Legal Certification
How to Verify a Court Interpreter Certification
Federal and state courts have separate certification systems for interpreters. An interpreter certified for federal court is not automatically certified for state court, and vice versa. Here is how to verify credentials at each level and what to look for in language service providers.
Quick answer
For federal court interpreters, verify through the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts interpreter search at uscourts.gov/services-forms/federal-court-interpreters. For state court interpreters, contact the state court administrator or Judicial Branch directly — each state has its own roster. NAJIT membership indicates professional affiliation but is not the same as court certification.
Federal court interpreter certification: FCICE
The Federal Court Interpreter Certification Examination (FCICE) is administered by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AOUSC). It is currently offered for Spanish and for a small set of other languages on a needs basis. The exam has two parts: a written exam and an oral performance exam. Both must be passed to hold certified status.
Federal court interpreters appear on one of three rosters maintained by the AOUSC:
| Roster level | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Certified | Passed both FCICE written and oral exams; highest qualification |
| Professionally Qualified | Meets language proficiency standards but no FCICE exam available for the language |
| Language Skilled | Screened but at a lower threshold; used only when Certified and PQ interpreters are unavailable |
To verify a federal court interpreter, go to uscourts.gov and search the interpreter database by name and language. Roster status, district, and certification date are shown. An interpreter not on this list cannot be represented as federally certified.
State court interpreter certification
Each U.S. state administers its own court interpreter certification program independently of the federal system. Most state programs are run by the state Judicial Branch or the State Court Administrator's office. Requirements, languages offered, and certification levels vary significantly by state.
The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) offers a Consortium for Language Access in the Courts, which provides standardized exam materials used by many states. However, passing the consortium exam in one state does not automatically certify the interpreter in another state — the interpreter must apply to each state's program separately.
How to verify state court interpreter certification
- Identify which state court the interpreter is claimed to be certified in
- Search the state Judicial Branch website for their interpreter roster or certification database
- Contact the State Court Administrator's office directly if no public database is available
- For consortium-exam states, the NCSC may be able to confirm exam passage — but the state roster is the primary source
Common states with public online interpreter rosters include California (California Courts Interpreter Program), Texas (OCA), New York (OCIJ), and Florida (OSCA). For states without a public search, a phone call or written inquiry to the court administrator's office is required.
NAJIT: professional association, not a certifying body
The National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT) is the primary professional organization for court interpreters in the United States. NAJIT membership and its Code of Professional Responsibility are respected indicators of professional standing — but NAJIT does not issue or verify court certifications.
An interpreter who is a NAJIT member is not necessarily certified for federal or state court. NAJIT membership can be verified at najit.org, but a NAJIT member badge on a resume does not substitute for roster verification through AOUSC or the relevant state court program.
NAJIT does offer its own certification (NAJIT ATA Certification) in limited language pairs — this is for translation, not interpretation, and is separate from court interpreter certification.
Language service providers and agency contracts
Legal departments and courts often contract with Language Service Providers (LSPs) rather than individual interpreters. When evaluating an LSP contract:
- Require disclosure of individual interpreter credentials for high-stakes proceedings
- Specify in contract that interpreters must be Certified (not merely Language Skilled) for federal court work
- For state court proceedings, require interpreters certified in the specific state where the proceeding occurs
- Verify that remote interpreters meet the same standards as in-person interpreters — some states restrict remote interpreting for certain proceeding types
The Court Interpreters Act (28 U.S.C. § 1827) requires federal courts to use certified or otherwise qualified interpreters and mandates that the court administrator maintain a roster of certified interpreters for each language.
Verification checklist
- 1. Collect the interpreter's name, language pair, and claimed certification level
- 2. For federal court work — search the AOUSC interpreter database at uscourts.gov; confirm Certified status
- 3. For state court work — search the relevant state court interpreter roster or contact the State Court Administrator
- 4. Do not accept NAJIT membership alone as evidence of court certification
- 5. For LSP contracts, require written certification attestations and verify a sample of interpreters directly
- 6. Confirm certification is current — federal certifications have renewal requirements, and some state programs require periodic re-examination
Verify interpreter training program credentials
Court interpreter training programs vary widely in quality and accreditation status. Use VerifyED to confirm that an interpreter's educational institution is legitimate before accepting their claimed credentials.
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