The program of the Boy Scouts of America is administered through 248 local councils, with each council covering a geographic area that may vary from a single city to an entire state.

Each council receives an annual charter from the National Council and is usually incorporated as a charitable organization.

[1] Most councils are administratively divided into districts that directly serve Scout units.

Councils previously fell into one of four regions: Western, Central, Southern, and Northeast.

[1] Each region was then subdivided into areas.