Certified Tour Guides of Savannah

Why do I need to be certified?

In 2015, the City of Savannah disbanded its tour guide certification test, which was formerly a requirement for conducting tours in Savannah. 

Members of the tourism community came to us, citing a need for a certification process to maintain the quality of the tour product. The TLC assembled a committee made up of experts and stakeholders, including Georgia Historical Society and Armstrong State University. This committee reviewed and revamped the official tour guide manual, and devised a new test to certify tour guides.

Become Certified

If you’re looking to become certified, you’re making a great decision. Our member tour guide companies looking to hire tour guides require their potential hires to become certified through the TLC. Prospective tour guides looking to become employed by a tour guide company have a much better opportunity for employment if they have passed our tour guide exam. The following lists the steps for certification:

01 Test

The test is based on the tour guide manual. The 100-question test may take up to 2 hours to complete and is offered at the Tourism Leadership Council office. Each person who wishes to be certified will get two attempts at the test within one calendar year for $50. Should you not pass the first two times, you may take it again at $20 for each additional attempt in the same calendar year from the first attempt. There is no limit to how many times you can take the test.

02 Background Check

As part of the certification, you will need to provide a background check from a local law enforcement agency that has been conducted within one year of seeking certification. This generally costs anywhere from $14 to $20 and takes around 7 days to complete. We’re ensuring that your record is free from Part 1 crimes and some felonies. We might not be able to certify you should you have Part 1 crimes or some felonies as part of your background.

03 Badge

After passing the test and background check, you will receive a certified tour guide badge that fulfills the city’s requirements to have a badge present during all tours. Should you work for different tour companies, you will need more badges. There will be a $5/per badge fee. Your badge will give you certification for two full years upon completion of all listed items.

*As we work through the details of certification, know that the contents of these pages may change. If we can help answer any questions, please don’t hesitate to call the office at (912) 232-1223.

Tour Guide
Manual

DOWNLOAD MANUAL

This manual is subject to change as we will be adding and updating information as it becomes available. The latest version of the manual will always be posted here.

Get Certified
Today

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions. If you do not see your question below, email us or call the office (912) 232-1223, and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.

After the City stopped certifying tour guides, industry stakeholders and tour guides approached the Tourism Leadership Council about taking up the charge. The consensus was that those who recommend tours to the guest, want tour guides to have proved their basic knowledge of history for our community.

No. We updated the tour guide manual with the help of Armstrong State University and the Georgia Historical Society. As we discover new information about our rich history, we will keep our tour guide manual and subsequent test updated.

After you pass the test and submit your background check from the SPD, you will receive a laminated badge that fulfills the City’s requirements. The badge will also bear the certification emblem. Additionally, you will be listed on the website, www.SavannahTourGuides.com.

The certification will be good for two years from the day you receive your certification.

For $50, you will receive two attempts to pass the test. If you need additional attempts, you may take the test again for $20, per attempt within the calendar year of the first attempt. After that, you will have to test again starting at $50.

The test is offered Monday through Thursday. The day, along with the appointment time of the test is subject to TLC staff availability. Please call at least 24 hours in advance to schedule your test.

The test is offered at the Tourism Leadership Council office located at 24 Drayton Street, Suite 630.

Test taking is available by appointment only. Please call the office at (912) 232-1223 to find out our availability to offer and proctor the test. Mondays through Thursdays the TLC office is usually open for testing. However, there are days the staff will be called away on other events or closed for holidays.

You will be given a 100-question test that will be made up of multiple choice questions based on the material provided free of charge in the tour guide manual. You will choose the best answer and mark the coordinating bubble next to the letter of the best answer.

We allow two hours for you to complete the 100-question test.

You must answer 80 questions correct or score 80% in order to pass the test.

The $50 registration fee gets you two attempts at the test. If you pass the first time, great. If you need additional attempts, you can take the test once more at no additional cost. Should you need more, you can take the test again for $20 per test as many times as you need within the calendar year of the first attempt.

We have technology in place that will allow us to grade the test immediately. However, this is subject to how many take the test at one given time and what TLC staff member is proctoring the test. We will make every effort to give you your grade as soon as possible.

Yes, everyone who is certified must have a background check through a local law enforcement agency.

The background check is looking for Part 1 Crimes and some felonies. If you have a record that includes a Part 1 crime and some felonies, you may not be allowed to be certified.

Yes, we accept criminal histories from all local law enforcement agencies as long as they are no more than a year older than the day you are seeking to be certified.

The cost of the background check ranges from $14 to $20 depending on where you get the background check. This fee is not included in the $50 for testing, badge and marketing.

You can download a form, print it and fill it out. When you’re filling out the form, make note that YOU are requesting the background check. There is no need to fill in the ID of a requesting business because you will be the one to pick up the report when it is complete. That way you can see your record before we do.

The SPD has notaries at both drop off locations. Wait to sign your form until you arrive at the police department.

You can drop off the form at one of two locations: (201 Habersham Street or 295 Police Memorial Drive. ***Please note that the only place to pick up the criminal history is at the SPD Annex Building at 295 Police Memorial Drive.

The people who recommend tour guides have asked that we include a person’s background in the certification process.

Yes. We ask that every 2 years when you renew your certification, you bring in a renewed copy of your background check from the SPD.

Yes, after all items have been successfully submitted to the TLC, we will provide you with one badge that fulfills the requirements laid out by the City.

According to Section 6-1512 of the City’s Tour Service Ordinance, a tour service company shall provide a tour guide working as its employee or independent contractor an identification badge with a minimum size of three (3) inches by two and one-half (2.5) inches, which badge shall be worn by the tour guide during tours in a way to be clearly visible to the public. The badge shall contain in the upper left hand corner an identification photograph of the tour guide, which photograph shall be no smaller than one (1) inch by one (1) inch, and on the bottom half of the badge the tour guide’s name and the name of the tour service company.

You will need more than one badge. We will print one badge after you pass the certification. If you need more than one badge, it will be an additional $5 per badge.

You will need 5 badges. The City has asked that we only print one tour company on one badge.

Yes, the ordinance requires that you have a picture on your badge. It must be more than one square inch. You can provide your own picture if your picture looks like you. If it doesn’t look like you or you don’t have a picture, we’ll take one at the office upon successful completion of the test.

If you bring everything you need to the TLC office when you take the test, we will endeavor to get the badge ready while you wait.