What is a certified translation?

A certified translation, also called a sworn translation, is a translation made by a certified or sworn translator according to specific procedures and guidelines.

Requirements of a sworn translation

In the Netherlands, certified translators need to be registered in the register for certified interpreters and translators (Register voor Beëdigde Tolken en Vertalers - Rbtv). On this website, you can check whether the translator you want to work with has a valid registration. You can find me in the register under my personal name, Laura van Oeveren or under registration number 40044.

The certified or sworn translation also needs to meet certain standards:

• The format of the original document is replicated as much as possible, either by copying or in the form of plain text

• It contains stamps, initials and signatures of the certified translator

• The translation is inseparably attached to the source document

• Every element, also non-tectual, is translated

Becoming a certified translator

Registered translators need to swear an oath in court to do their work honourably and to their best capabilities. If they don’t adhere to this oath, they risk losing their registration and reputation as a translator. This registration needs to be renewed every five years. In order to renew, the translator needs to keep up with the field through education. These are only a few of the reasons why certified or sworn translations cost more to produce than regular translations.

For the largest part, you can trust that certified translators are trustworthy translation partners. However, it’s still wise to doublecheck since it doesn’t automatically ensure good quality.

Examples of certified translations

These are some examples of documents that need a certified translation:

• Official documents such as birth and marriage certificates

• Diploma’s, grade lists and certificates

• Legal documents such as decisions and summons

• Documents that are issued by the government

• Deeds by notaries

For non-official documents that you’ll use privately, a certified translation is not necessary. In these cases, go for a regular translation as it saves you quite some money. In this article, you can read more about when you need a certified translation.

Pricing

The price you pay for a sworn translation is higher than the price you pay for a regular translation. This is because the translator needs to fulfill all the abovementioned requirements.

Curious about the costs? Read this article or send me an email with your request (instructions for writing a request that gets you a price indication can be found in the article).

Thank you for your time and have a great day!

I hope this article was helpful to you. Do you have a question or do you want to talk to me about this article? Cool, let’s connect!

Or read more about me and the way I work in my introductory post.