This publication provides countries with practical guidelines for planning population-based surveys to estimate the prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) at a national level. TB prevalence surveys yield useful information in areas where notification data obtained through routine surveillance are incomplete, or of unproven accuracy, and in areas with an estimated TB prevalence of more than 100 per 100 000. These surveys are used to evaluate the performance of the TB program, and to assess trends over time. To achieve this objective, data are collected through standards methods in a well-defined study population. This document is meant to provide information on the core survey methods, including diagnostic tests for TB, screening strategies, and case definitions. The target audience includes TB experts and advisers at national and international levels, and investigators involved in prevalence surveys.