Licensing Requirements

Requirements for Licensure as a Court Interpreter in the State of Georgia.

Georgia is a member of the National Center for State Courts, Council of Language Access Coordinators (NCSC-CLAC), and conforms to its testing standards when licensing court interpreters. In addition to fulfilling test requirements, all interpreters must be at least 18 years of age, have good moral character, and be a legal U.S. resident or a U.S. Citizen.

Any persons seeking reciprocity from another state must note:

Georgia is a member of the National Center for State Courts, Council of Language Access Coordinators (CLAC) group. The Commission may allow reciprocity to those interpreters who are certified by states that are active CLAC members. The Commission may grant reciprocity may to those persons who:

Completed a 16-hour training court offered by the credentialing State.
Took and passed the CLAC written exam with a score of 80% or more.
Took and passed the CLAC oral exam with a score within our licensing categories (see licensing categories above for more information)

The Commission may extend reciprocity to those individuals who started the process in another state only if the requirements of the State in which the candidate began the process are similar to those imposed by the State of Georgia. Also, Georgia will grant reciprocity to those who are federally-certified interpreters.

Please note: All candidates seeking reciprocity in Georgia must have completed the oral exam in ONE seating and no more than one seating. If you meet these requirements, please create a GCR account and e-mail staff asking for reciprocity and name the State from which you seek the same. Once the staff receives the request, staff will contact the State from which you seek reciprocity, asking for verification of the three requirements above. Candidates will receive a notification upon completion of said verification so the candidate may proceed with attaining their Georgia license.

Master Licensed Legal Interpreters

The master licensed legal interpreter designation is the highest designation for a court interpreter in the State of Georgia. To qualify as a master licensed legal interpreter, a candidate must satisfy the following four requirements:

1. Complete the mandatory orientation prescribed by the Committee and administered by the AOC. If an individual completes the mandatory orientation, they must attain this license designation within two years or be required to repeat the orientation.
2. Pass the English written exam approved by the Committee and administered by the AOC with an accuracy rate of 80 percent or higher.
3. Excel in a performance examination as prescribed, administered, or authorized by the Committee. Different performance examinations are offered for different languages, and the Committee has determined that any one of the following shall constitute excelling in a performance examination as applied to the relevant language:

a. Score 80 percent or higher on the National Center for State Courts performance examination on each mode of interpretation (sight, consecutive, and simultaneous) in the same sitting.

b. Hold a valid federal certificate by successfully passing the Federal Court Interpreter Certification Exam.

c. Hold a license or equivalent designation from a state participating in the Council of Language Access Coordinators, if their training or licensing program is equivalent to those followed by Georgia and the Committee considers it to be a master legal interpreter license under Georgia standards.

d. Hold any of the following certifications from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf:

i. Specialist Certification: Legal,

ii. Conditional Legal Interpreting Permit, or

iii. Conditional Legal Interpreting Permit-Relay.

4. Undergo a criminal history background investigation that demonstrates good moral character.

Licensed Legal Interpreters

The licensed legal interpreter designation is the second highest designation for a legal interpreter in the State of Georgia. To qualify as a licensed legal interpreter a candidate shall satisfy the following four requirements:

Complete the mandatory orientation prescribed by the Committee and administered by the AOC. If an individual completes the mandatory orientation, they must attain this license designation within two years or be required to repeat the orientation.
Pass the English written exam approved by the Committee and administered by the AOC with an accuracy rate of 80 percent or higher.
Pass a performance examination as prescribed, administered, or authorized by the Committee. Different performance examinations are offered for different languages, and the Committee has determined that any one of the following shall constitute passing a performance examination as applied to the relevant language:

a. Score a 70 percent or higher on the National Center for State Courts performance examination on each mode of interpretation (sight, consecutive, and simultaneous) in the same sitting; or

b. Perform 20 hours of observations, at least ten of which must be signed off by a master licensed legal interpreter or a licensed legal interpreter that the applicant observed substantive legal interpreting work and provide one of the following acceptable performance examination measures:

i. For languages where there is no National Center for State Courts performance examination available for a particular language, the candidate must: (a) successfully complete an oral proficiency interview approved by the Committee in English with a score of superior and an oral proficiency interview approved by the Committee in the candidate’s non-English working language with a score of superior; (b) have passed the U.S. Department of State Conference test; (c) have passed the U.S. Department of State Seminar Interpreter test; or (d) have passed the United Nations interpreter test in their non-English working language.

ii. Hold a license or equivalent designation from a state participating in the Council of Language Access Coordinators, if that state’s training or licensing programs are equivalent to those followed by Georgia and the Committee considers the designation to be equivalent to a legal licensed interpreter designation under Georgia standards; or

iii. Hold any of the following certifications for more than one year from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf or the National Association of the Deaf:

(a) National Interpreter Certification: Master.

(b) National Interpreter Certification: Advanced.

(d) Certified Deaf Interpreter.

(e) Reverse Skills Certificate.

(f) Both the Certificate of Interpretation and the Certificate of Transliteration.

(g) Master Comprehensive Skills Certificate.

(h) Comprehensive Skills Certificate.

(i) National Association of the Deaf test level IV; or

(j) National Association of the Deaf test level V.

4. Undergo a criminal history background investigation that demonstrates good moral character.

Conditionally Licensed Legal Interpreters

The conditionally licensed legal interpreter designation is the entry-level designation for a legal interpreter in the State of Georgia. Conditionally licensed legal interpreters are encouraged to take steps to attain a master licensed legal interpreter or licensed legal
interpreter designation. To qualify as a conditionally licensed legal interpreter a candidate shall satisfy the following four requirements:

Complete the mandatory orientation prescribed by the Committee and administered by the AOC. If an individual completes the mandatory orientation, they must attain a conditionally licensed legal interpreter designation within two years or be required to
repeat the orientation and observation hours.
Pass the English written exam approved by the Committee and administered by the AOC with an accuracy rate of 80 percent or higher.
Pass a performance examination as prescribed, administered, or authorized by the Committee. Different performance examinations are offered in different languages, and the Committee has determined that any one of the following shall constitute passing a
performance examination as applied to the relevant language:

a. Score a 60 percent or higher on the National Center for State Courts performance examination on each mode of interpretation (sight, consecutive, and simultaneous) in the same sitting; or

b. Perform 20 hours of observations, at least ten of which must be signed off by a master licensed legal interpreter or a licensed legal interpreter that the applicant observed substantive legal interpreting work and hold any of the following certifications for more than one year from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf or the National Association of the Deaf:

i. National Interpreter Certification (NIC without level distinction if obtained before
November 30, 2011).

ii. Certificate of Interpretation.

iii. Certificate of Transliteration.

iv. Certified Deaf Interpreter-Provisional.

v. National Association of the Deaf test level III.

vi. Interpreter Certification.

vii. Transliteration Certification.

viii. Interpreter Certification and Transliteration Certification.

4. Undergo a criminal history background investigation that demonstrates good moral character.

Apprentice Interpreters

An individual with the designation of apprentice interpreter is not a licensed interpreter. This designation is temporary, and if an individual holds the apprentice designation for more than 24 months, that individual is barred from the practice of interpretation for one
year. To obtain the designation of an apprentice interpreter, an individual shall satisfy the following three requirements:

Complete the mandatory orientation prescribed by the Committee and administered by the AOC and 20 observation hours. If an individual completes the mandatory orientation, they must attain this license designation within two years or be required to
repeat the orientation.
Pass the English written exam approved by the Committee and administered by the AOC with an accuracy rate of 80 percent or higher.
Undergo a criminal history background investigation that demonstrates good moral character.

Ad Hoc Permitted Interpreters

Use of an ad hoc permitted interpreter should be reserved for situations in which there is no licensed interpreter available or the burden of providing a licensed interpreter is greater than the potential harm to the LEP individual or individual whose matter depends on the LEP individual having full access to the court. The court should take additional precautions in selecting an ad hoc permitted interpreter and should fully examine the individual to assess their qualifications, consider any conflicts of interest between the ad hoc permitted interpreter and any parties and the court, as well as fully document such measures and collect the interpreter’s personal information.

Before allowing the use of an ad hoc permitted interpreter, the court should verify no licensed interpreter is available and provide the AOC with the ad hoc permitted interpreter’s name, contact information, and any other information requested. No individual may serve as an ad hoc permitted interpreter more than five times each calendar year. For the purposes of these rules, each individual matter shall constitute a time even if multiple matters were adjudicated, heard, or otherwise brought before the court on a single day.

Anyone who has acted as an ad hoc permitted interpreter five times total or at least once in the previous year shall be required to attain no less than the apprentice designation before being authorized to provide interpreter services again. Ad hoc permitted interpreters must contact the AOC before beginning any court proceeding interpreting assignment and provide the AOC with the ad hoc permitted interpreter’s name, contact information, class, and venue of the court, style of the case, type of court proceeding, court date, and any other information requested.