Becoming a Merit Badge Counselor

What this page is

The adult half of the merit badge program. The merit badge process page describes what a Scout does; this describes how the counselor on the other side of that conversation became one.

Drawn from the Guide to Advancement section 7.0.1.0 onwards, cited on every item.

The four things people get wrong

It is two approvals, not one. The council advancement committee approves the registration in the position of merit badge counselor, and separately approves the list of badges that counselor may offer. Being registered is not the same as being approved for a badge, and a counselor may only sign off the badges they were approved for.

Being a Scoutmaster is not enough. A Scoutmaster who wants to counsel and sign a merit badge must qualify and register in the position of merit badge counselor, and be approved under council procedures, exactly like any other adult. So must anyone already registered in another position.

Some badges carry a named certification. Climbing, snow sports, the aquatics badges and the range and target badges all require supervision by someone holding specific credentials. A counselor who does not hold them may still counsel the badge, but must use helpers who do. Every certification must be current.

It lapses. Counselors reregister annually. If the renewal is not taken up, the counselor is dropped and is no longer approved to verify anything. Adding or dropping individual badges is a council matter, not a national one.

How to read the graph

An arrow points from the thing that has to happen first to the thing it unlocks. Nested items are part of the step above them rather than steps of their own. Dotted lines are recommended order carrying no obligation.