The past decade has witnessed important developments in the control of foot and mouth disease (FMD). The Progressive Control Pathway for FMD (PCP-FMD) provides a novel stepwise methodology for a cost-effective, risk-management approach to FMD control, and is now the backbone for the implementation of the FAO-OIE Global Foot and Mouth Disease Control Strategy (2012). The costs of vaccination, one of the most important tools for managing FMD, represent 90% of the total expense of controlling the disease, so it is essential to plan and evaluate vaccine and vaccination effectiveness to convince decision-makers to continue implementing rigorous control measures. These guidelines are designed to guide and assess national or sub-national vaccination programmes at various stages of the PCP-FMD, and will also be helpful for countries looking to regain FMD-free status following an incursion of the disease, in accordance with OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code standards. They stress the importance of having up-to-date information on virus strains circulating in a given area and highlight the need for effective Veterinary Services in implementing FMD control programmes. Given that readers may not necessarily be FMD specialists, the contributors have sought to provide a balance of scientific background, methodology and practical examples.