Certified Translations:

In general, a certified translation (in the US) is one to which the translator has added a statement that the translation is true, accurate, and correct "to the best of my knowledge and ability". The statement may be made under oath, or "under penalty of perjury", and may be notarized to confirm the identity of the person signing the statement.

My preferred form of certification is the following "Translator’s Declaration":

Translator’s Declaration

I, Denzel L. Dyer, declare under penalty of perjury that I understand the German language and the English language; that I hold accreditation from the American Translators Association for translation from German to English; and that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the statements in the English language in the attached translation of _____________, consisting of _____ pages which I have initialed ______, have the same meanings as the statements in the German language in the original document, a copy of which I have examined.

Note that this declaration must be attached to the translation, with individual pages of the translation initialed. That requires delivery of the actual paper. As of early 2008, no other means of certification seems equivalent though, with the agreement of all parties, electronic transfer of a PGP-encrypted file might be acceptable.

This certification/declaration seems to have very limited value other than as a legal formality. Any translator will produce a translation which is correct to the best of his or her knowledge and belief. It would be extremely unusual for any translator to certify to any higher (or lower) standard. Notarization indicates that the person signing the certification has provided the notary with identification, but says nothing at all about the quality of the translation.

Certification and notarization will involve an extra charge to cover time and trouble of notarization, the notary’s fee, and shipment of the certified paper copy.

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