Certified, notarized or plain translation: which one do you need?

These three terms are often used interchangeably, and they are not the same. Choosing the wrong one is the most common reason a translated document gets rejected.

Plain translation

A plain translation is simply a professional translation. It is right for internal use, understanding a contract before you sign it in another language, or translating marketing copy. Nothing is attested.

Certified translation

A certified translation comes with a signed statement — usually called a certificate of accuracy — from the translator or the agency, confirming that the translation is a complete and accurate rendering of the source document. The statement identifies who produced it and when.

Certified translations are what most universities, courts and immigration authorities ask for when they need to be sure the text has not been altered or summarized.

Notarized translation

Notarization is not a statement about quality; it is a statement about identity. A notary confirms that the person who signed the certificate is who they say they are. Many authorities require the certificate to be both certified (accuracy) and notarized (identity of the signer).

Note that notarization does not verify the translation itself. A notarized translation with no certificate of accuracy proves very little.

Sworn translation

In many countries a translator must be officially authorized to translate for courts and public bodies. The official title and the process differ by jurisdiction — a traductor jurado in Spain, a traducteur assermenté in France, a certified court translator elsewhere. A sworn translation is only valid for the jurisdiction that authorizes it.

How to tell which one you need

• Ask the receiving institution, in writing, for the exact wording: "certified", "notarized", "sworn" or "apostilled".
• Ask whether they need the source document attached to the translation, and in what order.
• Ask whether the certificate must be notarized and whether an apostille is required as well.
• If the document will be used in a different country, ask whether a sworn translator from that country is mandatory.

Practical checklist

1. Confirm the requirement with the institution before ordering.
2. Upload a clear, complete scan — every page and stamp, in order.
3. Tell the professional which country the document will be used in.
4. Check that names, dates and numbers are transcribed exactly as in the source.
5. Keep the digital and paper copies of the certificate.

Ordering a certified translation when a plain one would do costs more than necessary; ordering a plain one when certification is required costs a second full pass. One question to the institution prevents both.