Iowa Document Translation Services
Apostille Authentications prepares certified translations for people and businesses in Iowa, each with a signed certificate of accuracy. Pricing starts at $65 per page and most orders are ready in 1 to 2 business days. We work remotely from the Portland, Oregon area: you upload your document through the quote form and receive the translation electronically or by mail. This page also sets out the Iowa rules that affect translated documents, from the Secretary of State’s apostille desk to the courts and the Iowa DOT.
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 USCIS requires of a translation
Federal rule 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) applies the same way in Iowa as everywhere else. Any document containing foreign language submitted to USCIS must come with a full English translation that the translator has certified as complete and accurate, along with the translator’s certification that he or she is competent to translate from the foreign language into English.
Our certified translations carry a signed certificate of accuracy covering both points. The decision on any filing belongs to USCIS, so we cannot promise that an agency will accept a particular document.
Iowa apostilles: the Secretary of State in Des Moines
Apostilles and certifications for Iowa documents are issued by the Iowa Secretary of State. The office states that it only certifies documents signed by Iowa notaries or elected officials, and that it cannot certify federal background checks. Federal documents go to the U.S. Department of State instead.
A request needs the completed Apostille or Certification Request Form and a copy of the document to be certified. The Secretary of State also notes that it now issues a single certificate format on standard paper rather than gold seal paper.
| Fee | $5.00 per apostille or certification |
|---|---|
| Form | Apostille or Certification Request Form (Iowa Secretary of State) |
| Address | Iowa Secretary of State, Lucas Building, First Floor, 321 E. 12th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319 |
| Walk-in | Same-day service, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except observed holidays |
| Mail or upload | Mail the form and document, or upload through the Fast Track Filing system; these requests are processed in date order |
| Payment | Check payable to Iowa Secretary of State, or Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover; no cash by mail |
| Return | USPS to the address on the form; FedEx only with a prepaid label you supply |
| Phone | (515) 281-5204 |
Apostilles on translations and what Iowa notaries can do
Because the Secretary of State certifies the signature of an Iowa notary or elected official, a translation headed abroad usually reaches the apostille desk as a notarized document. When a translation needs to be notarized for Iowa, for example for an Iowa apostille, we hire a notary commissioned in Iowa to notarize the translator’s statement.
A notary’s seal confirms a signature. It does not vouch for the translation itself. Iowa Code section 9B.25 sets limits on what a notary commission allows:
- No legal work. A commission does not authorize a notary to help draft legal records, give legal advice or otherwise practice law.
- No immigration consulting. A notary may not act as an immigration consultant or an expert on immigration matters, or represent a person in an immigration proceeding.
- No ‘notario’ title. A notary who is not an attorney may not use the term ‘notario’ or ‘notario publico’.
- Required disclosure. A non-attorney notary who advertises notarial services must state that he or she is not an attorney and cannot give advice on legal matters, including immigration.
- Public records. The Secretary of State’s notary handbook tells notaries to avoid certifying copies of public records such as birth certificates, death certificates, court records and deeds.
Iowa vital records: where certified copies come from
Certified copies of Iowa birth, death and marriage records come from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Health Statistics, or from a county recorder. The state office holds records from July 1, 1880 onward. According to Iowa HHS, county recorders can issue births from 1986 to the present and deaths and marriages from 1954 to the present; earlier events go to the state office.
Because the handbook steers notaries away from copying vital records, order a fresh certified copy from the registrar if you need one for use abroad, and ask the Secretary of State which signatures it can certify before you send it.
| State fee | $20.00 per record search; a copy is issued if the record is found |
|---|---|
| State office | Iowa HHS, Bureau of Health Statistics, Lucas State Office Building, 1st Floor, 321 E. 12th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319-0075 |
| Who may order | The person named on the record, or that person’s spouse, children, parents, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, legal representative or guardian |
| Mail requests | Copy of government-issued photo ID; signature on the application must be notarized |
| Stated timing | Regular mail 4 to 6 weeks; online orders with UPS overnight 2 to 5 business days |
| Phone | 515-281-4944 |
Iowa courts: who translates written documents
Iowa regulates court translation through Chapter 47 of the Iowa Court Rules, the Court Interpreter and Translator Rules. The chapter defines a translator as a person who transfers the meaning of words in one language into equivalent written words in a second language.
Under rule 47.13, a certified translator is one who has met the requirements of the American Translators Association or the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators. When a court needs a written translation, the rule sets an order of preference: first a translator certified by ATA or NAJIT in the language pair, then a Class A certified oral language court interpreter, then a person with a four-year college degree and sufficient translation experience if neither of the first two is available by the deadline.
The Iowa Judicial Branch keeps a roster of court interpreters by classification and language, with Class A (certified) at the top, followed by Class B and Class C. Court personnel, not attorneys or parties, are responsible for locating and scheduling interpreters. If your translation is for an Iowa case, ask the court or your attorney what qualifications the translator must hold before ordering.
Foreign driver's licenses and the Iowa DOT
The Iowa DOT says it has driver’s license reciprocity agreements with France, Germany, South Korea and the Republic of China (Taiwan). Holders of a valid, unexpired license from one of those countries may skip the knowledge and driving tests, and holders of licenses from other U.S. states, U.S. territories or Canada may not need to test either.
An Iowa DOT question-and-answer sheet for drivers new to Iowa adds that a license that is not in English may need to be translated into English. Immigrants and refugees applying for an Iowa license show a USCIS identity document, Social Security information and two proofs of Iowa residency, and the DOT provides contracted interpreters at its service centers. Check with the DOT which documents it wants translated before your appointment.
Languages in Iowa and how to order a translation
Census Bureau QuickFacts reports that 9.1% of Iowans age 5 and older spoke a language other than English at home in 2020 to 2024, and that 5.9% of residents were born outside the United States. In Des Moines the share speaking another language at home is 21.9%.
We translate 100 languages. The most requested are Spanish, Russian, Hindi, Urdu, Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic and Czech. For any other language, ask us when you request a quote.
- 1. Upload. Send a scan or clear photo through the quote form as a PDF, JPEG, PNG or Word file.
- 2. Confirm. We reply with the price, from $65 per page, and the timing. Most translations are ready in 1 to 2 business days.
- 3. Receive. The certified translation with its signed certificate of accuracy arrives electronically, or by mail if you need paper.
- 4. Add-ons. Tell us if the translator’s statement must be notarized or if the document needs an Iowa apostille, and we will explain the steps.
Translation pages for Iowa cities
We have a page for each of these Iowa cities, with the local offices, courts and schools that affect a translation there:
Des Moines · Cedar Rapids · Davenport · Sioux City · Iowa City
- Iowa apostille service, when the original record needs an apostille too
- All document translation services
Iowa document translation questions
Apostille Authentications charges from $65 per page for certified translation and serves Iowa remotely. Most translations are ready in 1 to 2 business days.
The Iowa Secretary of State issues apostilles and certifications from the Lucas Building, First Floor, 321 E. 12th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319. The fee is $5.00 per apostille or certification.
Yes. The Iowa Secretary of State offers same-day walk-in service from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except observed holidays. Requests sent by mail or uploaded are processed in date order.
A notary commission in Iowa does not authorize legal advice or immigration consulting, and Iowa Code 9B.25 bars non-attorney notaries from using the title ‘notario publico’. A notary can notarize a translator’s signed statement, which is different from certifying the translation.
Yes. Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), any foreign-language document sent to USCIS needs a full English translation certified as complete and accurate by a translator who also certifies competence in both languages.
Iowa Court Rules chapter 47 gives first preference to translators certified by the American Translators Association or NAJIT, then Class A certified court interpreters. Ask the court or your attorney what your case requires.
Sources
The local details on this page come from these official sources.
- Iowa Secretary of State: Apostilles and Certifications
- Iowa Secretary of State: Apostille or Certification Request Form
- Iowa Code section 9B.25, Prohibited acts
- Iowa Notaries Public Handbook
- Iowa Court Rules chapter 47, Court Interpreter and Translator Rules
- Iowa Judicial Branch: Find an Interpreter
- Iowa HHS: Vital Records
- Iowa HHS: How to Request a Certified Record
- Iowa DOT: New to Iowa
- Iowa DOT: Immigrant and Refugee Process
- Iowa DOT: New to Iowa FAQ (MM935)
- 8 CFR 103.2 (eCFR)
- Census Bureau QuickFacts: Iowa
Get your Iowa 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.