Merit Badges requiring prior approval

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Shortcut: Prior Approval

Almost half of the Boy Scout Merit Badges require prior counselor approval for certain requirements. The rest do not.

“ ... any Boy Scout or any qualified Venturer or Sea Scout[Note 1] may earn any of these at any time... You are expected to meet the requirements as they are stated—no more and no less. You must do exactly what is stated in the requirements. ”

— Boy Scout Requirements, § Introduction to Merit Badges

“ Unless otherwise specified, work on a requirement can be started at any time. ”

— Boy Scout Requirements, § Introduction to Merit Badges

Merit Badges Requiring Prior Approval for Certain Requirements
American Heritage #2b, 2c, 2d, 5a, 5b	American Labor #2, 5c, 5d	Animation #3
Archaeology #8b	Architecture #3a, 3b	Art #2a, 2b, 4
Art #5a, 5c, 6	Astronomy #8	Athletics #6b
Backpacking #11b	Citizenship in the Community #4b, 5, 7c	Citizenship in the Nation #6
Communication #5, 6	Composite Materials #4, 5a, 5b.	Crime Prevention #7b
Cycling #7Bc	Digital Technology #6d, 6g, 6h	Disabilities Awareness #5a
Electricity #2	Emergency Preparedness #2b, 9a	Engineering #1
Environmental Science #3e3, 3g2	Family Life #4	First Aid #6c
Forestry #5	Game Design #6	Geocaching #7, 8c
Geology #4a, 5c	Golf #8	Graphic Arts #4a
Home Repairs #2, 3, 4, 5, 6	Indian Lore #2b	Inventing #2, 7
Journalism #3b, 3c	Mammal Study #5	Medicine #10
Metalwork #5b, 3c3a	Model Design and Building #1, 3, 4a, 4c	Moviemaking #3a
Oceanography #8a, 8c	Painting #3	Personal Fitness #7
Pets #1	Photography #7b	Pioneering #10
Pottery #7	Programming #5a, 5b, 5c	Public Health #5, 7
Pulp and Paper #7	Radio #7	Safety #2a
Salesmanship #3	Scholarship #4b	Scuba Diving #1b
Sculpture #2c	Small-Boat Sailing #6c	Soil and Water Conservation #7f
Sports #5	Surveying #2	Weather #10
Welding #5	Whitewater #5a, 9a	Woodwork #6c

Footnotes

1. ↑ "Merit badges, badges of rank, and Eagle Palms may be earned by a registered Boy Scout or a qualified Venturer or Sea Scout. He may earn these awards until his 18th birthday." Boy Scout Requirements § Age Requirement Eligibility

See also

Boy Scout portal Venturing portal Sea Scout portal

General Merit Badge information An Introduction to Merit Badges – how to get started, who chooses the counselor, etc. Merit Badge revision dates – latest revision dates of each merit badge pamphlet. Merit Badge Worksheets & Requirements – with the revision dates, diagrams, charts, checklists, logs, and links you need. Merit Badge Application – offers online resources to let you print "Blue Cards," etc. Merit Badge FAQ – answers dozens of questions like: Who can be a counselor? Can requirements be added or removed? Merit Badges Requiring Prior Approval – Certain requirements need prior approval. Most do not. Here is the list. Also see: List of how many boys have earned each Merit Badge – Merit Badge policies – Merit badges required for the Eagle Scout rank – Merit Badge Days Additionally: List of Merit Badges by Field of Study – Merit Badge Pamphlets & Libraries Merit Badge Counselors must complete Youth Protection Training, file an Adult Application (and Merit Badge Counselor Information Form); and be approved by the local council. (See the Guide for Merit Badge Counselors for additional details.) See Submitting New Merit Badge Ideas for guidance on how to submit suggestions for new merit badges to BSA.