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Registered Interpreters
Thank you for your interest in becoming a certified court interpreter.
The Administrative Office of the Courts currently registers interpreters in the following languages:
Afrikaans, Akan-Twi, Albanian, Algerian, Amharic, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Baluchi, Bambara, Bengali, Bulgarian, Burmese, Cebuano, Chavacano, Chechen, Czech, Danish, Dari, Dutch, Ewe, Finnish, Fulfulde (Fulani), Ga, Georgian, German, Greek, Gujarati, Haitian Creole, Hausa, Hebrew, Hiligaynon, Hindi, Hmong, Hopi, Hungarian, Igbo, Ilocano, Indonesian, Italian, Jamaican Patois, Japanese, Javanese, Kashmiri, Kazakh, Kikongo-Kongo, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Krio, Kurdish, Latvian, Lingala, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Malay, Malayalam, Mandingo-Bambara, Mongolian, Navajo, Nepali, Norwegian, Oromo, Pashto, Persian Farsi, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Samoan, Sindhi, Sinhalese, Slovak, Somali, Swahili, Swedish, Tajik, Tamil, Tausug, Telugu, Thai, Tibetan, Tigrinya, Turkish, Turkmen, Uighur, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uzbek, Wolof, Wu, Yoruba
How to Become Registered
It usually takes about nine months to a year to complete the process of becoming a registered interpreter. The main steps are:
- Pass the Court Interpreter written exam with a score of 80% or better.
- Attend a one-day orientation program sponsored by the AOC
- Pass the Foreign Language Speaking/Comprehension Exams
- Attend a mandatory Ethics and Protocol Class
Before becoming registered you must also:
- Pass a fingerprint background check (processing fee applies)
- Take the Oath of Interpreter
- Receive an interpreter ID badge
If you are already have certification in another state, you may be able to get registration by reciprocity. Please see the reciprocity section below.
Exams and Classes
Written Exam:
This exam tests your proficiency with English language vocabulary, court related terms, and ethics. The exam is in English and interpreters of all languages take the same exam. It is a multiple choice test, and you must get a score of at least 80% to pass. The test is available year-round at testing centers across Washington.
You can find more details on the Written Exam Overview and on the Written Exam webpage.
Foreign Language Speaking/Comprehension Exams
These oral exams measure you speaking and comprehension skills in English and your foreign language. To test your English skills, you will take the Versant English Test from Pearson Education. To assess your skills in your foreign language, you will take an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI). The AOC will use the OPI developed by Language Testing International (LTI) if they have a test in your language. If LTI does not have a test available in your language, the AOC may use the Spoken Language Evaluation from ALTA Language Services, Inc. The fee may vary, and typically costs no more than $200. The AOC will provide interpreters with registration information for these exams after they pass the written exam. The oral exams take place in Olympia and are scheduled individually during the summer months. Some exams may allow a remote option where test candidates can take the exam at their home with a computer that has a camera.
Court Interpreter Orientation
The orientation is an introduction to the structure and terminology used in Washington State Courts. It also provides an overview of what court interpreting is and how you can prepare for the Oral Exam. You can find more details on the Orientation webpage.
Ethics and Protocol Class
This class is usually the final step in the process of becoming registered. It covers the ethics issues facing interpreters and how to manage challenging situations. It also reviews some of the basic protocols of working in a court room setting. Interpreters who have completed all of requirements for certification take their oath of interpreter during this class and receive their badge. The class typically takes place in the fall and spring of each year.
Reciprocity
If you already have court interpreter credentials in a registered language from another state, you may be able to get your credentials in Washington through reciprocity. To get reciprocity in Washington, you must have passed the written exam and the oral language comprehension exams to the same standards that Washington requires.
- Provide written documentation of passing the written exam and oral language comprehension exams from the administering state.
- Provide a letter from the certification program stating that the interpreter is in good standing.
- Attend a mandatory class on the Introduction to Court Interpreting, provided by the Washington AOC.
- Submit to a fingerprint background check.
- Execute the Oath of Interpreter.
- Obtain an interpreter ID badge from the Washington AOC.
If you received your credentials from the Oregon Court Interpreter Certification Program, then are exempt from requirement (3) above. If you received your credentials from another state that uses different language comprehension exams than the ones that Washington uses, you may still be eligible for reciprocity. The Issues Committee for the Interpreter Commission will make the final decision on reciprocity in this case.
If you would like to apply for reciprocity, please contact: interpreters@courts.wa.gov.
Compliance Requirements
Every two years, registered interpreters must complete the following requirements to maintain their credentials:
- Take 16 continuing education credits
- Sign a declaration of personal conduct
Employment
Court interpreters are hired individually by each superior, district, and municipal court. There are varying numbers of registered court interpreters in different areas of the state, so explore employment opportunities by contacting your local courts before you decide whether to take the exam. Contact information for registered court interpreters is placed on the courts website at www.courts.wa.gov/programs_orgs/pos_interpreter.
Additional Information
Registered Court Interpreter Program Policies Manual
FAQs for Registered Court Interpreters
Examination Information
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