Requirements for Court Interpreters  

Registered Interpreters*

*only available to those speaking languages
where no Oral Certification Exam exists

Orientation Workshop
Written Exam
Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI)

Certified Interpreters  

Orientation Workshop
Written Exam
Oral Certification Exam

The first step to becoming a Certified or Registered court interpreter is to attend an Orientation Workshop sponsored by the Georgia Commission on Interpreters. This is a two-day, sixteen-hour class that will provide you with all the necessary information to become a successful interpreter in Georgia’s courts. After completing the Orientation, applicants must take and pass the Written Exam. The cost for the Orientation and Written Exam is $250.00 and $275 for out of state residents). Effective March 22, 2007 obtaining Registered status is available only to applicants who are licensed in a language for which there is no Oral Certification Exam. Applicants who meet the criteria of a Registered Interpreter must then complete the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI). The OPI is an interview that is conducted over the phone in both English and the language you wish to interpret. The cost for each exam is $143.00. Depending on the location you choose you may also be asked to pay a small fee to the testing site in order to cover the cost of the long distance phone call. All current Registered Court Interpreters who are licensed in a language for which an Oral Certification Exam exists must take and pass that exam prior to January 1, 2009. All applicants who have taken and passed the English Written Exam prior to February 24, 2007 may seek Registered status, but must take and pass the Oral Certification Exam prior to January 1, 2009. Registered Court Interpreters who are licensed in a language for which there is no Oral Certification Exam will remain in registered status until an exam becomes available. The Oral Certification Exam serves to measure the applicant’s ability to interpret in the language being interpreted as well as in English. The cost of the Exam is $250.00. ($400 for out-of-state residents).

All orientations and exams are administered throughout the calendar year. Applications for these events can be found on the Commission’s website under their respective headings. Please note the deadline requirements for exams and other activities.

 

**For more information on any of the steps necessary to become a Registered or Certified Court Interpreter, please refer to the Program Description.