Certified vs. Non-Certified Translations: What You Need to Know

April 22, 2025

1. What is a Certified Translation?

A translation that has been accomplished by a capable translator and that has been certified for accuracy and completeness is what we term a certified translation. When a translator performs a translation of an official document, that translator usually (but not always) is accompanied by a signed statement that both certifies the translation and also vouches for its accuracy. Or, more accurately, certifies a translation and also vouches for its accuracy.  As an aside, and I'm going to go there for a second: Signing your name to a document like this is a serious professional responsibility. You can't just call it a day and go home if you sign your name to something that turns out not to be true. But most of us who work in this field don't just sign for kicks—we actually do this to vouch for our work.

2. The Importance of Certified Translations for Businesses

When dealing with contracts, financial documents, or any official paperwork, businesses must have certified translations. Why? Because they are often required by law or regulation. When documents must be sent to government bodies, the courts, or educational institutions, they usually must be certified. If they are not, the documents may be rejected or, worse, cause delays that lead to litigation or some other operational trouble.

They ensure the content is accurate and legally sound. For businesses, that's quite an assurance. If a document's meaning is altered through a translation performed by someone who is not fully qualified, the business could really get itself into some hot water.

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Translations that are certified guarantee the legal validity of the translated documents and may prevent problems with governmental entities.

3. Non-Certified Translations: What They Mean

On the other hand, non-certified translations are simply translations that have not gone through the formal certification process. These translations are often used for informal purposes, like translating personal documents, where the intent is not to provide a pristine translation that meets all the strict criteria for a certified translation. Non-certified translations might be used to communicate general content and understanding. For businesses, relying on non-certified translations for important documents can expose them to risks, particularly in the legal, regulatory, or contractual context. Because they are done without the formal certification process, non-certified translations have not been vetted for accuracy by a third party. In some contexts, certified translations are the only type of translations that are legally valid. In others, if a translation's legitimacy is called into question, having a non-certified translation is not going to help your argument.

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Legal or regulatory authorities might not accept translations that are not certified.

4. How to Choose Between Certified and Non-Certified Translations

When companies are faced with the decision of selecting a certified or non-certified option for translation, they must first consider the reason for which the document in question was created. If the document is of a legal, financial, or immigration nature, businesses can never go wrong with a certified translation. 

These types of translations not only get the job done but also give the necessary legal guarantee that what has been rendered into the target language complies with the standards set forth by regulators and governing bodies.

Alternately, if a document is going to be translated for internal purposes or for any content that won't be seen by the kinds of authorities mentioned above, a non-certified translation could suffice. This just means that your skilled translator isn't providing a document that has the same legal-force guarantees as a certified one.

Conclusion

In 2025, it is very important for businesses to know the difference between certified and non-certified translations. Certified translations are needed for any legal, official, or regulatory purposes and carry within them the assurance that a document meets the standards set for it by the law. Certified translations come with a guarantee that they are the types of translations that you can use in a court of law if you have to.

Non-certified translations are okay for informal, non-legal documents but might not be accepted by any authorities anywhere. When a business is dealing with any document that is really important (and documents do sometimes carry that designation), always go with certified translations. The Spanish Group is a company that offers services in certified translations.