February 5, 2026

Merit Badges

Merit badges give scouts the chance to explore around 130 different areas of possible occupations. The merit badge program plays a major role in rank advancements and scouts can begin as soon as they join the troop. All scout can explore topics from American Business to Woodworking.

Once a Scout has started a merit badge, he/she can continue to work on that merit badge until their 18th birthday. If requirements are updated, the scout must complete the merit badge with the most current requirements. You are expected to do the requirements as stated—no more and no less.

To earn the rank of Eagle Scout, a total of 21 merit badges must be earned. Of the 21 merit badges, 14 of them are Eagle required (see list below)

To earn a merit badge, first the Scout must get a blue card from the Merit Badge Coordinator. There is only 1 person responsible for the blue card and that person is you. This means the blue card MUST be filled out by you, not your parent, merit badge counselor, or anyone else. This also includes obtaining and turning in blue cards. Ultimately it is the SCOUT’S responsibility to make sure that the blue card is filled out correctly and completely prior to turning it in to the Merit Badge Coordinator.

These are the Merit Badge and Advancement procedures that scouts must follow. If scouts need assistance filling out a blue card, please refer to T430 Blue Card Example.

**** PARENTS **** We are always in need of merit badge counselors. To be a merit badge counselor, you will need to fill out a BSA Adult Application, Merit Badge Counselor Application and have a current Youth Protection Training. To complete Youth Protection Training, you will need to login to my.scout.org, if you do not have a login you will need to create on. http://my.scouting.org Once completed please turn in to the Troop Merit Badge Coordinator. If you have any questions please see the Troop Merit Badge Coordinator. This is a list of T430’s Merit Badge Counselors

This is a list of merit badges and their worksheets. Although the worksheets are not required to earn the merit badge, it is highly recommended for scouts to use it to help complete all requirements.

Eagle Required Merit Badges

Camping

Citizenship in the Community

Citizenship in the Nation

Citizenship in Society

Citizenship in the World

Communications

Cooking

Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving

Environmental Science OR Sustainability

Family Life

First Aid

Personal Fitness

Personal Management

Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling

Merit Badges

American Business

American Cultures

American Heritage

American Labor

Animal Science

Animation

Archaeology

Archery

Architecture

Art

Astronomy

Athletics

Automotive Maintenance

Aviation

Backpacking

Basketry

Bird Study

Bugling

Camping

Canoeing

Chemistry

Chess

Citizenship in the Community

Citizenship in the Nation

Citizenship in Society

Citizenship in the World

Climbing

Coin Collecting

Collections

Communications

Composite Materials

Cooking

Crime Prevention

Cycling

Dentistry

Digital Technology

Disabilities Awareness

Dog Care

Drafting

Electricity

Electronics

Emergency Preparedness

Energy

Engineering

Entrepreneurship

Environmental Science

Exploration

Family Life

Farm Mechanics

Fingerprinting

Fire Safety

First Aid

Fish and Wildlife Management

Fishing

Fly Fishing

Forestry

Game Design

Gardening

Genealogy

Geocaching

Geology

Golf

Graphic Arts

Health Care Professions

Hiking

Home Repairs

Horsemanship

Indian Lore

Insect Study

Inventing

Journalism

Kayaking

Landscape Architecture

Law

Leatherwork

Lifesaving

Mammal Study

Metalwork

Mining in Society

Model Design and Building

Motorboating

Moviemaking

Music

Nature

Nuclear Science

Oceanography

Orienteering

Painting

Personal Fitness

Personal Management

Pets

Photography

Pioneering

Plant Science

Plumbing

Pottery

Programming

Public Health

Public Speaking

Pulp and Paper

Radio

Railroading

Reading

Reptile and Amphibian Study

Rifle Shooting

Robotics

Rowing

Safety

Salesmanship

Scholarship

Scouting Heritage

Scuba Diving

Sculpture

Search and Rescue

Shotgun Shooting

Signs, Signals, and Codes

Skating

Small-Boat Sailing

Snow Sports

Soil and Water Conservation

Space Exploration

Sports

Stamp Collecting

Surveying

Sustainability

Swimming

Textile

Theater

Traffic Safety

Truck Transportation

Veterinary Medicine

Water Sports

Weather

Welding

Whitewater

Wilderness Survival

Wood Carving

Woodwork