diff --git a/release_tools/version_bump.sh b/release_tools/version_bump.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..01883e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release_tools/version_bump.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2025 GitHub
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+# Script for updating the version number. Call it like this:
+#
+# ./release_tools/version_bump.sh minor
+#
+# It uses `hatch version` to update the version number. Use
+# major/minor/micro to determine which part of the version number to
+# bump. It creates a new branch and commits the version number
+# change.
+#
+# This script does not push the change to GitHub, so you need to do
+# that manually.
+
+if [[ $# -eq 0 ]] ; then
+    echo 'usage: ./release_tools/version_bump.sh [ARG]'
+    echo 'ARG is passed to the hatch version command to bump the version number.'
+    echo 'ARG is usually "major", "minor", or "micro".'
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+# Check that the main branch is checked out.
+if [ "$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)" != "main" ] ; then
+    echo "Please check out the main branch before running this command."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Check no uncommitted changes.
+git update-index --refresh
+if ! git diff-index --quiet HEAD -- ; then
+    echo "There are uncommitted file changes. Aborting."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Bump version number
+if ! hatch version "$@" ; then
+    echo "Failed to update version"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Read new version number
+if ! NEW_VERSION_NUMBER=$(hatch version) ; then
+    echo "Failed to retrieve version number."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Create new branch
+if ! git checkout -b "version-$NEW_VERSION_NUMBER" ; then
+    echo "Creating the branch failed."
+    git restore .
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Commit the version number change.
+if ! git commit -a -m "Version $NEW_VERSION_NUMBER" ; then
+    echo "git commit failed"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+echo
+echo "I have updated the version number locally."
+echo "The branch is ready for you to push to GitHub and create a pull request."
diff --git a/release_tools/version_tag.sh b/release_tools/version_tag.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..485c5eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release_tools/version_tag.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2025 GitHub
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+# Create a signed tag for the new version number.  This script is
+# intended to be run after you have created a new version number
+# (using `version_bump.sh` is recommended) and the change has been
+# merged into main.
+#
+# This script does not push the tag to GitHub, so you need to do
+# that manually.
+
+# Check that the main branch is checked out.
+if [ "$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)" != "main" ] ; then
+    echo "Please check out the main branch before running this command."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Check no uncommitted changes.
+git update-index --refresh
+if ! git diff-index --quiet HEAD -- ; then
+    echo "There are uncommitted file changes. Aborting."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Check that this commit is signed by GitHub, to avoid
+# accidentally tagging a commit that only exists locally.
+if [ "$(git verify-commit HEAD --raw 2>&1 | grep -E "GOODSIG [A-F0-9]+ GitHub" -c)" -eq 0 ] ; then
+    echo "This commit hasn't been signed by GitHub."
+    echo "Please check that you are attempting to tag the correct commit."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Check that this is a merge commit.
+if ! git rev-parse HEAD^2 >/dev/null 2>&1 ; then
+    echo "This is not a merge commit."
+    echo "Please check that you are attempting to tag the correct commit."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+if ! PROJECT_NAME=$(hatch project metadata name) ; then
+    echo "Failed to retrieve project name."
+    exit 1
+fi
+if ! VERSION_NUMBER=$(hatch version) ; then
+    echo "Failed to retrieve version number."
+    exit 1
+fi
+TAG_NAME="v$VERSION_NUMBER"
+
+# Create tag
+if ! git tag "$TAG_NAME" -s -m "Release $PROJECT_NAME version $VERSION_NUMBER." ; then
+    echo "Failed to create the tag"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+REMOTE_NAME=$(git for-each-ref --format='%(upstream:remotename)' refs/heads/main)
+if [ -z "$REMOTE_NAME" ]; then
+    REMOTE_NAME="origin"
+fi
+
+echo
+echo "I have created tag $TAG_NAME. You can push it to GitHub like this:"
+echo "git push \"$REMOTE_NAME\" tag \"$TAG_NAME\""