What exactly is a
certified translation service?

Many translation providers offer a certified translation service. But what exactly is translation certification and is it necessary?

The short answer: it depends.

The long answer, as you might imagine, is more complicated.

First of all, when a potential client talks about needing a "certified" translation, this can mean something different depending on what the document is going to be used for, the country where the translation is going to be used, etc.

In terms of translation certification, countries can be divided into two categories. The first category includes countries like the United States and the United Kingdom. For these countries, there is no such thing as an official translation certification organization. What this means is that in order for translators to provide a certified translation service, they usually just need to add a note to the translation stating that the translation is an accurate reflection of the original document, and then sign the statement.

Sometimes, a seal of notarization can be added. A notary seal obviously does not verify the accuracy of the translation, but instead proves that the person who signed a statement to the correctness of the translation is indeed that person.

The second category of "certified" translation countries includes countries where sworn translations are the norm. What are sworn translations? Well, sworn translators are translators who have been authorized by their respective governments to translate and notarize a translation as being accurate.

In these countries, legal-type documents usually required the service of sworn translators. In order to become a sworn translator, translators have to pass some type of government-sanctioned examination.

So what does this mean if you're looking for a translation provider? First of all, don't get caught up in the hype of getting a "certified" translation. Especially in the U.S., any translator can provide certified translation services, so just because a translator says that he or she is certified doesn't mean that they have passed a national standardized translation test.

That being said, there are private organizations that offer translation accreditation in the United States and other countries. Whether passing one of their tests is necessary to become a freelance translator is a different debate.

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