Frequently Asked Questions About Certification

What does "voluntary" certification mean?

In Virginia, all courts are encouraged to request certified interpreters, as they have proven their competence and skill. However, there is no statutory requirement that only certified interpreters provide language interpretation and translation services.

For languages that are not certifiable through the National Center for State Courts, Virginia offers a “qualified” status. A qualified interpreter has completed the orientation and passed the written exam.

You may register for both the in-person orientation and written exam at the same time. The orientation and written exam are held during the same 2-day period. Orientation is held on day 1 and the morning of day 2, and the written exam is administered on the afternoon of day 2.
Candidates who wish to take the orientation but do not want to take the written exam at the same time can register for the exam at a later date.
Keep in mind that you must pass both the written and oral exams within three years of taking the orientation. Otherwise, you will have to restart the process.

Candidates who have completed orientation and passed the written exam may sign up online for the oral exam. The oral exam is given twice a year. Candidates may not take the oral exam more than once in a 6-month period. Registration is open at announced times for a short period. You can find the schedule here.

Candidates must pass the written exam before registering to take the oral exam. You can take the written exam every six months. You have three years to finish all three steps.

It depends. All three components (orientation, written exam, and oral exam) must be completed within a 3-year period. If you fail the oral exam, you can try again in six months. If you do not complete all three components within a 3-year period, you will have to begin the process again.

Candidates are not required to sit for the oral exam. Candidates who choose not to complete the certification process but do complete the first two components of the can be listed as “qualified” interpreters. They can also decide to wait until they feel well prepared and take the oral exam. However, orientation and written scores are only valid for three years.

With some exceptions, the Commonwealth of Virginia accepts certification components from other states and the federal courts. Please contact the Department of Judicial Services, Office of the Executive Secretary, Supreme Court of Virginia at (804) 371-2424 or email [email protected] to request an evaluation of your status.

Any person who has met the requirements for federal court certification or certification by a state judicial system participating in the State Court Interpreter Certification Consortium administered by the National Center for State Courts, as long as the components meet Virginia certification requirements. Please visit the page on Reciprocity Requirements for more information.

Becoming certified does not mean you are a court employee. Both certified and qualified court interpreters are independent contractors.
Some courts do have assigned staff interpreters and language access assistants. These regular employee positions are advertised through Jobs.Virginia.gov.

Foreign Language Services keeps a list of certified and qualified interpreters. When a court needs an interpreter, the clerk requests an interpreter through FLS. FLS team leads or language access coordinators then contact an interpreter to arrange the assignment.
Although the Judicial Council of Virginia encourages all the state's courts to use certified interpreters where available, using certified interpreters is not required.

Interpreters are independent contractors and so must establish their own taxpayer ID number to be paid by the Supreme Court of Virginia.
Submitting invoices and receiving payment for interpreting services are covered in detail during Orientation.

Compensation of an interpreter appointed by the court is fixed by the court, in accordance with guidelines set by the Judicial Council of Virginia. Current rates and guidelines can be found in Chapter 8 of the Language Access Plan.