however many others you already have in progress. Units must not impose rank or age requirements for merit badge work.

Usually comes after 7.0.0.0. Registered in Scouts BSA, or a qualified Venturer or Sea Scout.

7.0.3.3. Finish the rest, with this counselor or another Optional Task

You need not pass every requirement with the same counselor. A later counselor may decline to accept partial work, but that should be rare.

Usually comes after 7.0.3.3. A partial: the requirements you passed, initialled and dated.

7.0.4.3. Get the current requirements for that badge Often forgotten Document

From the Merit Badges page at scouting.org. Which version applies to you is decided by the date you begin work, so fetch them at the start rather than relying on an old pamphlet.

Once new or revised requirements appear on the Merit Badges page, a Scout beginning work must use them. A Scout who has already started under the old ones may finish under the old ones. Where a change arrives first in a pamphlet or handbook, there is until 31 December of that year to choose which to use, unless the announcement says otherwise.

7.0.0.3. Meet your unit leader before working with a counselor Often forgotten Approval

A required part of the process, not a courtesy. The leader advises on the badge, gives you the name and contact details of one or more approved counselors, and documents the meeting.

This is a required part of the merit badge process. A Scout who completes a badge without it should be counselled on the right way to start one; if the process continues to be ignored, badges will not be recorded as earned until the requirements have been met to the satisfaction of a counselor the unit leader accepts.

7.0.3.2. Do the work — actually and personally, exactly as written Task

Where a requirement says show, demonstrate or discuss, you have to do that. Sitting in a classroom watching a demonstration does not meet it.

Usually comes after 7.0.0.0. Registered in Scouts BSA, or a qualified Venturer or Sea Scout.

7.0.0.2. Unit leader signs the blue card and gives you all three parts Document

The first of the four signatures, on the front of the Application for Merit Badge portion. The whole card then goes to the Scout.

Usually comes after 7.0.0.3. Meet your unit leader before working with a counselor.

7.0.0.3. Agree on a registered and approved counselor Approval

The unit leader must identify at least one; you may have one in mind. Failing agreement, you must be allowed to work with the registered and approved counselor of your choice.

Usually comes after 7.0.0.3. Meet your unit leader before working with a counselor.

7.0.3.2. Group instruction: camp, fair, clinic or webinar Optional Task

Acceptable and sometimes desirable, but discuss it with your unit leader well before the event, and expect a partial rather than a finished badge.

Usually comes after 7.0.0.3. Meet your unit leader before working with a counselor.

7.0.3.1. Bring the projects, or evidence that you did them Document

If a project cannot be transported, bring photographs or an adult who can verify it. A unit leader stating that the meals were cooked is evidence.

7.0.0.2. Contact the counselor and make an appointment Task

Using appropriate Youth Protection measures — which for email means copying one or more authorised adults on every message.

Usually comes after 7.0.0.2. Unit leader signs the blue card and gives you all three parts and 7.0.0.3. Agree on a registered and approved counselor.

7.0.3.1. Arrange for a buddy or another adult at every session Often forgotten Task

A youth member must never meet one-on-one with an adult. Sessions follow the Guide to Safe Scouting, and age-appropriate supervision applies whatever the minimum leader count is.

Usually comes after 7.0.0.2. Contact the counselor and make an appointment.

A youth member must never meet one-on-one with an adult. For web-based counseling, follow the social media guidelines: always copy one or more authorised adults on email between counselor and Scout.

7.0.3.1. The counselor goes through what you did, and how Approval

The counselor may confirm with the adults involved where there is a question. This is the testing; nobody repeats it later.

Usually comes after 7.0.3.1. Arrange for a buddy or another adult at every session and 7.0.3.1. Bring the projects, or evidence that you did them.

7.0.3.1. Every requirement met Milestone

The date recorded is the date you completed the requirements, not the date of the meeting where that was confirmed.

7.0.0.2. The counselor signs the blue card in two places Approval

On the reverse of the Application for Merit Badge, and on the Applicant's Record. Those two parts come back to you.

7.0.0.2. The counselor keeps the Counselor's Record for at least a year Document

Their part of the card, retained in case questions are raised later.

7.0.0.2. Meet the unit leader to talk about the experience Often forgotten Approval

A conversation and a celebration, not a retest: the counselor has already done the testing.

Usually comes after 7.0.0.2. The counselor signs the blue card in two places.

This is not a retest. If the unit leader believes the badge was not earned, there is a defined review process at 7.0.4.7; if they believe the counselor did not uphold BSA standards, that is reported under 11.1.0.0. Neither is a reason to make the Scout do the requirements again on the spot.

7.0.0.2. The unit leader signs the Applicant's Record and returns it Approval

The fourth signature, and the last one on the card.

Usually comes after 7.0.0.2. Meet the unit leader to talk about the experience.

7.0.0.2. Keep the Applicant's Record permanently Often forgotten Task

It is your evidence that the badge was earned. Nothing replaces it if the unit's records are lost.

Usually comes after 7.0.0.2. The unit leader signs the Applicant's Record and returns it.

6.0.0.2. The unit records the badge and reports it to the council Task

Promptly, and in a form the Scout, the counselor and the volunteers can all read. This is what makes the badge count towards a rank.

Usually comes after 7.0.0.2. The unit leader signs the Applicant's Record and returns it.

4.2.1.4. Recognised at the next unit meeting, and again at a court of honor Milestone

As soon as possible after it is earned, then again at a formal ceremony later.

Usually comes after 6.0.0.2. The unit records the badge and reports it to the council.

7.0.4.6. Earned — and it stays earned Milestone

A badge earned from a registered and approved counselor by actually and personally meeting the requirements is yours to keep and to count towards rank.

Usually comes after 4.2.1.4. Recognised at the next unit meeting, and again at a court of honor.