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Who needs to be certified?
All interpreters who currently work or would like to eventually work within the Pennsylvania judicial system must register and become qualified through the certification program. This includes both foreign language interpreters and sign language interpreters. Interpreters who do not work in legal settings do not need to register or become certified by this program.
What are the certification requirements?
Interpreters who wish to become certified by the Pennsylvania Interpreter Certification Program must complete the following requirements:
1. Registration
All interpreters must register with the court by completing a registration form. You will find the appropriate form in the Registration page of this website. Registration is free and indicates the interpreter’s willingness to become certified according to program guidelines. Only registered interpreters who have attended an orientation workshop, and passed the written and oral examinations can work in the Unified Judicial System. Sign language interpreters must also register with the Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH) within the Department of Labor and Industry of the Commonwealth in compliance with the Sign Language Interpreter and Transliterator State Registration Act, 63 P.S. §1725.1 et. seq., if they hold a RID or NAD certificate.
2. Orientation Workshop
Interpreters must attend a two-day orientation workshop sponsored by the Interpreter Certification Program (ICP). These workshops will be offered in various locations throughout the state. Dates and locations will be announced on the program’s website. Interpreters must register for these workshops by completing the registration form that is available on the Orientation Workshop page. Topics covered in the workshops include interpreting as a profession, a description of the state’s judicial system, ethics and professional development, interpreting skills and modes of interpretation, and preparing for the written and oral examinations. Interpreters will also receive training materials, information about resources, legal glossaries and study tips. These workshops are taught by qualified professional trainers who are federally and RID certified interpreters and possess vast experience in the field of legal interpreting. The cost of the two-day orientation workshop, including all materials is $150 for residents and $175 for non-residents.
3. Written Examination
After completion of the orientation workshops, interpreters are eligible to take the written exam. This exam is designed to measure the candidate’s general English language proficiency, knowledge of court related terms and usage, and familiarity with ethical and professional conduct. The first part of the written exam consists of 135 multiple choice questions. In order to pass the multiple-choice part, 80 percent of the items must be answered correctly. This means the examinee must answer at least 108 of the 135 items correctly. Examinees are allowed two hours and fifteen minutes to complete the multiple-choice part of the test. All candidates, no matter which language they interpret, must take the multiple choice part of the exam. Deaf interpreters are exempt from the ICP written examination but must take the CDI written exam instead.
Candidates who interpret in languages for which there is a full or partial Consortium oral exam (Arabic, Bosnian, Cantonese, Croatian, French, German, Haitian-Creole, Hmong, Italian, Korean, Laotian, Mandarin, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Somali, Spanish, Turkish and Vietnamese), will also have to take and pass a foreign language assessment exercise. This consists of translating ten items from English into the target language. The language assessment is administered the same day, immediately after the multiple choice part of the examination, and will be rated on a pass/not pass basis. Examinees will have forty-five minutes to translate the ten items. Candidates must pass both, the multiple-choice exam and the language assessment.
Examinees who interpret in more than one language for which a full or partial oral exam exits, must take the foreign language assessment for each language. Candidates are advised to take the language assessment in the language in which they are most fluent first. Subsequently, when attempting to become certified in a second language they must take the language assessment for that language before taking the oral exam.
If no full or partial oral exam exists in any of a candidate’s working languages, they do not have to take the foreign language assessment. Sign language interpreters are exempt from taking the language assessment exercise.
The written examination is offered in various locations around the state on specific dates and times which will be announced on the Written Examination page of this website. Interpreters must register separately for this test and the fee is $50 for state residents and $75 for non-residents.
4. Oral Proficiency Examination
Candidates who pass the written exam must then take an oral performance exam. For foreign language interpreters the type and format of this performance test depends on the language they interpret, and whether there is a full, partial, or no oral proficiency exam available in their foreign language. Interpreters who interpret more than one language must be certified in each language. Sign language interpreters are required to provide evidence that they have passed a RID or NAD proficiency test relevant for legal interpreting. For more information about the oral examination, including dates and locations when it is offered, go to the Oral Examination page.
Foreign Language Interpreters:
A. Languages for which there is a full or partial Consortium oral proficiency examination:
Foreign language interpreters for which there is a full or partial Consortium oral proficiency test must take and pass all available parts of the test in order to become certified. For languages where there is only a partial test, the interpreter must pass the available parts and agree to take the remaining parts when available in order to remain certified.
The full oral proficiency exam consists of all three parts: sight translation, consecutive and simultaneous interpretation described below. For languages where there is only a partial exam, one or more of the segments has not yet been developed.
Sight Translation: In sight translation the interpreter is asked to interpret a document from English into the foreign language and another from the foreign language into English. Each document is approximately 225 words in length and the examinee is allowed six minutes to interpret each document.
Consecutive Interpreting: In this portion of the test, the interpreter interprets English language statements into the foreign language and foreign language responses into English. In consecutive interpreting the interpreter must wait until the speaker finishes the utterance before beginning to deliver the interpretation. This is the appropriate type of interpreting for non-English speaking witnesses, and other question and answer situations involving limited English proficient persons. The segments are pre-recorded on a CD and the candidate may ask to have two of the segments repeated.
Simultaneous Interpreting: In this part of the test, the interpreter listens through headphones to a CD recording of a simulated attorney’s opening or closing statement to a judge or jury, a declaratory statement by a judge, or a cross-examination of a witness. The interpreter interprets aloud what he or she hears over the headset. This mode of interpreting simulates many situations interpreters encounter in courtrooms while interpreting for defendants during procedural hearings and trials. The statement is approximately 800 to 850 words in length, is recorded at an approximate speed of 120 words per minute, and is about seven minutes long.
The oral proficiency exams are offered in locations throughout the state. The fees for the oral proficiency examination for foreign language interpreters are $100 for the simultaneous portion and $150 for the consecutive and sight portions for state residents and $125 for the simultaneous and $175 for the consecutive and sight portions non-residents.
B. Languages for which there is no Consortium oral proficiency test:
In order to demonstrate linguistic proficiency, interpreters of foreign languages for which there is no full or partial Consortium oral proficiency test must comply with one or more of the following requirements:
Pass an Oral Proficiency Interview in their foreign language: This is a test in which the candidate’s foreign language skills are evaluated by expert raters during the course of a telephone based interview session. These interviews were developed by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), for evaluating the language communication skills of speakers of foreign languages and are administered by Language Testing International (LTI). There are over 50 languages available and the candidate must perform at the superior level.
Pass an Oral English Proficiency Interview and/or the TOEFL: When a candidate’s English language skills are deemed insufficient, he or she may be asked to take and pass an English proficiency interview at the superior level and/or a Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) at the discretion of the ICP.
Agree to take a full or partial test when available: Interpreters in this category must also agree to take and pass a full or partial oral proficiency exam in their foreign language when available.
The cost of the LTI oral proficiency interview is $143. The candidate travels to a location with secure access to a phone line and after providing a valid picture ID and other verifying information, is placed in a room were the interview is administered over the telephone. The results are reported back to the ICP and the candidate.
Sign Language Interpreters:
After attending the orientation and passing the multiple-choice part of the written exam, in the case of sign language interpreters, or the RID CDI written exam, in the case of deaf interpreters, both must comply with the following requirements in lieu of an oral examination:
A. Be certified by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) or the National Association for the Deaf (NAD).
B. Provide proof of their RID or NAD certifications. Proof shall consist of a copy of their certificates and a valid active membership card, or a letter from RID or NAD certifying the results of the proficiency examination and status.
C. Hold a relevant RID or NAD certificate for legal interpretation as determined by the Court Administrator
There is a $25 fee for sign language interpreters registering their RID or NAD certifications.
5. Pass a Background Check
Once they have satisfactorily completed their oral proficiency requirements, all interpreters will be subject to a background check which will be conducted by the Administrative Office of the Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC).
6. Agree to uphold the Interpreter Code of Ethics
All interpreters will be given a copy of the Pennsylvania Interpreter Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility and will be asked to sign a document stating they will abide by the code.
7. Be at least 18 years of age
Interpreters must agree to provide proof of age if required.
8. Pay any fees required by the Court Administrator
Interpreters must agree to pay all fees required during the course of the certification process and in the future for the renewal of their certification status, future background checks, and any other fees imposed for the completion of any mandated program requirements.
For what languages are there full or partial oral proficiency exams?
Languages for which there is a full exam:
Arabic, Cantonese, French, Haitian-Creole, Hmong, Korean, Laotian, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese
Languages for which there is a partial exam:
Arabic (Levantine and Egyptian Colloquial), Bosnian, Croatian, German, Italian, Polish, Serbian, and Turkish
How will interpreters be classified?
In general, there will be two (2) broad categories: certified and otherwise qualified interpreters. For certification purposes, interpreters will be divided into three (3) groups: 1) those who interpret in a language for which a full or partial Consortium oral proficiency exam exists; 2) those who interpret in a language for which there is no Consortium oral proficiency exam; and 3) sign language and deaf interpreters. The classifications and certification criteria are subject to modification, revision and change based on developments such as the availability of new performance tests, the effectiveness of evaluation tools, reconsideration of the skill level represented by the various types of certification, and other related factors. Therefore, these classifications should not be viewed as definitive or permanent. Especially for those in the otherwise qualified category.
1. The table below summarizes the classification for interpreters working in a foreign language for which there is a full or partial proficiency test:
|
CRITERIA
|
CLASSIFICATION |
|
Certified |
Otherwise Qualified |
|
Master |
Certified |
Qualified |
Conditional |
|
Written Exam |
85% or higher |
80% or higher |
80% or higher |
80% or higher |
|
Simultaneous |
85% or higher |
70% or higher |
60% or higher |
50% or higher |
|
Consecutive |
85% or higher |
70% or higher |
60% or higher |
50% or higher |
|
Sight
(Eng./FL) |
85% or higher average but no lower than 80% in each part |
70% or higher average but no lower than 65% in each part |
60% or higher average but no lower than 55% in each part |
50% or higher |
|
Sight
(FL/Eng.) |
85% or higher average but no lower than 80% in each part |
70% or higher average but no lower than 65% in each part |
60% or higher average but no lower than 55% in each part |
50% or higher |
2. The next table summarizes the classification for interpreters working in a foreign language for which there is no oral proficiency test:
|
CRITERIA
|
CLASSIFICATION |
|
Otherwise Qualified |
|
Registered |
Conditional |
|
Written Exam |
80% or higher |
80% or higher |
|
Oral Proficiency Interview |
Superior Level |
No Oral Proficiency Interview available |
|
English Oral Proficiency Test |
Superior Level
(if necessary) |
Superior Level
(if necessary) |
|
TOEFL
(written test) |
If necessary |
If necessary |
|
Other |
Pass oral proficiency test in their language when available |
Pass oral proficiency test in their language when available |
3. Sign language interpreters and interpreters for the deaf will be classified as follows:
|
CRITERIA
|
CLASSIFICATION |
|
Certified |
Otherwise Qualified |
|
Master |
Certified |
Qualified |
Registered |
|
Written Exam |
85% or higher |
80% or higher |
80% or higher |
80% or higher |
|
RID
Certification |
SC/L |
CI/CT, CDI, CLIP-R, CSC, NIC |
CI or CT,
or any other relevant |
Any other relevent RID certificate |
|
NAD Certification |
None |
NAD V |
NAD IV |
Any other relevant NAD certificate |
|
Register with ODHH |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Only if holding a RID or NAD certification |
|
Attempt to obtain relevant legal certificate |
Not applicable |
As necessary |
As necessary |
As necessary |
|
Provide evidence of certification |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
How will the oral proficiency examination be administered?
Interpreters in languages for which there is a full oral proficiency exam will first take the simultaneous part of the test. After passing the simultaneous, they will sit for the consecutive and sight portions at a subsequent date. Once they pass the simultaneous, they must take the consecutive and the sight portions of the exam within one year from the date in which they took and passed the simultaneous portion. Interpreters will be allowed to carry the score of any portions of the test they have passed for a maximum of two years. The same version of the test can be taken a maximum of two times and the test cannot be repeated more than once in a ten month period.
Interpreters in languages for which there is only a partial test, will take the simultaneous portion first if one exists. If no simultaneous exists, they will take whatever portions are available, either the consecutive or the sight or both. The scores of any portion passed can be carried for a maximum of two years. The same version of the test can be taken a maximum of two times and the test cannot be repeated more than once in a ten month period.
If I fail any part of the oral proficiency exam, can I take it again?
Interpreters who fail the simultaneous part may retake the test again at any time. However, it is recommended that they allow themselves at least six to eight months to practice and develop their skills before attempting to retake the test. If after passing the simultaneous the interpreter fails either the consecutive or the sight portions, they must retake whichever part they failed within one year. Interpreters must pass all three parts of the proficiency exam within one testing cycle which is the equivalent of two years from the date in which they passed the simultaneous. The testing cycle requirement is not triggered until the candidate passes the simultaneous portion.
Interpreters in languages for which there is only a partial exam must also complete the remaining parts within one testing cycle after passing the simultaneous test when there is one for the language they interpret. If no simultaneous exists, they must take whatever parts are available within one testing cycle. The testing cycle requirement is not triggered until the candidate passes at least one part of whichever parts of the proficiency exam are available for them to take.
Do I have to renew my certification?
After becoming certified, all interpreters must renew their certification every two (2) years from the date of their original certification. Their anniversary is the date in which the interpreter completed all certification requirements and was placed on the roster.
What are the renewal requirements?
In order to renew their certification every two years, all interpreters must:
1. Complete sixteen (16) continuing education units within the two-year compliance period. This can be accomplished by taking training or skill development workshops sponsored by institutes and professional organizations; by taking academic courses in accredited colleges or universities in areas relevant to court interpreting; by presenting as faculty in courses, workshops or seminars on topics related to interpreting such as skill building, ethics, and professional issues; or by teaching an academic course in an accredited college or university on a subject related to courts, legal interpreting, or their language of expertise. All CE units must be approved in advance by the program administrator.
2. All interpreters must also undergo a new background check when applying for renewal of their certification. Interpreters that have been found guilty of a major felony or crime will be denied renewal of their credentials. Misdemeanor offenses will be evaluated on a case basis to determine if they constitute a violation of the ethics code.
3. Interpreters should also be in good standing with the program and must not have been subject to any serious disciplinary procedures for violations of the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct or the disciplinary policy within Pennsylvania or another jurisdiction.
4. Pay the $25 renewal fee.
Will Pennsylvania accept my certification from another Consortium member state?
Any interpreter who has successfully completed all the requirements of the oral proficiency examination administered in accordance with the standards of the Consortium for State Court Interpreter Certification in another Consortium member state may apply for reciprocity. The candidate must have obtained a minimum of 70% in all parts of the oral proficiency exam and obtain a letter from the state’s program manager certifying the results. In addition, he or she must attend the ICP orientation session, pass a background check, agree to uphold the interpreter code of ethics, be at least 18 years old, pay the $25 certification registration fee, and comply with the continued education requirements in order to renew their certification every two years.
Will Pennsylvania accept the Federal and NAJIT certifications?
Interpreters holding either the Federal Court Interpreter credential or the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT) certification will be granted reciprocity under the same conditions explained above with regard to other Consortium member states. They also must attend the ICP orientation session, pass a background check, agree to uphold the interpreter code of ethics, be at least 18 years old, pay the certification registration fee, and comply with the continued education requirements in order to renew their certification every two years.
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