Uniform Guide
Cub Scout & Scout Uniform Patch Placement Guide
By 6Six Needles Team · Published
Where do patches go on a Cub Scout or Scouts BSA shirt? This guide describes the usual positions in plain words, based on the official Scouting America Guide to Awards and Insignia. Always check the current edition, since positions are updated. 6Six Needles makes custom embroidered patches for troops, packs and events and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Scouting America.
The source: Guide to Awards and Insignia
Scouting America publishes the Guide to Awards and Insignia, which shows where every badge, patch and emblem is worn on the official uniform. It is the authority for scout patch placement, and the inside cover of most handbooks and many council websites reproduce its diagrams.
This page summarizes the common positions so you can get started. Programs, ranks and individual awards are updated over time, so for anything specific, such as a new award or a special position patch, follow the current guide and your unit leader.
Scout shirt patch placement at a glance
The simplified diagram shows the main positions used on both Cub Scout and Scouts BSA shirts.
- 1. Right sleeve, at the shoulder seam: U.S. flag emblem
- 2. Right sleeve, below the flag: den number (Cub Scouts) or patrol emblem (Scouts BSA)
- 3. Left sleeve, top: council shoulder emblem
- 4. Left sleeve, below: unit numerals, then position patch
- 5. Right pocket: one temporary patch, such as an event or camp patch
- 6. Left pocket: rank emblem
- 7. Above left pocket: knots and religious emblems
Simplified, not-to-scale diagram for orientation only.
Cub Scout patch placement
Right sleeve. The U.S. flag emblem sits at the top, just below the shoulder seam. The den number patch goes directly below the flag.
Left sleeve. The council shoulder emblem goes at the top, touching the shoulder seam. Pack numerals sit directly below it. A veteran unit bar, when the pack qualifies, goes above the numerals, and leadership position patches, such as denner, go below.
Left pocket. Rank emblems for the Cub Scout program are worn on the left pocket, in the arrangement the guide shows for each rank.
Right pocket. One temporary patch at a time, such as a day camp, pinewood derby or council event patch, is worn centered on the right pocket. Extra patches can hang from a button tab or go on a patch vest or blanket.
Scouts BSA patch placement
Right sleeve. U.S. flag emblem at the top, with the patrol emblem below it. Some special-recognition emblems are also worn on the right sleeve where the guide specifies.
Left sleeve. Council shoulder emblem at the top, unit numerals below, and a position patch, such as senior patrol leader, below the numerals. Trained strips go below the position patch.
Pockets. The current rank goes centered on the left pocket. The right pocket carries one temporary patch. Order of the Arrow lodge flaps are worn on the right pocket flap.
Above the pockets. Square knots and religious emblems are worn above the left pocket. Interpreter strips and some program strips are worn above the right pocket. Merit badges are worn on a sash, not the shirt.
Temporary patches, button tabs and patch vests
Scouts collect patches quickly: every campout, derby, fundraiser and summer camp tends to produce one. The uniform has room for only one temporary patch at a time, worn centered on the right pocket. When a new one is earned, the old one moves to a keepsake.
Common places for extra patches are a patch vest worn over the uniform at events, a patch blanket or quilt, a display board, or a hanging tab that buttons onto the right pocket so a patch can dangle below it. These options let a scout show off the collection without crowding the uniform.
Because temporary patches are so visible, they are also the best spot for a custom pack, troop or event design.
Sashes, neckerchiefs and other items
Merit badge sash. Scouts BSA merit badges go on the sash, worn over the right shoulder. Badges start at the bottom front and fill upward in rows, though many troops simply ask for neat rows.
Adventure loops and pins. In the Cub Scout program, adventure loops are worn on the belt and adventure pins on the hat or a display, depending on the rank and program year. Check the current guide, since this has changed over time.
Neckerchiefs and slides. Many packs and troops choose a neckerchief by rank or unit. A custom neckerchief slide or patch for the unit is a popular way to add identity without touching the official positions.
Leader uniform positions
Adult leaders follow the same general layout: U.S. flag at the top of the right sleeve, council emblem and unit numerals on the left, with the position patch below the numerals. Trained strips, square knots for recognitions and service stars have their own positions above the pockets, all shown in the Guide to Awards and Insignia. Leaders who wear many knots usually arrange them in rows of three.
BSA uniform guide placement tips
- Sew sleeve patches with the garment laid flat and the sleeve smoothed, not stretched.
- Line up the flag and council emblem so the top edges touch or sit just below the shoulder seam.
- Use thread that matches the patch border so stitches disappear into the edge.
- Fabric glue can hold a patch while you sew, but it should not replace sewing on a uniform shirt.
- New to sewing patches? Follow our step-by-step how to sew on a patch guide.
Common questions about scout patch placement
Do Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA use the same shirt? The layouts are similar, but the shirts and some insignia differ by program. Cub Scouts wear den numbers and Cub Scout rank emblems; Scouts BSA wear patrol emblems and Scouts BSA ranks.
What happens when a scout changes rank? On a Scouts BSA shirt, the new rank replaces the old one on the left pocket. Cub Scout rank emblems have their own arrangement on the pocket, shown in the guide.
Can a patch go on the back of the shirt? The official uniform does not use the back for patches. Large designs belong on a jacket, vest or blanket instead.
Is iron-on okay? Many families iron patches on first to hold them, then sew around the edge, since iron-on adhesive alone can loosen with repeated washing.
Custom troop, pack and event patches
Units often design their own patches for campouts, fundraisers, summer camp, anniversaries and camporees. These are worn as temporary patches on the right pocket or collected on vests and blankets. We make them from your artwork in embroidered, woven or PVC, with sew-on or iron-on backing.
Custom designs must be your own: we do not reproduce official Scouting America logos, rank emblems or trademarks. Small orders work well for a single den or patrol; see low minimum custom patches.
Design your troop or pack patch
Send your event or unit artwork. Free digital mockup within 24 hours, and no payment until you approve it. See pricing or request a quote.