What’s the Difference between Certified, Notarized, and Sworn Translation?

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When you need a translation for a document, the first step is to hire a professional to complete the job. However, before they can do the translation, your translation company needs to know some specifics about your project.

In particular, you may be asked if you need any documents certified, notarized, or sworn. If you are confused by this question, you are in the right place.

Here are the differences between notarized, certified and sworn translation, including what types of documents require which type of translation.

Certified Translation

Certified translation are more official than translation done only by native speakers or regular translator, as only certified translator can do them.

Additionally, certified translation must include a statement from the translator stating that the content has been translated completely and accurately by a certified professional. The translator must include their signature and contact information. Basically, this type of translation is a guarantee of quality from the translation company.

Documents that usually require certified translation include immigration documents, court transcripts, evidentiary documents and passports. Certified translations are also usually required when you need to present birth, death or marriage certificates.

Notarized Translation

Notarized translatio can be done by any translator, not just certified professional translator. What sets it apart from other types of translation is that the translator must appear before a notary public and sign an affidavit stating that the translation is a true representation of the original document.

Thus, a translation notarized by a notary does not necessarily indicate the quality of the translator’s work, but only the document itself. This is different from a certified translation.

You may need notarized translation when you are dealing with education-related documents. For example, school diplomas and grade transcripts usually need to be notarized.

Sworn Translation

As the name suggests, sworn translation can only be performed by translator who have been sworn in. More specifically, only translator who have taken an oath have obtained certification from the competent authority (in this case, in Indonesia, certification from the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia) can provide sworn translation.

Sworn translation indicates that the translation of the document is genuine, just like a notarized translation. However, unlike notarized translation, sworn translation do not have to be signed in front of a notary. Instead, the stamp of the sworn translator is sufficient.

You’re most likely to need a sworn translation for legal documents. Patent certificates and documents to incorporate a company are some examples of paperwork that might require sworn translation.

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