What Is a Sworn Translation in Germany?

Who Can Make a Sworn Translation?

Only a translator with an official authorisation from a German state can certify a translation for German offices. Germany has 16 states, and each state has its own rules. In most states, the president of a Landgericht (regional court) or an Oberlandesgericht (higher regional court) grants it. In a few states, another state authority is responsible.

That is why the German titles differ. You may read:

• beeidigter Übersetzer (sworn translator)
• ermächtigter Übersetzer (authorised translator)
• öffentlich bestellter Übersetzer (officially appointed translator)

All three mean the same thing in practice. Before the authorisation, the translator must prove professional language skills, usually including legal terminology, and personal reliability. The translator must also keep your documents confidential.

Interpreters and translators are not the same. Since 1 January 2023, the federal Gerichtsdolmetschergesetz (Court Interpreters Act) covers interpreters who speak in court. Translators of written documents are still authorised under state law.

Valid throughout Germany. German civil procedure law (§ 142(3) ZPO) refers to a translator authorised "in a state" (in einem Land). So a translator authorised in Bavaria can translate for your office in Berlin or Hamburg. A sworn translation is valid throughout Germany. The office makes the final decision.

What a Beglaubigte Übersetzung Contains

A sworn translation is more than German text. It has fixed parts that make it official:

1. 1The full translation. Every part of the page is translated: text, stamps, seals, handwritten notes and margins. Signatures and logos are described in brackets, for example "[Signature]" or "[Round stamp: Registrar of Births]".
2. 2The certification note (Bestätigungsvermerk). The translator confirms that the translation is complete and correct.
3. 3The source. The note usually says whether the translator worked from the original, a certified copy or a scan.
4. 4Place and date. § 142(3) ZPO says the certificate should state the place and date of the translation.
5. 5The translator's status. For example "translator for English, authorised by the President of the Landgericht [city]".
6. 6Signature and stamp. The translator signs by hand (or with a QES, see below). Many states also require a stamp.

A typical certification note reads like this (wording varies by state):

"Die Richtigkeit und Vollständigkeit der vorstehenden Übersetzung aus der englischen Sprache wird bescheinigt." ("I certify that the above translation from English is correct and complete.")

Often the translation is attached to a copy of your document, so the office sees both together. Names follow strict rules. A sworn translator renders names exactly as on your document. If your passport spelling differs, it goes into a translator's note.

Sworn vs Certified Translation in Germany (and Notarised)

People moving between countries often mix these three terms. They are different things:

Certified (UK and US). In the UK, a translator or company adds a signed statement that the translation is accurate, with date, name and contact details. USCIS in the US asks for a statement that the translator is competent and the translation is complete and accurate. Nobody officially appoints these translators.

Notarised. In many countries, "notarised translation" usually means that a notary certified the translator's signature or affidavit. The notary does not check the translation. In Germany, a notary certifies signatures and copies. A German notary does not translate your documents.

Why a Translation Made in Your Home Country Is Usually Not Enough

Many people already have a translation from home: a Turkish translation with a notary stamp, a Ukrainian or Russian one certified by a local notary, an Arabic one from Damascus or Baghdad, or an Indian one with an affidavit. German offices usually ask for a new one. Here is why:

• German law lets an office ask for a translation by a sworn or officially appointed translator (§ 23 VwVfG). Court rules refer to translators authorised under German state law (§ 142(3) ZPO).
• The office cannot check a translator from abroad in any German register.
• A notary stamp from abroad confirms a signature, not the quality of the translation.

The law also allows translators "of equal standing" (gleichgestellt). But the office decides this case by case, so do not rely on it. A new sworn translation made in Germany is the safer choice. Check your letter.

Translation is not verification. A sworn translation shows what your document says. It does not prove that the document itself is genuine. That is a separate step, and it depends on the issuing country:

How to Check a Beeidigter Übersetzer on justiz-dolmetscher.de

You do not have to trust a website. You can check any translator yourself:

1. 1Open justiz-dolmetscher.de, the joint database of the German state justice administrations.
2. 2Search by the translator's name, city or language.
3. 3Compare the entry with the name, language and court on your translation.

Digital Sworn Translation (QES) or Paper Original

A sworn translation can be paper or digital:

• Paper: signed by hand and stamped. You receive the PDF first and the signed original by post.
• Digital: a PDF with a qualified electronic signature (QES). Under EU law (eIDAS Regulation, Art. 25), a QES has the same legal effect as a handwritten signature.

A digital translation is valid only as a file. The signature can only be checked in the file, so a printout is just a copy. Not every office accepts electronic documents yet. Many still ask for the paper original. Choose digital only if your office accepts files by upload or email. Read how our online process works, or see prices for sworn translations.

Beglaubigte Übersetzung vs Beglaubigte Kopie

These two German terms sound alike, but they mean different things:

• Beglaubigte Übersetzung: a sworn translation into German, made by an authorised translator.
• Beglaubigte Kopie (or Abschrift): a certified copy. An authority or a notary confirms that a copy matches the original. Nothing is translated.

Some offices want both: a certified copy of your foreign document plus a sworn translation. Your letter tells you which one you need.

When Will You Need a Sworn Translation?

Many offices in Germany ask for one, whether your papers come from Turkey, Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Russia or India. Common examples:

• Your Einbürgerung document translation for citizenship
• Birth and single status documents for marriage at the Standesamt
• The licence when converting a foreign driving licence. Your Führerscheinstelle decides which translation it accepts.

If your document is already in English, read about English to German sworn translation. You can also browse all translation services or the documents we translate.

Getting it right the first time. Upload every page, front and back. Tell us which office the translation is for. Usually a clear scan or photo is enough. Some offices want the translator to see the original, so check your letter.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sworn Translation in Germany