Visiting Tunis for North Africa business or regional investment? Request a licensed CPO briefing.
Hiring a bodyguard in Tunis is usually tied to a specific visit, where terrorism awareness and political instability shape the plan more than routine crime. This page covers how close protection hire works in Tunisia, what a licensed officer does across a day of movements, and how quickly cover is arranged. Firearms rules for private security could not be confirmed, so hire pairs a licensed officer with secure transport, scaled to the itinerary.
Licensed operators with Tunisia experience deliver the CPO programme in both the modern business district and the Medina environments.
For the full Tunis security picture, see our Tunis city briefing. For the broader North Africa network, bodyguard hire in Cairo covers the Egypt CPO programme.
Hiring for a wider corporate programme rather than a single trip? See executive protection in Tunis. To check the credentials and vetting behind the officers, see close protection officers in Tunis.
What does this cover in Tunis?
Licensing in Tunisia
Private security in Tunisia, including the physical protection of persons, needs an authorisation under Law No. 2002-81 of 3 August 2002, and working without one is an offence (Article 32). Ask any provider for its licence and the issuing authority, and take local legal advice before engagement. We work through licensed Tunisian companies. All our Tunis partners show current licence documents before deployment.
Post-2015 Attack Awareness
Tunisia experienced three major terrorist attacks in 2015: the Bardo Museum attack (22 killed), the Sousse beach attack (38 killed, the majority British tourists), and a bombing near the Presidential Guard in central Tunis. These attacks established that Islamist groups had both the intent and capability to target international visitors and public venues in Tunisia. Tunisia's counter-terrorism forces have significantly improved since 2015 and there has not been a major attack in Tunis since. The terrorism threat remains elevated. CPO venue advance work in Tunis specifically evaluates soft-target locations against the established 2015 attack templates: tourist sites, hotels, and any large gathering point with foreign visitor concentration. Source: FCDO Tunisia travel advisory, May 2026.
Les Berges du Lac Business District Operations
Les Berges du Lac (Lac 1 and Lac 2), north of central Tunis, is the primary location for international business, banking, and diplomatic missions. The area has modern office infrastructure, international hotel properties, and a lower crime profile than the Medina and older city areas. CPO operations are centred on the Les Berges du Lac zone for most corporate visits. The main hotel properties in this zone include the Laico Tunis and properties on the Lac 2 office and hotel development. Movement to the Medina or Avenue Habib Bourguiba area for cultural or governmental itinerary elements requires specific advance planning and close escort protocol.
Political Instability Monitoring
Tunisia's political environment has changed significantly since President Saied suspended parliament in 2021 and consolidated presidential authority under a new 2022 constitution. Civil society and opposition activity face pressure. Economic difficulties including high youth unemployment and IMF austerity measures create conditions for periodic unrest. Demonstrations have occurred in the Medina and working-class districts. CPO Tunis operations maintain political monitoring through the assignment period, and include a protest avoidance protocol for Avenue Habib Bourguiba and government ministry areas during periods of elevated political tension. Source: FCDO Tunisia travel advisory, May 2026.
Carthage International Airport Transfer
Carthage International Airport (TUN) is located approximately 8 kilometres north-east of central Tunis, in the Carthage residential area. The transfer to Les Berges du Lac takes 15 to 25 minutes; transfers to central Tunis take 20 to 35 minutes. Inside-terminal collection is standard. The transfer to coastal suburban destinations including La Marsa and Gammarth (which provide lower-crime residential options for longer assignments) is approximately 30 to 40 minutes from TUN.
Sources for this page
Licensing, firearms and foreign-operator rules for Tunis, checked : Journal Officiel de la République Tunisienne No. 16 of 22 February 2008, pages 781 to 782: the law of 18 February 2008 amending Law No. 2002-81 of 3 August 2002 (new Articles 30 and 32; Article 4 repeals Articles 21 to 25), FAOLEX copy; UN Human Rights Council, Working Group on the use of mercenaries, A/HRC/27/50 (2014), paragraphs 20, 25 and 34: Tunisia's private security law and licensing by the ministry responsible for internal security. The full rules are on our Tunis security overview.
Travel advice quoted on this page: FCDO travel advice: Tunisia. Advice changes; read the current version before travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a standard corporate visit to Tunis require a CPO?
What terrorism awareness is applied in the Tunis CPO brief?
What licensing applies to Tunis CPO operators?
What is the security profile of Les Berges du Lac versus the Medina?
This page is published by CloseProtectionHire.com and written to editorial standards overseen by James Calloway, Senior Security Consultant (regulation, licensing, vetting and risk frameworks) and Marcus Webb, Security Operations Adviser (operational close protection, secure transport and city-specific safety).
Threat, regulatory and emergency information is sourced to named, dated authorities such as the FCDO, the US State Department and national licensing bodies. Last updated . See how we verify.