Certified Translation Services in Germany

This guide explains which German translation services authorities accept in 2026, who can certify a translation, what it costs and how to find a translator.

What changed in 2025 and 2026

Two changes matter for anyone ordering a certified translation in Germany: the statutory fee scale went up in mid-2025, and the transition period for language professionals sworn or appointed under the old state rules now runs to the end of 2027. If you are still planning your move, start with our complete guide to moving to Germany.

1. Higher JVEG rates from 1 June 2025. The Justice Remuneration and Compensation Act (Justizvergütungs- und -entschädigungsgesetz, JVEG) sets what courts and public prosecutors pay translators and interpreters. The 2025 Costs and Guardian Remuneration Amendment Act (KostBRÄG 2025) raised every translation rate, effective 1 June 2025. The minimum fee for a translation order is €20:

JVEG § 11 translation rate (per started 55 characters)	Before 1 June 2025	From 1 June 2025
Base rate (source supplied in editable electronic form)	€1.80	€1.95
Increased rate (paper, scan or non-editable PDF)	€1.95	€2.15
Particularly difficult text, base rate	€1.95	€2.15
Particularly difficult text, increased rate	€2.10	€2.30
Court interpreter hourly rate (JVEG § 9)	€85	€93

2. Appointment terms and transition deadlines. Since the federal Court Interpreters Act (Gerichtsdolmetschergesetz, GDolmG) took effect on 1 January 2023, court interpreters are sworn under a single federal standard, while translators remain regulated by each federal state. Under the federal rules, a general oath for a court interpreter lasts five years and must then be renewed. Interpreters sworn under the old state laws originally had until 31 December 2026 to be re-sworn under the federal rules; that deadline has since been extended to 31 December 2027 (section 189(2) of the Courts Constitution Act). Several states have moved, or are moving, their own transition dates for translators to the end of 2027 as well; Schleswig-Holstein, for example, states that translator authorisations granted before 1 January 2023 lapse at the end of 2027.

What a certified translation in Germany actually is

A certified translation is a complete translation of a document that a court-authorised translator confirms, in writing, is accurate and complete, signed and stamped. It is the format German registry offices, foreigners’ authorities, courts, universities and recognition bodies usually ask for when a document is not in German.

A typical certified translation consists of:

• a copy of the original document (or a reference to the original that was presented);
• the German translation, following the layout of the original as closely as practical;
• a confirmation note (Bestätigungsvermerk) stating that the translation is correct and complete;
• the translator’s signature and official stamp, usually showing their name, languages, the court that appointed them and their business address.

Foreign seals, stamps and logos are not reproduced; the translator describes them in brackets instead. Multi-page translations are physically bound together, for example by stapling and sealing a folded corner, so pages cannot be swapped.

Who is allowed to certify a translation

Only a translator who has been sworn in, authorised or publicly appointed by a German state court or authority can produce a certified translation that German authorities will accept as standard. A professional translator without that appointment, however skilled, cannot certify.

The title varies by state, which confuses many expats:

Title you may see	Meaning in practice	Typical appointing body
Ermächtigter Übersetzer (authorised translator)	May certify written translations	Landgericht or Oberlandesgericht president
Beeidigter / allgemein beeidigter Übersetzer (sworn translator)	May certify written translations	Landgericht or Oberlandesgericht president
Öffentlich bestellter Übersetzer (publicly appointed translator)	May certify written translations	State court or authority
Allgemein beeidigter Dolmetscher (sworn interpreter)	Spoken interpreting in court and at authorities; not automatically a translator	Sworn under the federal GDolmG since 2023

The key distinction is between a translator (Übersetzer, written documents) and an interpreter (Dolmetscher, spoken language, for example at a notary appointment or in court). Many professionals hold both appointments, but you should check that the person you hire is appointed for written translation in your language pair.

How much a certified translation costs

For private clients there is no fixed national price: sworn translators set their own fees, and most quote a flat rate per document or a rate per standard line. The JVEG rates above are what courts pay, and they are a useful benchmark rather than a legal tariff for private work.

How fees are usually built up:

Cost element	What to expect
Unit of charge	Per standard line (Normzeile) of 55 characters including spaces, per word, or a flat fee per document
Statutory court benchmark	€1.95 per 55 characters (editable source) or €2.15 (paper or scan) since 1 June 2025
Minimum charge	Common in practice; the court scale minimum is €20 per order
Certification surcharge	Some translators include it, some add a separate fee; ask
Additional certified copies	Often charged per extra copy
Postage	The original stamped copy is usually posted; tracked post may be extra
VAT	19% is added unless the translator uses the small-business exemption
Urgency or rare language	Surcharges are common, mirroring the JVEG “particularly difficult” rate

Short standard documents such as birth or marriage certificates are often offered at a fixed price, while degree transcripts, court judgments and contracts are usually priced by length. Because published online prices range widely and change often, we do not quote a single “typical” figure here: request two or three written quotes, and supply a clean, legible scan, since a poor-quality image can push the job into the higher rate.

Which documents expats usually need translated

Most expats need certified translations for civil status records, qualifications and, occasionally, driving or legal documents, but only when the receiving authority actually asks for one. Always check with the authority before ordering, because some accept English documents without translation.

Document	Typically requested by	Translation usually needed?
Birth certificate	Registry office (Standesamt), citizenship authority, family benefits	Usually yes, unless an EU multilingual form is attached
Marriage or divorce certificate	Standesamt, foreigners’ authority (family reunification), tax office	Usually yes
Degree certificates and transcripts	Recognition bodies, Blue Card and skilled-worker visa files, employers	Often yes; some bodies accept English
Professional licences (medicine, nursing, law, teaching)	State recognition authorities	Yes, almost always
Driving licence	Driving licence authority (Fahrerlaubnisbehörde)	Depends on country and format; check locally
Police certificate	Recognition and licensing bodies	Often yes
Court orders, wills, contracts	Courts, notaries, probate courts	Yes

For the visa routes these documents typically support, see our guides to the Germany work visa and the Germany Opportunity Card.

Apostille first, translation second

If your document was issued in the UK or another non-EU country, it usually needs an apostille before it is translated, so the translator can translate the apostille too. Germany and the UK are both parties to the Hague Apostille Convention, which replaced full consular legalisation between them.

Current UK apostille fees from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), per document:

UK legalisation service	Fee per document	Typical turnaround
e-Apostille (for documents that are already digital)	£35	Up to 2 working days
Standard paper service	£45, plus courier or postage	Up to 25 working days, plus delivery
Next-day (registered businesses only)	£40	Next working day
Restricted urgent (registered businesses only)	£100	Same day, by prior approval

For a full pre-move document checklist, see Moving to Germany from the UK: Complete Checklist.

Translations made outside Germany

German authorities generally expect a translation by a translator appointed in Germany, but there is an important exception for EU documents. Under EU Regulation 2016/1191 on public documents, which has applied since 16 February 2019:

• public documents issued in one EU country, such as birth, marriage and residence records, must be accepted in another without an apostille;
• citizens can ask the issuing authority for a multilingual standard form to attach to the document, and the receiving authority can then require a translation only in exceptional circumstances;
• where a certified translation is required, an authority must accept one made in any EU country.

For documents from outside the EU, including the UK and the US, there is no equivalent rule. A translation certified by a translator abroad may be refused, or may need its own apostille. The safest and often cheapest route is a translator appointed by a German court.

How to find and check a sworn translator

Use the official joint database of the German federal states, then confirm the translator’s language pair, appointment and price before sending documents. The states run a common register of court-appointed interpreters and translators at justiz-dolmetscher.de, searchable by language and location, and it is the most reliable way to check that an appointment is current.

A practical checklist:

1. Confirm what the authority needs. Ask whether it wants a certified translation, a certified copy, an apostille, or all three.
2. Search the official register for your language pair (for example English–German) and check that the person is listed as a translator, not only as an interpreter.
3. Ask for a written quote, including VAT, certification, extra copies and postage.
4. Check delivery format. Many authorities still require the original paper translation with a wet-ink stamp; ask whether a digitally signed PDF is accepted.
5. Send a complete, legible copy, including the reverse side and any apostille.
6. Order spare certified copies if several authorities need the same document, since this is usually cheaper than a second order later.

Common mistakes to avoid

The most expensive errors are ordering the wrong format, ordering too early, and paying for translations no one asked for.

• Translating before the apostille is attached. You will need to pay again.
• Using an online agency without a German appointment for a non-EU document. Ask exactly which court appointed the translator who will sign.
• Translating everything “just in case”. Some authorities accept English-language degree certificates or international driving documents. Ask first.
• Relying on an expired appointment. With time-limited oaths and transition deadlines running to the end of 2027, check the official register.
• Sending only the front of a document. Stamps and notes on the reverse must be translated too.
• Assuming a notary can certify a translation. A notary certifies copies and signatures, not translations.

If your translation is part of a wider legal matter, such as an inheritance, a property purchase or a contract, you may also need a lawyer or notary. Our guide to buying property in Germany as a foreigner explains where sworn interpreters come in at the notary appointment.

Frequently asked questions