Kentucky Document Translation Services
Apostille Authentications provides certified document translation for people and businesses in Kentucky 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: you upload your document through the quote form and we return the translation electronically or by mail. Each translation comes with a signed certificate of accuracy, and we can have the translator’s statement notarized when your recipient asks for it.
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 Kentucky agencies ask of a translated document
Kentucky has no single statewide rule for translated documents. Each agency sets its own, so the first step is always to ask the office receiving your document what it wants. These are the published rules we found.
- USCIS. Federal regulation 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) requires a full English translation of any foreign-language document, certified by the translator as complete and accurate, along with the translator’s certification of competence to translate into English.
- Driver licensing. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet publishes form TC 94-197, Interpreter Affidavit of a Foreign Country Driver License. The interpreter writes out the license information in English and swears to it before a notary.
- Minors applying for a first license. The Cabinet’s page for non-U.S. citizens says applicants under 18 must bring their birth certificate with a notarized, translated statement of the information on it.
- Universities. Policies differ by school. The University of Louisville asks undergraduate applicants for notarized, ATA-certified translation of transcripts from outside the United States, while Kentucky State University asks for certified English translation.
Getting a Kentucky apostille on a translation or record
Apostilles and authentications for Kentucky documents are issued by the Secretary of State in Frankfort. The office does not translate documents. It certifies the signature of a Kentucky official or notary so the document can be used abroad.
An apostille attaches to a Kentucky signature, so a translation needs a Kentucky notarization first. When a translation has to be notarized for Kentucky, we hire a notary commissioned in Kentucky to notarize the translator’s statement. We also help with the apostille request itself. Tell us the destination country when you ask for a quote, because the request form asks for it.
If the original record also needs an apostille, it is a separate document with its own $5 state fee.
| Fee | $5 per document, check payable to Kentucky State Treasurer |
|---|---|
| Form | Request for Apostille or Authentication, required for mail requests |
| Office of the Secretary of State, Authentications and Apostilles, P.O. Box 718, Frankfort, KY 40602 | |
| Walk-in | 1025 Capital Center Drive, Suite 201, Frankfort, KY 40601, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., completed while you wait |
| Mail processing | Within 3 business days, returned by USPS First Class unless you include a prepaid label |
| Online | PDF documents can be submitted electronically and the result is emailed as a PDF; not available for vital records |
| Phone | (502) 564-3490 |
- Notarized paper documents. The signature must be notarized by a Kentucky notary public, and the notary’s signature must then be certified by the county clerk before the Secretary of State will act.
- Electronically notarized documents. A PDF notarized by an authorized Kentucky online notary does not need county clerk certification.
- Vital records. A birth, death, marriage or divorce certificate must carry the signature of the current State Registrar.
- County clerk records. These must be signed by the current county clerk or a deputy clerk.
- Federal documents. These go to the U.S. Department of State, not to Frankfort.
Kentucky vital records: where certified copies come from
Certified birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates come from the Office of Vital Statistics in the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. The office holds births and deaths from 1911 and marriages and divorces from June 1958. Earlier marriage records may be with county clerks. The office warns that third-party vendors charge excessive fees and names VitalChek as its only authorized online vendor.
| Birth certificate | $10 per copy |
|---|---|
| Death, marriage, divorce, stillbirth | $6 per copy |
| In person | 275 East Main Street, Frankfort, Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; same-day service is not guaranteed after 3:45 p.m. |
| By mail | Office of Vital Statistics, 275 E. Main St., 1E-A, Frankfort, KY 40621 |
| Mail and drop box timing | Typically 5 business days; allow up to 30 working days |
| Online or phone | VitalChek, (800) 241-8322, with an added VitalChek fee |
Kentucky notaries, translations and legal advice
A Kentucky notary verifies a signature. A notary does not certify that a translation is accurate, which is why the translator signs the accuracy statement and the notary notarizes that signature.
KRS 423.405 says a notary commission does not authorize anyone to practice law. A notary who is not a Kentucky attorney may not advertise or represent that he or she can draft legal records or give legal advice, and may not engage in false or deceptive advertising. The same section bars a notary from withholding your original record. If someone presenting as a notary offers immigration legal help, check whether that person is a licensed attorney.
Under KRS 423.390, a Kentucky notary must be able to read and write English and holds a four-year commission.
Courts and interpreters in Kentucky
The Kentucky Court of Justice runs an Office of Language Access within the Administrative Office of the Courts at 1001 Vandalay Drive, Frankfort, KY 40601, phone 502-573-2350. It provides interpreters at no cost to people with limited English proficiency and to people who are deaf or hard of hearing, in more than 100 languages a year. Court participants request an interpreter through the local trial court handling the case.
The office also runs the Court Interpreter Certification Program. Spoken language candidates pass a background check, an orientation workshop, a written English exam, an oral proficiency interview and an oral certification exam, plus court observation hours. Court interpreting is a different service from document translation: if you plan to file a foreign-language document as evidence, ask the court clerk or your attorney what form of translation the judge expects.
Languages and foreign-born residents in Kentucky
Census Bureau American Community Survey figures for 2024 (1-year estimates) put Kentucky’s population at 4,588,372. About 7.5 percent of residents, roughly 325,764 people, speak a language other than English at home, and about 5.2 percent were born outside the United States.
We translate 100 languages. The most requested are Spanish, Russian, Hindi, Urdu, Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic and Czech. If your language is not listed, ask us before you order.
How to order from anywhere in Kentucky
We have no office in Kentucky, and you do not need one near you.
- 1. Upload. Send a scan or clear photo through the quote form as a PDF, JPEG, PNG or Word file.
- 2. Tell us the recipient. USCIS, a court, a university, a driver licensing office or a foreign authority. Say if you need notarization or an apostille.
- 3. Receive. Your certified translation with a signed certificate of accuracy arrives electronically or by mail, most within 1 to 2 business days.
- Questions. Call (971) 514-3743 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Translation pages for Kentucky cities
We have a page for each of these Kentucky cities, with the local offices, courts and schools that affect a translation there:
Frankfort · Louisville · Lexington · Bowling Green · Owensboro · Covington
- Kentucky apostille service, when the original record needs an apostille too
- All document translation services
Kentucky document translation questions
Apostille Authentications translates documents for Kentucky residents remotely from the Portland, Oregon area, from $65 per page. You upload the document and receive a certified translation with a signed certificate of accuracy electronically or by mail.
The Kentucky Secretary of State charges $5 per document. Checks are made payable to Kentucky State Treasurer.
Yes for paper documents: the Secretary of State requires the Kentucky notary’s signature to be certified by the county clerk. A PDF notarized by an authorized Kentucky online notary does not need that step.
Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), any foreign-language document must come with a full English translation that the translator certifies as complete and accurate, plus the translator’s certification of competence to translate into English.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet provides form TC 94-197, an interpreter affidavit in which the license information is written in English and sworn before a notary. Ask your Driver Licensing Regional Office what it needs in your case.
From the Office of Vital Statistics, 275 East Main Street, Frankfort, for $10 per copy. For an apostille the certificate must bear the current State Registrar’s signature.
Sources
The local details on this page come from these official sources.
- Kentucky Secretary of State: Apostilles and Authentications
- Request for Apostille or Authentication form
- Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics
- Vital Statistics: Certificate Purchase Options
- 8 CFR 103.2 (eCFR)
- Kentucky Transportation Cabinet: Non-U.S. Citizen licensing
- Form TC 94-197 Interpreter Affidavit
- Kentucky Court of Justice: Language Access
- Kentucky Court of Justice: Interpreter Resources
- KRS 423.390 (Kentucky Legislature)
- Census Reporter: Kentucky profile (ACS 2024)
Get your Kentucky 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.