Be authorized as a translator
The work of translators includes written language transmission.
In the case of documents drawn up in a foreign language, a court may order the production of translations certified by an authorised translator to be correct and complete.
Translators are authorised to transmit languages for judicial, official and notarial purposes for the territory of the State of Lower Saxony upon written application to the Hanover Regional Court.
Prerequisites are personal reliability and professional aptitude. Proof of this must be attached to the application.
In addition, you must declare your willingness and be able to take on orders from Lower Saxony courts, authorities and notaries and complete them at short notice.
Application
Proof of personal suitability:
- Certificate of good conduct for submission to authorities
- written statement as to whether criminal proceedings or investigations are or have been pending against you,
- an explicit and personally signed declaration as to whether a life is led in orderly economic circumstances
- an explicit declaration of willingness to take on short-term assignments if necessary
- handwritten, non-tabular curriculum vitae
- Printout from the electronic enforcement portal
- Certificate from the insolvency court stating that no insolvency proceedings have been opened against the assets or have been rejected for lack of assets
Proof of professional aptitude:
- Certificate of successful completion of studies as an interpreter or translator at a university or certificate of passing a state or state-recognized interpreter or translator examination, or
- Certificates of successful attendance at a state-approved language school (for German and foreign languages), or
- Certificate of examination from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce for an interpreter or translator examination
- at a university in a Member State of the European Union or an interpreter's or translator's examination passed in a Member State of the European Union, provided that they are recognised as equivalent in each case, or
- Certificate of acquisition of the general university entrance qualification
- Proof of linguistic knowledge and skills
- Proof of knowledge of German legal language (legal terminology)
All documents must be submitted in the original or as copies certified by an authority or a notary.
If documents are written in a language other than German, translations must be enclosed, the correctness and completeness of which has been certified by a translator authorised in Germany (not the applicant himself).
Foreign documents that do not originate from a member state of the European Union must be provided with an apostille or legalisation to prove their authenticity. Further information can be found on the website of the Federal Foreign Office.
The following of these proofs must not be older than 6 months at the time of the general swearing-in and/or authorization:
- Certificate of good conduct
- Reprint of the information from the central electronic debtor register
- Certificate from the competent insolvency court
If the procedure is delayed because missing documents have to be submitted later, this evidence must be provided again.
- personal reliability
- Professional aptitude
Proof of this must be attached to the application.
In addition, you must declare your willingness and be able to take on orders from Lower Saxony courts, authorities and notaries and complete them at short notice.
The Law on Costs in the Administration of Justice provides for fees for the authorisation to certify the accuracy and completeness of translations.
These are:
- 150,00 Euro each for the first language,
- 100,00 Euro for each additional language.
The fee is due upon submission of the application. In case of rejection of an application, the fees will not be refunded.
If the application is withdrawn before a decision is issued, the fee is reduced to EUR 100.00 for the first language and EUR 60.00 for each additional language.
On the basis of the information provided by the applicant and the documents submitted for this purpose, the President of the Regional Court of Hanover decides on the applications.
The certificate of authorisation is handed over by the President of the Regional Court of Hanover.
In the course of the authorization, you expressly commit yourself in accordance with the Obligations Act and the ordinances issued thereunder and confirm that you have been informed of the criminal consequences of a breach of duty, in particular in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Criminal Code.
After handing over the corresponding certificate, the translator may use the designation "Translator authorized by the Regional Court of Hanover for the ... language(s).
Pursuant to § 24 para. 1 sentence 3 NJG, a decision on applications for general swearing-in and authorisation must be made without delay, at the latest within three months.
In principle, there are no deadlines for submitting an application. However, the authorisations granted to translators before 01.01.2011 expired at the end of 31.12.2015. This also applies if they have been granted for an indefinite period or for a limited period beyond this date. The group of persons concerned can submit a new application at any time.
If your application has been rejected, you can appeal against the decision to the administrative court responsible for your place of residence within one month of notification.
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
Lower Saxony Ministry of Justice
The jurisdiction lies with the Regional Court of Hanover.
