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Certified German translation — who may issue it and where it is accepted.

Certified German translation from a sworn, court-authorised translator is accepted by authorities and courts across the German-speaking market — Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Certificates start at €59 per document; running text is US$1.05 per standard line, both at a binding fixed price. Every translation carries a signed certification statement matching your names to your passport. Certification and shipping are included.

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Sworn, court-authorised German ⇄ English translators (§142 (3) ZPO) · English to German and German to English · certification statement recognised nationwide · binding fixed price incl. shipping

DIN EN ISO 17100registered · Reg. 7U517
Recognised nationwideSection 142 (3) ZPO
Price up frontfixed price incl. shipping
24-hour expresswhere feasible

In short

What certification actually attests — accuracy, completeness, a signed statement.

Reviewed by specialists · termbase editorial team

A certified translation confirms the accuracy and completeness of a document against its original — whichever way it runs: English to German so a foreign document is accepted in the German-speaking market, German to English for use abroad. It is produced by a sworn, court-authorised translator (in German, ermächtigter Übersetzer) and carries a certification statement, stamp and signature — so it is accepted by authorities, courts and universities, whether the document is a civil-status record or an academic certificate.

Whether it is accepted in the individual case is decided by the receiving office. We check its formal requirements in advance — whether a particular form, the original or an apostille is needed — and, if an office raises a formal objection within the agreed scope, we correct it free of charge.

Who it's for

Standesamt, Ausländerbehörde, ZAB or court — when certification is required.

Most people reach this page because an office in Germany has asked for a foreign-language document in German — or a document from Germany for use abroad. A certified translation covers both.

Standesamt, Ausländerbehörde and a naturalisation file

Birth, marriage and death certificates, certificates of good conduct and registration certificates for the registry office (Standesamt), the immigration office or a naturalisation file — issued abroad, they need a certified German translation with names transferred exactly as in your passport.

Degree recognition: ZAB, ENIC-NARIC, universities and employers

School and university diplomas, transcripts and reference letters that a credential-evaluation body (ZAB / ENIC-NARIC), a university or an employer requires as a certified translation before a foreign qualification can be recognised.

German contracts, powers of attorney and rulings — often with an apostille

German certificates, contracts, powers of attorney and rulings that have to be presented to an authority, court or partner in another country — in certified form, and often with an apostille that the competent authority issues on the original.

Courts, notaries and commercial-register extracts

Commercial-register extracts, contracts and court decisions where legal terminology, dates and stamps have to be precise. We assign a translator authorised for the language and field you actually need.

Step by step

Four steps from your scan to the stamped original.

The same four steps apply whether the receiving office is a registry office, an immigration authority or a court abroad. Knowing them in advance is what keeps a submission from being sent back for a formality.

1 · Send a scan — front, back, stamps and marginal notes

Upload a clear scan or photo of the original. The translator works from what the office will see — front and back, stamps, seals and marginal notes included.

2 · A binding fixed price and a deadline, from US$1.05 per line

After a brief review you receive a binding fixed price and a deadline. Standard certificates are usually a flat fee per document; longer texts are priced per standard line, from US$1.05.

3 · An authorised translator certifies to Section 142 (3) ZPO

A sworn, authorised translator renders the text, matches every name to your passport, and adds the certification statement, stamp and signature required under Section 142 (3) ZPO.

4 · Advance PDF, stamped original by post

You receive an advance PDF and the signed, stamped original by post — the form most authorities require for the file.

Who may certify

Who may certify: an ermächtigter Übersetzer authorised by a Regional Court.

In Germany, only someone empowered to do so: a translator authorised (in German ermächtigt, regionally also called beeidigt, vereidigt or öffentlich bestellt) by a Regional or Higher Regional Court. The label varies from one federal state to the next, but it means the same court-conferred authority. For written documents the correct term is a sworn, authorised translator; "sworn/appointed interpreter" strictly refers to spoken interpreting. Austria and Switzerland each run their own system, with their own authorising body — see the comparison below.

That authority is valid nationwide under Section 142 (3) ZPO — you do not need a translator from your own federal state. In legal terms the result is an "attested translation" (Section 142 (3) ZPO). We assign your document to a person authorised for the target language, following the DIN EN ISO 17100 process with a second-person revision.

24,845 people are currently listed in the official interpreter and translator register of the German judicial authorities — court authorisation is a clearly defined qualification, not a claim. (Source: Landesjustizverwaltungen, as of 6 August 2026.)

Which office requires what

Which office wants what: Standesamt, Ausländerbehörde, ZAB, driving-licence authority.

Whether a certified translation is enough or an apostille is also needed depends on the document, the requesting authority and the destination country. This is the overview we work from — in case of doubt, the requesting authority decides.

Which authority requires a certified translation and when an apostille is also needed
DocumentTypical authorityCertified translation?Apostille for use abroad?
Birth, marriage, death certificateRegistry office (Standesamt)Yes — authorised translatorOften — from the issuing office
Residence permit, visa, citizenshipImmigration office (Ausländerbehörde)YesRarely (domestic use)
School / university diploma (recognition)Credential evaluation (ZAB / ENIC-NARIC)YesDepends on country / university
Driving licence (exchange)Driving-licence authorityYes (usually)No
Certificate of good conduct (abroad)Destination authority abroadYesYes — via the competent authority
Commercial register, contracts, rulingsCourt / notaryYesDepends on country
Germany · Austria · Switzerland

Section 142 (3) ZPO, § 14 SDG and cantonal notarial law compared.

termbase covers all three — the certifying authority, the legal basis and what a German, Austrian or Swiss office expects are not the same. Compare them before you order.

How a certified translation is produced and recognised — Germany, Austria and Switzerland compared
 GermanyAustriaSwitzerland
Certified byA translator authorised by a German court (ermächtigter Übersetzer)A court-sworn translator (allgemein beeideter und gerichtlich zertifizierter Dolmetscher)Notarisation — a notary confirms the translator's signature and identity
Legal basis§ 142 (3) ZPO§ 14 SDGCantonal notarial law (no federal sworn-translator statute)
Typically recognised byStandesamt, Ausländerbehörde, ZAB, German courtsAustrian courts and authorities, ENIC-NARIC AustriaSwiss authorities, Zivilstandsamt, courts, swissuniversities
ApostilleOn request, where the document is used abroadOn request, where the document is used abroadOn request, where the document is used abroad
PriceBinding fixed price, incl. certification & shippingBinding fixed price, incl. certification & shippingBinding fixed price on request, incl. certification & shipping

termbase issues no apostilles itself; the competent court or authority in the country of origin does. We advise which of your documents need one.

Apostille first, then the translation — the order that saves a second round

If your destination requires an apostille, the order matters: first the apostille on the original (or the certified copy), then the translation — including the apostille text. Translating first and apostillising afterwards often means the apostille has to be translated in a second round. The apostille itself is issued by the competent court or authority — termbase does not issue apostilles. It replaces the more cumbersome legalisation among the signatory states of the Hague Apostille Convention; China joined in November 2023. We check in advance what your destination country requires.

Two shortcuts are worth knowing before you order. Between EU member states, Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 abolishes the apostille for many civil-status documents (birth, marriage, life certificates) and offers multilingual standard forms that can remove the need for a translation altogether. For documents from outside the Hague Apostille Convention, full legalisation through the German mission abroad may apply instead. The receiving office decides which route applies — we check with you before anything is ordered.

Germany · Austria · Switzerland

Your documents, by destination.

The certifying translator, the required documents and the apostille route are not the same in every country — see what applies to yours.

Accepted in Germany.

US documents we translate for German authorities.

  • US birth & marriage certificate (state Vital Records / Department of Health) — for the Standesamt and the Ausländerbehörde (residence, family reunion). To marry in Germany, US citizens no longer need a translated certificate of no impediment — since 2021 an affidavit sworn at the Standesamt replaces it.
  • FBI Identity History Summary — for the Ausländerbehörde and employers in regulated professions.
  • US degrees & transcripts — for the EU Blue Card and recognition you need an anabin H+ rating or a ZAB statement of comparability; physicians reach Approbation through the competent Kammer.
  • Certificate of Incorporation / Good Standing (Secretary of State) — for the German Handelsregister, notaries and business partners.

Do you need an apostille?

Yes — and the US has no single apostille office. The US is outside the EU, so your document needs an apostille. State-issued documents (birth and marriage certificates, notarised documents) are apostilled by the Secretary of State of the issuing state; federal documents such as the FBI Identity History Summary are apostilled by the US Department of State in Washington. Some states (e.g. New York) require county-clerk pre-certification first. termbase issues no apostilles, but advises which office applies to your document.

Accepted in Austria.

US documents we translate for Austrian authorities.

  • US birth & marriage certificate (state Vital Records / Department of Health) — for the Standesamt and, for a residence-title application, MA 35 in Vienna or the Bezirkshauptmannschaft elsewhere (the asylum and immigration-enforcement authority does not handle first-instance residence permits).
  • FBI Identity History Summary — for MA 35/the Bezirkshauptmannschaft and employers in regulated professions.
  • US degrees & transcripts — recognition of qualifications runs via ENIC-NARIC Austria and the competent chamber.
  • Certificate of Incorporation / Good Standing (Secretary of State) — for the Austrian Firmenbuch, notaries and business partners.

Do you need an apostille?

Yes — and the US has no single apostille office. The US is outside the EU, so your document needs an apostille. State-issued documents (birth and marriage certificates, notarised documents) are apostilled by the Secretary of State of the issuing state; federal documents such as the FBI Identity History Summary are apostilled by the US Department of State in Washington. termbase issues no apostilles, but advises which office applies to your document.

Accepted in Switzerland.

US documents we translate for Swiss authorities.

  • US birth & marriage certificate (state Vital Records / Department of Health) — for the Zivilstandsamt and the cantonal migration office / SEM.
  • FBI Identity History Summary — for the cantonal migration office and employers in regulated professions.
  • US degrees & transcripts — academic recognition runs via swissuniversities; regulated professions go to the competent Swiss authority.
  • Certificate of Incorporation / Good Standing (Secretary of State) — for the Swiss commercial register (Handelsregister), notaries and business partners.

Do you need an apostille?

Yes. Switzerland is not in the EU, so a US document needs an apostille. The US has no single apostille office: state-issued documents (birth and marriage certificates, notarised documents) are apostilled by the Secretary of State of the issuing state; federal documents such as the FBI Identity History Summary by the US Department of State in Washington. termbase issues no apostilles, but advises which office applies.

In the German-speaking market a certified translation is accepted, or it is sent back — there is no half-way.

Two decades. Millions of certified words. A standing network of sworn, court-authorised German ⇄ English translators whose certifications are recognised by authorities, courts and universities across Germany, Austria and Switzerland — and if an office objects within the agreed scope, we correct it free of charge.

Form & recognition

The certification statement: accuracy, completeness, place, date, position, stamp.

Reviewed by specialists · termbase editorial team

The certification statement is not free text — it is shaped by law. Section 142 (3) ZPO requires the translator to certify the accuracy and completeness of the translation and to give the place, the date and their position; the statement must be signed and stamped. In this form, the translation is presumed correct and complete — with counter-evidence still admissible.

If one of these details is missing, it is not a cosmetic flaw: registry, probate and civil-status offices reject the document and the process starts over. We check every statement before delivery against Section 142 (3) ZPO and against the requirements of the court that granted the authorisation — because the stamp wording and certification formula differ from one federal state to the next. Stamps, marginal notes, apostille text and handwritten additions are translated too; a translation that renders only the running text is an incomplete document.

Common pitfalls

Five reasons a registry office sends it back — passport spelling first.

Most rejections have nothing to do with the quality of the language and everything to do with form. These are the recurring reasons a submission comes back — and how a sworn, authorised translation avoids them.

Why certified translations are rejected and how termbase prevents it
PitfallWhy it goes wrongHow termbase solves it
Name spelled differently than in the passportTransliteration from Arabic, Cyrillic or another script is improvised, so the translated name diverges from the ID — and the document is refused.Names are transliterated by the rules and matched exactly to your passport spelling, character for character.
Not a sworn, authorised translatorA fluent friend or an online tool produces the text; it carries no certification statement and is not admissible under Section 142 (3) ZPO.Every certified job is done by a translator authorised by a German court, with stamp, signature and certification statement.
Stamps, seals and back page omittedOnly the front is translated; the office cannot see the seal or the marginal notes it needs to verify.The whole document is rendered — including stamps, seals, apostilles and handwritten notes — described where they cannot be reproduced.
Missing apostille or legalisationThe translation is perfect but the underlying foreign document was never authenticated, so it has no legal footing.We flag in advance whether an apostille or legalisation is required and translate it too once you obtain it.
Only a PDF, no hard copyMany offices keep the stamped paper original for the file; a screen copy is not enough.You receive an advance PDF and the signed, stamped hard copy by post as standard.

The rule behind all five: form decides, not fluency

A certified translation is a legal act, not just a language service. It succeeds when the form is right: the correct translator, the whole document, passport-matched names, the right authentication and a physical original. Get those right and the content takes care of itself.

Use cases

Three commissions: a Standesamt file, a degree recognition, a contract set.

Document type, target country and the requesting office decide the terminology and the form of certification. Three common jobs — from the starting point to the result.

Registry office & family

Birth and marriage certificate for the Standesamt

Starting point
For a marriage or naturalisation, a foreign civil-status certificate is needed in German — with the name in its original spelling.
Process
An authorised translator renders the certificate and transfers the name exactly as in the passport; the certification statement makes it ready for the office.
Result
A certified translation the registry office accepts, its name spelling identical to the ID — no follow-up query.

Recognition & careers

Diploma and transcript for a credential-evaluation body

Starting point
A professional applies to a German employer or a credential-evaluation body and needs a diploma, transcript and reference letters rendered accurately.
Process
Degrees, subjects and titles stay in the original with an explanatory equivalent; terminology is handled by a specialist in the field.
Result
Documents an evaluation body can place correctly — without misrepresenting a foreign qualification.

Law & trade

Contract and power of attorney, with the apostille text translated

Starting point
A German company signs a contract with a foreign partner; legal form, deadlines and terminology must be precise — and an apostille is often required first.
Process
The apostille goes on the original, then the certified translation includes the apostille text; a legal specialist checks the terminology.
Result
A contract that is legally readable abroad without replacing German legal institutions with foreign ones.

24-hour express

Certified translations in 24 hours: what the clock actually starts on.

When a deadline is tight, a 24-hour express certified translation is possible after we confirm feasibility. You receive the certified translation digitally as a PDF within 24 hours; the signed and stamped original follows by post. For larger volumes we coordinate teams so the deadline still holds.

The clock is honest: the 24-hour deadline starts once the documents are complete, we have confirmed feasibility, you have placed the order and the payment condition is met. The postal run is separate from the digital completion. Whether the digital PDF alone is enough or the paper original is required is decided by the receiving office — we clarify that with you in advance.

Rare languages are the exception: for them, availability of an authorised translator — not the price — is the limiting factor. We check availability before promising a date and say so openly when a language needs lead time. Certified German ⇄ English translation

Quote & price

What a certified translation costs — from US$1.05 per standard line.

We review volume, field, language direction and file condition and name a binding fixed price. Standard certificates are usually a flat fee per document; longer texts are priced per standard line — certification, advance PDF and postal delivery included.

Binding fixed price
from US$1.05 / standard linestandard certificates at a flat fee per document
Price up front · no unannounced extra costs
Professional translation✓included
Certification by an authorised translator✓included
Advance PDF✓included
Postal delivery of the original✓included
Quality assurance & final check✓included

A standard line is 55 characters incl. spaces; the exact fixed price depends on volume, field, language combination, file condition and deadline. A required apostille is issued by the competent court or authority and is not part of our service. How the price is made up →

Request a quote

FAQ

Questions people ask before ordering a certified translation.

Do I need a certified translation?

In most cases yes: authorities, registry offices and courts accept foreign-language documents almost exclusively as a certified translation by a sworn, authorised translator. For private use a standard translation is often enough — we tell you which you need before you order.

Which translators may certify for a German authority?

Only a translator authorised (in German ermächtigt, regionally also beeidigt) by a Regional or Higher Regional Court. That personal authority is conferred under Section 142 (3) ZPO and is valid nationwide — you do not need a translator from your own federal state.

What has to appear on a certified translation?

The certification statement is prescribed by law: a confirmation of accuracy and completeness, the place and date, the translator's position (authorised by which court, for which language) and their signature and stamp. If one is missing, registry, probate and civil-status offices reject the document — we check every statement against Section 142 (3) ZPO before delivery.

Do I also need an apostille?

Sometimes, for use abroad. The apostille confirms the authenticity of the original and is issued by the competent court or authority — termbase does not issue apostilles. We advise whether your destination country requires one and deliver the translation in a recognisable form.

Is a translation certified in my home country accepted here?

Not automatically. A German authority generally requires a translation certified by a translator authorised in Germany. One certified abroad may need an apostille on the certification itself, or may not be accepted at all — check with the receiving office before you order.

What does a certified translation cost?

Standard certificates are usually a flat fixed price per document; longer texts are priced per standard line (55 characters incl. spaces) from US$1.05. Certification, the advance PDF and postal delivery are included. We name the exact price after a brief review. How the price is calculated →

How fast can I get it — is there a 24-hour express?

After we confirm feasibility, digital completion within 24 hours is possible. The deadline starts once documents, our confirmation, your order and payment are complete; the postal run is separate. You receive the PDF in advance and the sealed original by post.
In the US a certified translation is the translator's own statement, and a notary seal on it only confirms who signed. A German office is looking for a translator a court has authorised. Two different things wearing the same name.
★★★★★

Jordan Whitaker · Austin · documents for a German authority

Documents

By document type: certificates, resumes, residence permits.

By document

German certificate translationCV translation into GermanNotarized residence permit translationGerman translator for spouse visa documents

Next

Where to go next with a certificate, a thesis or a court document.

By field

German express translationGerman medical device translatorGerman interpreter bookingEnglish to German text translation

Also translated

Official German marriage certificate translationOfficial German birth certificate translationCertified German criminal record translation

By service

English to German translatorGerman translation companyGerman legal translatorGerman medical translator

Work with us

Become an authorised German translator: C2, a field, a court authorisation.

Our certified translations are accepted by German authorities without queries because native-speaker specialists produce them — people who bring, beyond the language, German at C2 level, a proven specialist field, and court authorisation granted under the law of a German federal state (Land). If that describes you, we work continually with authorised translators, employed or freelance.

The path

German at C2, plus a field you can defend

A second native language is your starting capital; the market rewards what you build on top. German at C2 — the level at which you read a German ruling or medical report without hesitation — is the real gate, because certified work means rendering official German with precision, not just understanding it. Add a field you can defend (law, medicine, technology, finance) and its terminology. That combination, not language alone, is what a registry office or a court actually relies on.

Why it holds up

Authorisation at the Landgericht — and work machines do not take over

For certified translations you apply to the competent Regional Court (Landgericht) to be authorised under the law of a German federal state (Land); under Section 142 (3) ZPO such a translation counts as correct and complete once the translator certifies it. And certified documents are exactly where a specialist earns their place: names, dates, place and authority names, stamps and marginal notes are where precision prevents the errors that would otherwise cause rejection — and the confirmation of accuracy is signed at the end by a person, under their own name.

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