A BSA permission slip is a form where a parent or legal guardian approves a Scout’s place in a specific outing or trip. BSA stands for Boy Scouts of America, one of the largest youth organizations in the USA, with branches such as Cub Scouting, Sea Scouts, Venturing, Exploring, and the Order of the Arrow. Scouting life means troop events and outings that build a young person’s mental and physical spirit.
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
The activity consent form or, in other words, a Boy Scouts of America permission slip is a binding document aimed to release the organization of Boy Scouts of America and scoutmasters from liability in case of a kid’s injury due to participation in the event. The permission slip must be signed by parents or a minor’s legal guardian under 21 years before any planned activity.
In some states, it is required to get permission for several activities and programs regarded as having a high risk of injuries, such as shooting, rafting, or climbing. Not all activities require permission form, but all activity coordinators are encouraged to ask parents to sign the consent form for any activity to avoid any risks.
Scouting means expeditions, troop events, and crew trips, so a child has many chances to get hurt. Besides, all of these activities usually happen under the supervision of a Scoutmaster, a grown-up person who is not their parent or legal guardian, and they usually hold full responsibility for the child. That is why it is required to ask parents to sign a consent form to decrease the chance of getting sued when an accident happens.
As the boy scout who wants to participate in the outing or activity is a minor, the consent form must be signed by their parent or legal guardian on behalf of their child. After the parent or legal guardian is informed about the type of activity, they need to sign the document to authorize that they are aware of the risks involved in the activity.
The legal guardian or parent agrees that this activity is voluntary by giving consent. In case of an accident, they will not have any claims to the organization of Boy Scouts and activity coordinators or any person involved in the activity.
Boy Scouts of America permission slip gives authority to a qualified adult to make medical treatment decisions on behalf of a child in case of emergency if the parent cannot be reached. With a Boy Scouts of America authorization form, the medical provider will be able to perform various procedures and tests and disclose the results to the qualified adult.
Medical consent helps prevent any delays in getting medical treatment for the child.
Boy Scouts of America organization provides an official consent form usually used within all subdivisions. Due to many Spanish-speaking members within the Boy Scouts of America organization, the permission slip form is bilingual.
Read the form in the language you are more comfortable with and fill in each field. If any questions come up, follow the instructions below to complete it quickly.
Most questions about BSA permission slips come down to timing, accuracy, and record keeping. Fill in the slip well before the outing, double-check every name and number, and keep a copy where you can find it.
Templates for an annual BSA permission slip exist, and people debate whether separate slips are needed. It is much safer to ask the parent or legal guardian to fill out the consent form for a particular event, outing, or trip.
The annual BSA consent form usually lists down the number of activities the legal guardian authorizes for the child. The guardian may permit to participate in some activities and forbid the others.
To make sure that there is no room for getting sued, most divisions within Boy Scouts of America decide to stick to the practice of requesting a legal guardian or parent to sign a permission slip each time. It can seem tiring or redundant, but it is still the best practice.
Go through these points first:
Then add your signature.
Use the restrictions section of the form. Name each thing the child should skip in plain words, such as swimming or climbing, and add a short note about the reason if you want the leader to know.
Keep a copy for your own records and give the original to the troop leader. Leaders can file each slip and any other forms with the event paperwork, so the info is easy to find during the outing.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
