Who can certify a translation in Germany?

At a glance

Who may certify

Translators sworn or authorised by a German court

How to find one

The official justiz-dolmetscher.de database

What it looks like

Stamp, signature and a completeness declaration

Typical documents

Birth and marriage certificates, diplomas, criminal records

Separate step

Apostille or legalisation of the original document

Accepted from abroad

Sometimes — always confirm with the receiving authority

Certification is about the translator, not the agency

The legal weight comes from the translator's authorisation by a court in Germany. An agency can organise the work, but the stamp and signature on the document have to belong to a sworn translator.

The official federal database at justiz-dolmetscher.de lets you search by language and location, which is the safest way to confirm someone is actually sworn before you pay.

Translation and authentication are two different things

• A certified translation confirms that the German text matches the foreign document.
• An apostille or legalisation confirms that the foreign document itself is genuine.
• Some procedures — naturalisation, marriage, family reunification — ask for both.
• The apostille is issued in the country that produced the document, not in Germany.
• Ask the receiving authority which combination it requires before you commission anything.

Practical points that save money

• Ask whether a translation made abroad is accepted; some authorities accept it, others insist on a translator sworn in Germany.
• Order several copies at once — certified copies are cheaper than a repeat translation.
• Send clean, complete scans, including stamps and reverse sides; partial documents cause partial translations.
• Check spellings of names against your passport before the translation is finalised.

Common mistakes

• Paying for a translation before asking the authority what form it must take.
• Using a translator who is not court-sworn.
• Forgetting the apostille on the original document.
• Having names transliterated differently from the passport spelling.

What happens next

• You receive the translation with stamp and signature, usually with the source document attached.
• You submit it together with the original to the authority that asked for it.
• You keep spare certified copies for the next procedure that needs them.

Related questions

Are translations from my home country accepted?

Sometimes. Some authorities accept a translation certified abroad, others require a translator sworn in Germany. Confirm with the specific office before ordering.

Is a notary the same as a sworn translator?

No. A notary can certify that a copy matches an original; a sworn translator certifies that a translation matches the source text.

Do diplomas need certified translations for recognition?

Recognition procedures usually require translations of the qualification documents. The recognition body states exactly which documents and which form it needs.

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