Database of translators and interpreters

Generally sworn-in translators and interpreters:

In Berlin, any person may be generally sworn in as an interpreter in the sense of §§ 185,186 Court Constitutional Law who successfully passed the examination for interpreters before a domestic state-certified examination office or university, or successfully passed a foreign interpreters examination recognized as being equivalent by a state-certified German authority, who can document practical work as an interpreter, and who possesses the necessary skills and reliability. The requirement for the successful passing of the interpreter’s examination may be waived if no interpreter’s examination at a state-certified examination office or university is offered for the applied-for language, and if the language skills and qualification for the interpreter’s examination can be documented in other ways.

In Berlin, translators shall be authorized to certify the accuracy and completeness of the translation of any document produced by them in accordance with § 142 Sect. 3 Civil Procedure Code if they have successfully passed the examination for translators before a domestic state-certified examination office or university, or successfully passed a foreign translator’s examination recognized as being equivalent by a state-certified German authority.

The applicants – translators and interpreters – shall not have the necessary qualification if they are not willing or capable to respond on short notice to requests by Berlin courts and attorneys/notaries.

Temporary Services:

In addition, translators and interpreters who are legally domiciled in another member state of the European Union or in another contract state to the Agreement on the European Economic Area to work as a court interpreter or translator or a comparable activity, shall be registered – upon request – in the joint register of translators and interpreters if they wish to work in this capacity in Berlin on a temporary and occasional basis (temporary services) and if they present the necessary documentation. Such registration shall be made under the job description of the state of domicile and shall expire after 5 years unless an application for the respective extension has been filed.

The temporary services of language mediators must be provided under the job description used in the language of the state of domicile for said professional activity. Any mistaken identity with the description of generally sworn-in interpreters and authorized translators must be precluded.

Generally sworn-in translators and interpreters:

To document the requirements, the informal written application for general swearing-in as interpreter and authorization as translator shall be accompanied by the following documents and statements:

1. Certificates (either originals or certified copies) on the successful passing of the examination as interpreter or translator before a state-certified examination office or university of the Federal Republic of Germany, or on the successful passing of an examination abroad which has been recognized as equivalent.
2. for an application for general swearing-in as interpreter only, copies of job references regarding the prior practical work as an interpreter,
3. a brief curriculum vitae,
4. a residence permit for persons who are not citizens of a member state of the European Union, and
5. a statement whether or not and to what extent the revocable, without notice, personal permission exists regarding publication and assessment of personal data in the internet and in automated inquiry procedures.

Inasmuch as the documents specified under items 1 and 2 are available in the foreign language only, the application shall also include a translation produced by an authorized translator.

Temporary services:

Any language mediators who are domiciled in another member state of the European Union or in another contract state to the Agreement on the European Economic Area and who wish to be registered in the joint register of translators and interpreters, must also file an informal application and include the following documents and statements:

1. The following data to be included in the joint register of translators and interpreters: Name and address, telecommunications connections, the respective language, as well as the statement if the applicant wishes to be registered as interpreter or translator,
2. a certificate documenting the fact that the person is legally domiciled and authorized to work as a court interpreter or translator or similar activity in another member state of the European Union or another contract state of the Agreement on the European Economic Area, and that – at the time of presenting the certificate – such activity has not been banned, not even temporarily,
3. verification of professional qualification,
4. Inasmuch as the profession is not subject to any statutory regulation in the state of domicile, verification that the applicant has worked there in said activity for at least two years during the 10 years prior,
5. A statement regarding the job description under which the work is to be performed domestically, and
6. a statement whether or not and to what extent the revocable, without notice, personal permission exists regarding publication and assessment of personal data in the internet and in automated inquiry procedures.

All decisions regarding the general swearing-in of interpreters, authorization of translators and temporary registration of language mediators in the joint register of translators and interpreters shall be made by the President of the Regional Court in Berlin.

All applications and necessary documents shall be submitted by mail to:

All applications and necessary documents may also be submitted in person, Mondays through Fridays, 09:00 – 13:00, at the following address:

For the general swearing-in of interpreters, a fee in the amount of EUR 120 shall be due, plus an additional EUR 20 for each language thereafter.

For the authorization of translators, a fee in the amount of EUR 120 shall be due, plus an additional EUR 20 for each language thereafter.

The minimum fee, plus the fee for rejection or cancellation of an application subject to a fee, shall be EUR 40. If the rejection or cancellation applies to several languages, such fee shall be due for each of the languages.

The fees for the general swearing-in of interpreters and authorization of translators shall not be assessed jointly. If such fees are to be assessed jointly, a maximum fee in the amount of EUR 160 shall be due.

An appeal may be filed against the rejection of an application within one month following the delivery of the respective notification, in writing or in person before the Präsident des Landgerichts, Littenstraße 12-17, 10179 Berlin. Upon a written appeal, said deadline shall only be complied with if the appeal has been received within the specified deadline.

Said legal remedy may also be filed, with the same form and deadline requirements, by submitting it to the Präsidentin des Kammergerichts, Elßholzstraße 30-33, 10781 Berlin,

§ 19 of the Law on Implementation of the Court Constitutional Law (AGGVG) in the version of Art. I of the Law on Reorganization of General Swearing-In of Interpreters and Authorization of Translators dated 17th December 2009 (Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt für Berlin 2009, 65th edition, Vol. 33, p. 846-847),

Organization Ordinance on General Swearing-In of Interpreters and Authorization of Translators dated 27th January 2010 (Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt für Berlin 2010, 66th edition, Vol. 3, p. 31-32),

No. 4 of Addendum to § 1 Sect. 2 of Justice Administrative Cost Law (JVKostG) in the version dated 16th August 1993 (Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt für Berlin 1993, 49th edition, Vol. 48, p. 372), most recently changed by Art. II of the Law on Reorganization of General Swearing-In of Interpreters and Authorization of Translators dated 17th December 2009 (Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt für Berlin 2009, 65th edition, Vol. 33, p. 846-847).