• Are you are a consumer who seeks expert and trustworthy assistance?
• Are you a professional researcher or publisher who recognizes that relevant credentials can enhance your chosen career?
• Are you a family historian who would like to measure your skill or establish your credibility as a serious researcher?

In all arenas of life, practitioners are judged by their skill and ethics. Genealogy is no exception.

As a researcher — personal or professional — you depend upon thousands of people unknown to you. You exchange research with others. You copy information from books and data bases. You write libraries, societies, and government offices. You hire professionals to do legwork in distant areas and trust them to solve your problems.

How do you assure yourself of reliable results? How can you judge the skills and ethics of those who provide your data?

Since 1964, genealogists have looked to BCG for consumer protection, skill assessment, and respected credentials. Based in our nation's capital, BCG is independent of any society, although its trustees and judges are always national leaders in the field.

Board-certified genealogists, whether professionals or highly skilled hobbyists, pass rigorous tests and subscribe to a code of ethics. For consumer protection, BCG offers the public an arbitration service, should a problem ever arise with the conduct or work of a BCG associate.

Whatever your interest in genealogy — wherever you live — the Board for Certification of Genealogists can help you meet your needs and goals. Click here for a brochure on genealogical certification.