The program of Scouting 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. 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. Each region was then subdivided into areas. The total number of councils depends on how they are counted: