New York Document Translation Services for Official Use
Apostille Authentications provides certified document translation to people and businesses across New York State from $65 per page, and most translations are ready in 1 to 2 business days. We work remotely from our office in Lake Oswego, in the Portland, Oregon area, and have no office in New York. You upload your document, and we return an English or foreign-language translation with a signed certificate of accuracy, electronically or by mail. The rules below come from New York and federal sources.
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 New York agencies and courts ask of a translation
New York has no single statewide standard for translated documents. Each body sets its own rule, so check the one that will receive your paperwork before you order.
- USCIS. Federal rule 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) says any document containing foreign language submitted to USCIS must come with a full English translation that the translator has certified as complete and accurate, plus the translator’s certification of competence to translate from the foreign language into English.
- State courts. CPLR 2101(b) requires papers served or filed to be in English. A foreign-language affidavit or exhibit must be accompanied by an English translation and an affidavit by the translator stating his qualifications and that the translation is accurate.
- Professional licensing. The State Education Department’s Office of the Professions asks that each translation come with a copy of the original-language document and a notarized Affidavit of Accuracy stating that the entire document was translated, with nothing omitted or added.
- Bar admission. The State Board of Law Examiners requires foreign transcripts and degree certificates to carry an English translation with a translator’s statement of qualifications and accuracy, and it does not accept translations prepared by the applicant.
New York apostilles: the Department of State process
Apostilles and certificates of authentication for New York documents are issued by the New York Department of State, Division of Licensing Services. The Department only authenticates public documents issued in New York State that are signed by a New York State official or a county clerk, and it cannot process federal documents.
| Fee | $10 per document |
|---|---|
| Form | Apostille/Certificate of Authentication Request (DOS-1917), offered in English and six other languages |
| Apostille and Authentication Unit, PO Box 22001, Albany, NY 12201-2001 | |
| Express or overnight | 1 Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Avenue, 6th Floor, Albany, NY 12231 |
| Walk-in offices | Albany, New York City (123 William Street, 2nd Floor), Binghamton, Buffalo and Utica |
| Walk-in limit | 10 documents per customer for same-day service |
| Return of documents | Enclose a self-addressed prepaid envelope or carrier label with mailed requests |
The County Clerk step most people miss
A notarized document cannot go straight to the Department of State. The notary’s signature must first be certified by the County Clerk of the county where the notary is qualified. This applies to a notarized translator’s statement as much as to a power of attorney.
Vital records follow the same logic. Certificates issued by the State Department of Health and signed by the Director of Vital Statistics or the State Registrar can be submitted directly. Certificates issued by a local registrar or a city or town clerk must first be certified by the County Clerk of the issuing county. New York City birth and death certificates must be ordered with a Letter of Exemplification and then certified by the New York County Clerk before the Department of State will accept them. School records must be certified by a school official, notarized, and then certified by the County Clerk.
When a translation has to be notarized for New York, for example for a New York apostille, we hire a notary commissioned in New York to notarize the translator’s statement. We can also help you with the apostille itself.
Where certified New York vital records come from
For births, deaths and marriages outside the five boroughs, certified copies come from the New York State Department of Health, Vital Records Certification Unit, PO Box 2602, Albany, NY 12220-2602, or from the local Registrar of Vital Statistics where the event occurred. The Department lists $30 per copy by mail and $45 plus a vendor fee for online or phone orders. New York City births and deaths are held by the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, not the state.
If the copy is going abroad, the Department of Health says it can forward a mail order paid at the $45 expedited rate to the Department of State when you add a separate $10 payment per certificate and a letter naming the destination country. It also states that it does not provide translations, so a translation for the receiving country is arranged separately.
DMV: foreign driver licenses
The New York DMV says a valid foreign driver license lets you drive in the state, and you do not need a New York license unless you become a resident. If the license is not in English, the DMV asks for an International Driving Permit or a certified translation that shows your name, date of birth, the license expiration date and the vehicle types you may drive.
The DMV states that this translation must be certified by a consulate, the US Department of State or another official government agency. A translation company’s certificate alone does not meet that wording, so confirm with the DMV or your consulate before ordering one for a road test.
Interpreters, notaries and "notario publico" rules
The Unified Court System provides free interpreters in court proceedings and reports covering more than 100 languages a year. You request one through the Chief Clerk’s office of your court. Interpreters qualify through a written exam and an oral assessment offered in 21 languages, and those who pass join the state’s Registry of Per Diem Court Interpreters. Court interpreting covers speech in the courtroom. Written exhibits remain your responsibility under CPLR 2101(b).
Executive Law section 135-b restricts how non-attorney notaries advertise in languages other than English. They may not use terms that suggest they are attorneys, as designated by the Secretary of State, and they must post a notice that they are not licensed to practice law and may not give legal advice about immigration or any other legal matter. A notary’s stamp on a translator’s statement confirms the translator’s signature and nothing more.
Languages in New York State and how to order
Census Bureau ACS 2024 one-year estimates, as published by Census Reporter, show about 31.7 percent of New Yorkers speak a language other than English at home and 23.3 percent were born abroad. Under Executive Law section 202-a, state agencies must translate vital documents into 12 languages: Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Yiddish, Bangla, Korean, Haitian Creole, Italian, Arabic, Polish, French and Urdu.
We translate in 100 languages. The most requested are Spanish, Russian, Hindi, Urdu, Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic and Czech. Ask us about any other language before you order.
To order, upload a PDF, JPEG, PNG or Word file through the quote form, or call (971) 514-3743 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Tell us which agency will receive the translation and whether it needs a notarized statement or an apostille.
Translation pages for New York cities
We have a page for each of these New York cities, with the local offices, courts and schools that affect a translation there:
Albany · New York City · Buffalo · Rochester · Yonkers · Syracuse
- New York apostille service, when the original record needs an apostille too
- All document translation services
New York document translation questions
The New York Department of State, Division of Licensing Services, issues apostilles and certificates of authentication for New York documents. The fee is $10 per document, by mail to Albany or at walk-in offices in Albany, New York City, Binghamton, Buffalo and Utica.
Yes. The Department of State requires a notarized document to be certified by the County Clerk of the county where the notary is qualified before it is submitted for an apostille.
Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), any foreign-language document must come with a full English translation certified by the translator as complete and accurate, plus the translator’s certification of competence. The rule is federal and is the same in every state.
CPLR 2101(b) requires filed papers to be in English. A foreign-language affidavit or exhibit must come with an English translation and an affidavit from the translator stating his qualifications and that the translation is accurate.
The New York DMV says a valid foreign license lets you drive, and it asks for an International Driving Permit or a certified translation if the license is not in English. The DMV says that translation must be certified by a consulate, the US Department of State or another official government agency.
Apostille Authentications charges from $65 per page and most translations are ready in 1 to 2 business days. The service is provided remotely from the Portland, Oregon area, with delivery electronically or by mail.
Sources
The local details on this page come from these official sources.
- New York Department of State: Apostille or Certificate of Authentication
- DOS-1917 Apostille/Certificate of Authentication Request
- 8 CFR 103.2 (eCFR)
- CPLR 2101, Form of papers
- Executive Law 135-b, notary advertising
- NYS Department of Health: Birth certificates
- NYS Department of Health: Apostille and authentication
- NY DMV: Drivers from other countries
- NY Courts: Language help (interpreters)
- NY Courts: Court interpreter exam information
- NYS Office of the Professions: General licensing information
- NYS Board of Law Examiners: Foreign legal education
- New York State Language Access Law (OGS)
- Census Reporter: New York profile (ACS 2024)
Get your New York 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.