Sworn translations
At Tradupla, we have at our disposal a large portfolio of certified translators in all languages, recognized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. All of our translators have years of experience in translation, and also have additional training in law and other specializations within the legal field.
At our translation company, we are able to offer very competitive pricing due to the high volume of documents we translate on a daily basis. Our translators offer us a special rate in order to receive steady assignments from law firms and international companies.
Your clients need certified translations in order to do business internationally, and finding a freelance translator that you can really trust can be time-consuming. That’s why translation agencies like Tradupla exist, that specialize in certified translations. We take care of selecting the certified translator best suited to the needs of the assignment, and we pledge to deliver the certified translation in digital and physical format within the established timeline.
A sworn translation is, as its name suggests, a translation carried out by a translator/interpreter who swears that the translation is accurate. They must be recognized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This translation is officially valid before any public body. Only an official sworn translator can sign, seal and swear that the said translation is accurate.
Academic records, university diplomas, judicial decisions, national ID cards/passports, criminal record/marriage/death/birth/civil status/employment certificates, medical reports, registrations, notarial certificates, contracts, deeds, certificates and driving licenses are examples of documents that require a sworn translation.
What Types of Documents Require an Official Translation?
Academic reports, university degrees, court rulings, ID cards or passports, background checks, marriage, death, birth, and marital status certificates, marriage certificates, birth certificates, death certificates, work permits, medical reports, registration cards, notarial deeds, contracts, titles, certificates, public deeds, drivers licenses, these are some examples of documents that require a certified translation.
What is a Certified, Sworn, or Official Translator?
A certified or sworn translator (or interpreter) is a professional authorised by the MAEC in Spain, a Court of Justice in France, or another relevant body in their respective country to translate and certify official documents. While a sworn translator can certify any type of document, they typically work with official and legal texts.
These professionals translate the document and attach a copy of the original to the translation. Both the source and target documents must be stamped, signed, and dated by the official translator. The translated document is a faithful and legally valid copy of the original, which can be submitted to public institutions in both countries.
Not everyone fluent in two languages can provide official certified translations. While they may be able to translate the content, their translation would not have legal validity.
Only a sworn translator, recognised in both the source and target countries, can certify a translation.
What is an Official or Certified Translation?
A certified translation is a translation that has been legally certified by a sworn translator/interpreter recognised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This type of translation carries official legitimacy before any public institution. Only a sworn translator has the authority to sign, stamp, and certify these translations.
Certified Translation Prices
You’ve probably wondered, how much does a certified translation cost? Well, it’s not a simple question to answer—it depends on several factors, such as the language pair and the target country.
The first thing to know is that translations are typically priced per word. It may sound unusual, but it’s actually an effective way to calculate costs. For common language pairs involving Spanish, rates generally start at €0.05 per word—but don’t get too excited, as this applies to general translations.
For certified translations, prices are higher. A certified English<>Spanish translator, for example, may charge €0.08 per word or more. The real challenge comes with less common languages—if the combination does not include Spanish, prices can skyrocket. Need a certified English to Japanese translation? Expect to pay around €0.20 per word.
The reality is that finding a certified translator can be a tedious process. Many people try to save money by searching for the cheapest sworn translator, only to find that the ones they contact have retired, found other work, or no longer accept freelance jobs. Call after call, unanswered emails… all while the deadline looms.
Certified Translation Rates: Other Fun Facts
To achieve flawless results with documents that require specialist skills, you can’t just hire anyone. Certified translation rates are set by each translator or interpreter individually.
Are Certified Translation Prices Regulated?
Yes, to some extent. Article 12 of the MAEC’s Office of Interpretation of Languages regulations states that each professional in the translation field is free to set their own prices.
Rates are usually determined by the number of documents or word count, as well as the complexity of the subject matter. Prices are decided on a case-by-case basis, with a summary provided based on the agreed terms.
Some certified translators charge per page—some €25, others €40. Most also have a minimum fee per document—for example, charging per word for an ID card translation wouldn’t be viable. In common language pairs like English<>Spanish, the cost typically ranges between €30 and €35 per page. However, these figures are just guidelines, as final pricing depends on the translator and urgency.
Why Do Certified Translation Prices Vary?
In any translation company, you’ll find a wide range of prices depending on the language combination. Some languages are simply more expensive to translate than others due to supply and demand—a certified translation into English won’t cost the same as one into Dutch, and let’s not even talk about Chinese…
Factors that influence pricing include:
✅ Language pair
✅ Availability of certified translators
✅ Document complexity & volume
Direct, Inverse & Certified Bridge Translations
Another factor that affects certified translation rates is whether the translation is direct or inverse.
Direct translation: From the native language of the country where the service is contracted into another language.
Inverse translation: From a foreign language into the native language—this tends to be more expensive.
In Spain, only certified translators accredited by the MAEC are authorised to certify translations.
If a document does not contain the country’s official language, a certified bridge translation may be required. For instance, an English to German certified translation might first require an English to Spanish translation by a sworn translator, followed by a Spanish to German certified translation by another professional. This double process increases costs.
But don’t worry—Tradupla doesn’t rely on bridge translations. We work with certified translators worldwide, ensuring direct certified translations in most language combinations.
Why Do Certified Translations Cost More Than Other Translations?
The answer is simple: only a professional authorised by the MAEC can carry out a certified translation. This guarantees that the translated text is a faithful and legally valid copy of the original.
Other types of translations can be completed by non-sworn translators and sent digitally. However, certified translations are only valid in hard copy format, with the corresponding stamp and signature. That said, once scanned, the PDF version is also legally valid.
Certified Translators in Spain
If you’re looking for certified translators or sworn interpreters in Spain, you don’t need to find one in Madrid or Barcelona. Thanks to digitalisation, we can provide sworn translations from anywhere in Spain—Seville, Córdoba, Alicante, Madrid, Barcelona, Badajoz, León, and beyond.
✅ You’ll receive a fully valid digital copy in PDF format.
✅ The original certified document will be sent to you by post.
If you need a sworn French-Spanish or English-Spanish translator, you’ll find plenty in Spain. But if you require certified translations in German, Italian, or any other language combination, just ask!
At Tradupla, as a global translation company, we provide professional sworn translation and interpretation services for a wide range of languages.