Delaware Document Translation Services
Apostille Authentications provides certified document translation for people and companies in Delaware from $65 per page, and most translations are ready in 1 to 2 business days. We work remotely from our office in Lake Oswego, Oregon, near Portland, and have no office in Delaware. You upload your document through the quote form and receive the translation electronically or by mail. Each one comes with a signed certificate of accuracy. This page sets out the Delaware rules that affect translated documents.
Upload your document below as a PDF, JPEG, PNG or Word file, or call (971) 514-3743 for a quote.
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What Delaware agencies say about foreign-language documents
Several Delaware offices publish their own rule on documents that are not in English. They are not the same, so check the one that applies to you before you order.
- Division of Corporations (apostilles). Any document in a foreign language must come with an English translation, and both the foreign-language version and the English version must be notarized. The Division states that it does not provide translation or notarial services.
- Division of Motor Vehicles. The DMV’s Driving Privilege Card page says documents in foreign languages must be translated into English by a professional translator and must accompany the original foreign-language document.
- USCIS (federal). Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), any document containing foreign language submitted to USCIS must be accompanied by a full English translation that the translator has certified as complete and accurate, with the translator’s certification of competence to translate from the foreign language into English.
- Delaware Department of Education. For early childhood educator credentials, college transcripts and proof of degree from other countries must go through a professional credential evaluation by an agency listed by NACES or AICE.
Apostilles from the Delaware Secretary of State
Apostilles and authentications are issued by the Delaware Secretary of State through the Division of Corporations in Dover. An apostille is for countries that belong to the Hague Convention. An authentication is for countries that do not. There is no county certification step described in the Division’s instructions.
The Division can apostille documents notarized by a Delaware notary, certified vital records from the State of Delaware and official state documents. It lists what it cannot process: documents notarized in another state, federal documents, photocopies, documents issued by a foreign country and documents for use inside the United States. It also will not accept documents notarized remotely or electronically.
Send documents with a cover memo that states the purpose and the country where they will be used. Mailed requests are typically processed the same business day. For hand delivery, the Division asks you to call (302) 739-3077 to schedule an appointment. Documents go back by first-class mail unless you include a prepaid Priority Mail, FedEx or UPS envelope.
| Office | Division of Corporations, John G. Townsend Building, 401 Federal Street, Suite 4, Dover, DE 19901 |
|---|---|
| Commercial use | $30 per document |
| Personal use | $30 for any documents presented at the same time |
| Expedited, commercial use | 24 hour service $40, same day service $50, 2 hour service $500 |
| Expedited, private use | No expedited fees for items such as adoption papers, death certificates and school transcripts |
| Payment by mail | Check payable to Delaware Secretary of State, drawn on a U.S. bank |
Corporate documents and translations in the apostille route
Many apostille requests in Delaware concern company records filed with the Secretary of State. The Division of Corporations says that when an apostille is requested for filed documents, each document must be certified separately, and documents certified under a single cover certification are not acceptable. Requests for certified copies and certificates need a cover memo that states exactly which documents you want, including dates for a specific filing, and for an apostille you must name the country the document is being prepared for. Good standing certificates can be ordered through the Division’s online system.
If the receiving country also wants the certificate or certified copy in its own language, that translation is a separate step from the state’s apostille.
Because Delaware will not apostille a document notarized in another state, a translation meant for a Delaware apostille has to be notarized by a Delaware notary, in person and on paper. For those orders we hire a Delaware notary to notarize the translator’s statement in person. Tell us the destination country and the receiving authority when you request a quote, and we will explain which route applies to your document before you pay for anything. We also help with apostilles.
Delaware vital records
Certified birth, death and marriage certificates come from the Office of Vital Statistics, part of the Division of Public Health. The federal CDC directory lists the fee as $25 per certified copy and notes that photo identification is required. The state’s services guide says the office holds births from 1954, deaths from 1986 and marriages from 1976. Older records are held by the Delaware Public Archives.
The office has three walk-in locations, open Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. except holidays.
| Kent County | 417 Federal Street, Dover, DE 19901 |
|---|---|
| New Castle County | 258 Chapman Road, Newark, DE 19702 |
| Sussex County | 546 S. Bedford Street, Georgetown, DE 19947 |
What Delaware notaries can and cannot do
Delaware’s notary office says a notary may notarize a document written in a foreign language, with caution. A notary may not attest to copies of official or public records, so a birth certificate cannot be notarized. Get a certified copy from Vital Statistics instead. The maximum fee is $5 per notarial act.
Under Title 29, section 4336 of the Delaware Code, a notary commission does not allow a person to give legal advice, draft legal records or act as an immigration consultant. A notary who is not an attorney may not use the terms notario or notario publico.
Courts, driver licenses and language data
Delaware courts provide interpreters at no cost to people with limited English proficiency through the Court Interpreter Program, run by the Administrative Office of the Courts. The program certifies interpreters through an orientation, a written exam and an oral exam. The Judiciary’s 2021 Language Access Plan reports that Spanish made up about 92 percent of interpreter requests, followed by Haitian Creole at 7 percent and Mandarin at 1 percent. These are spoken-language services. The program page does not describe translating documents for the parties.
The DMV requires drivers licensed in other countries to pass the knowledge and road exams. Delaware has reciprocity agreements with Germany, France and Taiwan that exempt those drivers from both exams for a Class D license.
Census ACS estimates published by Census Reporter put Delaware’s population at 1,051,917. About 16.3 percent of residents speak a language other than English at home, and 11.6 percent were born outside the United States.
How to order a translation from Delaware
- 1. Upload. Send a scan or clear photo through the quote form as a PDF, JPEG, PNG or Word file.
- 2. Confirm. We confirm the price, from $65 per page, and the delivery date. Most jobs take 1 to 2 business days.
- 3. Receive. Your certified translation arrives electronically or by mail, with a signed certificate of accuracy.
- Languages. We work in 100 languages. The most requested are Spanish, Russian, Hindi, Urdu, Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic and Czech. Ask about any other language.
- Questions. Call (971) 514-3743 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Translation pages for Delaware cities
We have a page for each of these Delaware cities, with the local offices, courts and schools that affect a translation there:
Dover · Wilmington · Newark
- Delaware apostille service, when the original record needs an apostille too
- All document translation services
Delaware document translation questions
The Delaware Secretary of State issues apostilles through the Division of Corporations at 401 Federal Street, Suite 4, Dover, DE 19901.
The Division of Corporations charges $30 per document for commercial use. For personal use it charges $30 for any documents presented at the same time.
Yes. The Division of Corporations says any document in a foreign language must come with an English translation, and both versions must be notarized.
A Delaware notary may not attest to copies of official or public records, so a birth certificate itself cannot be notarized. A notary can notarize a signed statement, such as a translator’s statement.
USCIS applies one federal rule everywhere, 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3). It requires a full English translation certified by the translator as complete and accurate, along with a statement of the translator’s competence.
The Delaware DMV states that documents in foreign languages must be translated into English by a professional translator and must accompany the original document.
Sources
The local details on this page come from these official sources.
- Delaware Division of Corporations: Certifications, Apostilles and Authentication
- Division of Corporations: Non-Commercial Documents for Apostille
- Division of Corporations: Apostille Expedited Fees
- Division of Corporations: Submitting a Request
- Delaware Notary Public FAQ
- Delaware Code Title 29, Chapter 43
- Delaware Office of Vital Statistics
- CDC: Where to Write for Vital Records, Delaware
- Delaware Court Interpreter Program
- Delaware Judiciary Language Access Plan 2021
- Delaware DMV: Driving Privilege Card
- Delaware DMV: License Transfers
- 8 CFR 103.2
- Census Reporter: Delaware
- Delaware Department of Education: Education Outside the U.S.
Get your Delaware translation started
Upload your document for a quote, or call (971) 514-3743 and tell us where the translation is going. We confirm the level of certification you need before any work begins.