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Education & Certification

The SFTGG Certification Program

Certification recognizes experienced Guild members who have demonstrated proficiency and excellence as local tour guides. It’s one of the key ways we achieve our mission to uphold and enhance quality, ethics, and professionalism in Bay Area guiding.

Vehicle & walking tour certifications Structured process for candidates Ongoing continuing education for all members
At a glance
2
Certification paths:
Vehicle tours and Walking tours.
5
Steps in the certification process,
from education to narration.
Ongoing
Guild members commit to at least two
continuing education activities each year.
Why certification?

Recognizing excellence in Bay Area guiding

The Certification Program recognizes experienced SFTGG members who have demonstrated strong guiding skills, accurate knowledge, and a commitment to our Code of Ethics and Professional Standards.

  • Certification highlights members who have achieved a high standard of professionalism and proficiency as local guides.
  • It is a key way in which the Guild fulfills its mission to foster quality, ethics, and professionalism among members.
  • Certified guides serve as role models and mentors for other guides working toward the same goal.
  • Tour operators and industry partners can be confident that Guild-Certified guides are well prepared to deliver excellent tours.

We invite you to begin your journey to Certification.

Certification paths

Two types of SFTGG Certification

The Guild offers two Certification categories. Members may apply for either or both, depending on their experience:

Vehicle tour certification

For experienced motor coach & vehicle guides

Designed for guides with deep experience leading tours on vehicles such as motor coaches, vans, and similar. The process includes a written exam, vehicle routing test, and a live narration component.

Focus: General city highlights tours conducted on vehicles, with strong emphasis on routing and commentary while in motion.

View the five steps →

Walking tour certification

For experienced walking tour guides

Designed for guides with deep experience leading walking tours in San Francisco. Candidates demonstrate a combination of neighborhood-specific knowledge, route planning, and the presentation and safety skills that are unique to walking tours.

Focus: Walking tours of any location(s) in the city, with additional exams and route mapping for core neighborhoods including Chinatown, North Beach, and the Northern Waterfront.

See walking tour requirements →

Vehicle tour certification

Five steps to becoming a Guild-Certified vehicle tour guide

The vehicle tour category is for guides with solid experience leading general city highlights tours in San Francisco on vehicles such as buses, vans, and SUVs.

  • 1
    Commitment & education

    Begin by committing to the full Certification process and building a strong foundation in San Francisco history, culture, and tour logistics. The easiest way to track your tour experience is to use the Guild’s tour log form, which later becomes your application for the Certification exam.

    The Guild offers training, mentorship, and support throughout this process.

    Tour log form: Certification Documents.

  • 2
    Prerequisite tours & programs

    Candidates must complete a minimum of 25 tours, with at least 20 tours conducted in San Francisco on a vehicle (bus, van, SUV, etc.) considered a “general city tour,” “highlights tour,” or similar. These tours must have been completed within the past seven years (plus a two-year grace period for the Covid-19 pandemic).

    Candidates must also attend at least five training programs, of which at least two must be sponsored by the Guild.

  • 3
    Written examination

    Candidates sit for a comprehensive multiple-choice exam (approximately 150 questions) covering San Francisco history, sights, culture, and more. There are many ways to prepare, including a series of practice training exercises.

    Practice exercises:
    Training Exercise A · B · C · D · E · F

  • 4
    Vehicle routing

    Candidates demonstrate their ability to route vehicles between locations logically and safely. During the oral exam, you may be asked how you would go from “Point A to Point B,” showing awareness of hills, restrictions, and streets that are off-limits to motor coaches.

    We encourage exploring routes in person, going on large-vehicle tours from commercial operators (e.g., hop-on hop-off), attending Guild city tour trainings, and learning from experienced Guild members and motor coach drivers.

  • 5
    Narration

    In the final step, candidates deliver several minutes of accurate commentary as if on a live motor coach tour. This demonstrates knowledge of the landmarks along the route and the ability to tailor commentary to a moving vehicle and limited time.

    Evaluators select four routes from a list that may include, for example: Hyatt Regency to Grace Cathedral, Pier 39 to Hyde Street Pier, Union Square to City Hall, Palace of Fine Arts to the Golden Gate Bridge, and others.

Certification documents – vehicle tours

For questions about the process or documents, contact the Certification Chairperson through the Guild.

Walking tour certification

Certification for walking tour guides

Walking Tour Certification is for Guild members with deep experience leading walking tours in San Francisco. It builds on the same general knowledge as the vehicle category, with additional walking tour specific requirements.

Requirements
  • Be a Guild member for at least one year.
  • Agree to abide by the Guild’s Code of Ethics & Professional Standards .
  • Complete at least five continuing education programs (at least two of these sponsored by the Guild).
  • Conduct at least 25 tours, with a minimum of 20 walking tours in San Francisco, completed within the past seven years (plus a two-year Covid-19 grace period).
Knowledge & exams
  • Pass the same general knowledge exam used for the vehicle tour category (excluding vehicle-routing questions and the separate routing/narration sections).
  • Pass additional written exams focused on the core walking neighborhoods: Chinatown, North Beach, and the Northern Waterfront / Fisherman’s Wharf.
  • Be able to mark a walking tour route with key sites and stops on blank maps of these neighborhoods.
Live tour evaluation

Walking tour candidates must successfully lead a tour (in any neighborhood) for Certification Evaluators. This demonstrates proficiency in tour elements that are unique to walking tours, such as:

  • Clear communication and storytelling in locations with high ambient noise, often without a PA system.
  • Awareness of group safety on sidewalks, at crossings, and in crowds.
  • Techniques to avoid leaving people behind when crossing streets.
  • Ability to manage timing, stops, and guest engagement on foot.
Certification documents – walking tours
Education

Ongoing education for every stage of your guiding career

Education is continuous at SFTGG — from new members just starting in the industry, to mid-career guides preparing for Certification, to our most senior Certified Tour Guides. Active members pledge to complete at least two continuing education activities each year (most do far more).

On-the-ground learning
Museums & exhibits
Lectures & talks
  • Attend lectures (in person or online) from organizations such as the San Francisco History Association .
  • Explore archived talks from organizations such as the former California Historical Society on platforms like YouTube.
Books (available from local book stores and/or Amazon)
  • Walking San Francisco on the Barbary Coast Trail, by Daniel Bacon
  • Historic Walks in San Francisco and Historic San Francisco, both by Rand Richards.
  • Cool Gray City of Love: 49 Views of San Francisco, by Gary Kamiya.
  • A Tour Guide’s Guide to San Francisco , written by Guild member Jason Cohen and published by The Trip School.
    Note: This book must be ordered by following this link. Also, the author (who is the Guild’s Certification Chair in 2025) receives a commission on the sale of the book.
Guild resources