Ohio Document Translation Services

Apostille Authentications provides certified document translation for people and organizations in Ohio, from $65 per page, with most translations ready in 1 to 2 business days. We work remotely from our office in Lake Oswego, in the Portland, Oregon area. You upload your document through the quote form, and the translation comes back electronically or by mail with a signed certificate of accuracy. This page also sets out the Ohio 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.

Upload Your Documents For Translation

First Name *

Last Name

Phone Number *

Email *

Upload Documents To Translation

Message

Submission source

The USCIS translation rule

Federal immigration filings from Ohio follow the same rule as everywhere else. 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, along with the translator’s certification of competence to translate from the foreign language into English.

The regulation asks for the translator’s certification. It does not mention notarization.

Ohio apostilles: the Secretary of State's rules

Apostilles and authentications for Ohio documents are issued by the Ohio Secretary of State. The office states that it only handles documents issued by an Ohio official or notarized by an Ohio notary public, and that its certificates are for use outside the United States. Countries in the Hague Convention receive an apostille; other countries receive an authentication.

On translations, the Secretary of State’s FAQ says the office does not translate documents and that, if a document requires translation, the translation must be notarized before the office can issue the apostille. When a translation needs to be notarized for Ohio, for example for an Ohio apostille, we hire a notary commissioned in Ohio to notarize the translator’s statement.

The request form lists what the office will not accept: improperly notarized documents, documents notarized outside Ohio, federal documents and FBI background checks. School records must be notarized before they are submitted.

Request form	Form 8003, Authentication/Apostille Request Form
State fee	$5 for each apostille or authentication
Mail and delivery address	Ohio Secretary of State, Client Service Center, 180 Civic Center Dr., Columbus, OH 43215-4138
Processing	Two to three days from receipt, per the form
Same-day service	Appointment required
Payment	Check or money order drawn on a U.S. bank by mail; cash also accepted in person
Return	Self-addressed stamped envelope, or a prepaid overnight label

Where Ohio certified records come from

An apostille is attached to an original certified record, so the first step is often ordering a fresh copy. The Secretary of State’s form names the source for each type.

Birth and death certificates. The Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, publishes a fee of $21.50 for a record search. Mail orders go to PO Box 15098, Columbus, OH 43215-0098 and take four to six weeks. The state office at 4200 Surface Road, Columbus is open Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Local health departments across Ohio also issue certificates and set their own posted fees.
Marriage records. Certified copies come from the probate court of the county that issued the license.
Divorce decrees and judgments. Certified copies come from the county Clerk of Courts.
Older death records. Deaths before 1971 are archived with the Ohio History Connection; the Department of Health refers you to the local health department for those.

Ohio courts and court interpreters

The Supreme Court of Ohio’s Language Services Section tests and credentials court interpreters, keeps a roster, and publishes translated court forms. Its credentialing page lists 45 languages. Candidates take a written exam with a passing score of 80 percent, then an oral exam covering sight translation, consecutive interpretation and simultaneous interpretation.

The court’s bench card tells judges to appoint a Supreme Court certified interpreter first, then a provisionally qualified or registered interpreter, then a language-skilled interpreter, with telephonic interpreting as the fallback. Court interpreters and translators are bound by a Code of Professional Conduct.

Interpreter credentialing covers spoken proceedings. For written exhibits in another language, ask the clerk of the court hearing your case what it requires.

Ohio notaries, 'notario publico' and driver licensing

Ohio Revised Code 147.142 bars a notary who is not an Ohio attorney from advertising as an immigration consultant or immigration expert, from taking payment to prepare legal documents or represent someone in an immigration matter, and from using the terms ‘notario’ or ‘notario publico’ in advertising. A notary’s seal on a translation covers the signature on the translator’s statement.

The Ohio BMV gives new residents 30 days to transfer an out-of-state license. For non-citizens, it states that the name on your USCIS documents will be the name on your Ohio license or ID. The BMV pages we reviewed do not publish a translation rule for foreign-language documents, so ask the deputy registrar or exam station before you go.

Languages spoken in Ohio

Census Bureau figures from the 2024 American Community Survey one-year estimates, as published by Census Reporter, put Ohio’s population at 11,883,304. About 8.7 percent of residents, roughly 979,000 people, speak a language other than English at home, and about 5.5 percent were born outside the United States. Both shares are below the national figures Census Reporter shows alongside them, 23 percent and 14.8 percent.

How to order a certified translation from anywhere in Ohio

Each certified translation comes with a signed certificate of accuracy from the translator. If the receiving office asks for it, the translator’s statement can also be notarized.

We translate in 100 languages. The most requested are Spanish, Russian, Hindi, Urdu, Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic and Czech. If your language is not on that short list, ask us before ordering.

No agency’s acceptance can be promised in advance, so check the requirements of the office that will receive your document and tell us what it asked for.

1. Upload. Send your document through the quote form as a PDF, JPEG, PNG or Word file.
2. Tell us the purpose. Say whether it is for USCIS, a court, a school or an apostille, and whether a notarized translator’s statement is needed.
3. Receive. Most translations are ready in 1 to 2 business days and are returned electronically or by mail.
4. Questions. Call (971) 514-3743 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. We can also help with the apostille request.

Translation pages for Ohio cities

We have a page for each of these Ohio cities, with the local offices, courts and schools that affect a translation there:

Columbus · Cleveland · Cincinnati · Toledo · Akron · Dayton

Ohio apostille service, when the original record needs an apostille too
All document translation services

Ohio document translation questions

Who can certify a translation in Ohio for USCIS?

Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), the translator certifies that the English translation is complete and accurate and that he or she is competent to translate. Apostille Authentications provides that signed certificate with each certified translation, from $65 per page.

How much does an apostille cost in Ohio?

The Ohio Secretary of State charges $5 for each apostille or authentication. The cost of ordering certified records or translating documents is separate.

Does the Ohio Secretary of State apostille a translated document?

The office does not translate documents. Its FAQ says that a translation must be notarized before the office can issue the apostille, and its form says the notarization must be by an Ohio notary public.

How long does an Ohio apostille take by mail?

The Secretary of State’s request form says documents are processed within two to three days of receipt. Same-day service requires an appointment.

Where do I get a certified Ohio birth certificate for an apostille?

From the Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, or from a local health department in Ohio. The state office lists a $21.50 fee and four to six weeks for mail orders.

Can an Ohio notary call themselves a notario publico?

No. Ohio Revised Code 147.142 prohibits a notary who is not an Ohio attorney from using ‘notario’ or ‘notario publico’ in advertising or presenting themselves as an immigration consultant.