Maryland Document Translation Services

Apostille Authentications provides certified document translation for people and businesses in Maryland from $65 per page, and most translations are ready in 1 to 2 business days. Each one comes with a signed certificate of accuracy. We work remotely from our office in Lake Oswego, in the Portland, Oregon area: you upload your documents through the quote form and receive the translation electronically or by mail. We have no office in Maryland, so nothing has to be dropped off.

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 Maryland agencies ask for in a translation

Requirements differ by agency, so check with the office that will receive your document before you order. These are the published rules we found for the offices Maryland residents deal with most.

USCIS. Federal regulation 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) says: “Any document containing foreign language submitted to USCIS shall be accompanied by a full English language translation which the translator has certified as complete and accurate, and by the translator’s certification that he or she is competent to translate from the foreign language into English.” Our certificate of accuracy is written to cover both statements.
Maryland courts. The Maryland Judiciary’s Court Interpreter Program does not translate court orders, case materials or evidence. It recommends that parties hire translators accredited by the American Translators Association and says the translator should attach a statement that the translation is a true and correct translation of the original.
Motor Vehicle Administration. The MVA accepts translations only from providers on its Approved Interpreter/Translator Providers list, court translators, embassy translators of the country of origin, or translators hired by the State. Each translation must show the translator’s typed or printed name, telephone number and signature, and the original must accompany it.

Driver's licenses and other MVA documents

If you are exchanging a license from another country, the MVA says a license that is not in English must be accompanied by an international driver’s license or be translated into English by an approved MVA translator. The MVA publishes its approved provider list as a PDF, and translators join it by filing forms DL-200, DL-201 and DL-203.

Because of that rule, confirm with the MVA whether a translation will be accepted before ordering one from any company for MVA use, including ours. The MVA’s customer line is 410-768-7000. Maryland has license reciprocity agreements with South Korea, France, Germany, Taiwan and Japan, which waive the knowledge and skills tests for eligible drivers aged 18 and over.

Getting a Maryland apostille for a translated document

Apostilles and certifications for Maryland documents are issued by the Secretary of State’s Certification Desk at 16 Francis Street, Annapolis, MD 21401. The fee is $5.00 per document. A translation is a private document, so it reaches the apostille stage through a notary, in three steps.

Mail requests	Include the Mailing Checklist Form for Certification/Apostille, a U.S. check or money order payable to Secretary of State, a note naming the destination country and how to reach you, and a stamped self-addressed envelope or prepaid FedEx or UPS label
Published mail processing	3 to 4 days by FedEx, UPS or USPS Priority Mail; 7 to 14 business days by regular mail
In person	Certification Desk hours are 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The office has applied daily document limits and appointment rules, so check its page before you travel
Payment in person	Credit or debit card, check or money order
Contact	(410) 974-5521

Step 1: notarization. The translator’s statement is notarized by a Maryland notary. When a translation needs to be notarized for Maryland, we hire a notary commissioned in Maryland to notarize the translator’s statement.
Step 2: Clerk of the Circuit Court. The Secretary of State requires notarized documents to be certified first by the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where the notary was commissioned. Clerks in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City and Montgomery County each publish a fee of $1 per document for this.
Step 3: Secretary of State. Send or bring the clerk-certified document to the Certification Desk with the $5.00 fee and the name of the country where it will be used.

Maryland vital records and where they come from

A translation starts from the record itself, and for an apostille you generally need a certified copy from the issuing office. The Division of Vital Records of the Maryland Department of Health issues birth, death and marriage certificates and divorce verifications.

Mailing address	Division of Vital Records, P.O. Box 68760, Baltimore, MD 21215-0036
Birth or death certificate	$10.00 by mail; $13.00 for internet orders
Marriage certificate or divorce verification	$12.00 by mail; $13.00 for internet orders
Marriage records held	Marriages on or after January 1, 2007. For earlier marriages, contact the circuit court in the county where the marriage took place or the Maryland State Archives
In person	The Division’s lobby is by appointment only; some local health departments also issue certificates
Phone	(410) 764-3038 or (800) 832-3277

What Maryland notaries can and cannot do with translations

A notary’s seal on a translation confirms the identity of the person who signed the accuracy statement. It does not confirm that the translation is correct. Maryland law also limits what a notary who is not a lawyer may offer.

No ‘notario publico’. Under State Government Article section 18-224, a notary may not use the term ‘notario’ or ‘notario publico’ unless the notary is an attorney licensed in Maryland.
No legal or immigration advice. A notary who is not an attorney may not draft legal records, give legal advice, act as an immigration consultant or represent anyone in an immigration proceeding, and may not charge for those activities.
Required disclaimer. A non-attorney notary who advertises must state, in every language used in the advertisement, that he or she is not an attorney licensed to practice law in Maryland.
Remote notarization. The Secretary of State’s notary FAQ says remote notarization has been legal in Maryland since October 1, 2020, using authorized technology vendors.

Interpreters in Maryland courts

Interpreting in a hearing is separate from document translation. To ask for a spoken language interpreter, file the Request for Spoken Language Interpreter, form CC-DC-041, with your court at least 30 days before the proceeding. The Judiciary states that the Administrative Office of the Courts covers the cost. Court interpreters can give an oral sight translation of a short document during a proceeding, but the Judiciary advises having long documents translated in advance.

Languages in Maryland and how to order

Census Bureau American Community Survey figures published by Census Reporter show that about 21.8 percent of Maryland residents speak a language other than English at home and 17.1 percent were born outside the United States.

We translate 100 languages. The ones requested most often are Spanish, Russian, Hindi, Urdu, Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic and Czech; ask us about any other language you need.

To order from anywhere in Maryland, 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 office will receive the translation and whether you need the translator’s statement notarized or an apostille. We can also help with the apostille request itself.

Translation pages for Maryland cities

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

Annapolis · Baltimore · Columbia · Silver Spring · Rockville · Frederick

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

Maryland document translation questions

How much does certified document translation cost in Maryland?

Apostille Authentications charges from $65 per page for certified translation ordered from Maryland, and most translations are ready in 1 to 2 business days. The work is done remotely and delivered electronically or by mail.

Who issues apostilles in Maryland?

The Maryland Secretary of State’s Certification Desk at 16 Francis Street in Annapolis issues apostilles and certifications. The fee is $5.00 per document.

Can a translated document get a Maryland apostille?

Yes, if the translator’s statement is notarized by a Maryland notary and the notary’s signature is then certified by the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where the notary was commissioned. The Secretary of State then issues the apostille on the notarized document.

Does USCIS require a certified translation for documents from Maryland applicants?

USCIS requires a full English translation of any foreign language document, with the translator’s certification that it is complete and accurate and that the translator is competent to translate. This is set out in 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) and applies in every state, including Maryland.

Will the Maryland MVA accept any translation of a foreign driver's license?

No. The MVA says a non-English license must be accompanied by an international driver’s license or translated by an approved MVA translator, and it also lists court, embassy and State-hired translators as acceptable. Check the MVA’s approved provider list before ordering.

Can a notary in Maryland call themselves a notario publico?

Only if the notary is an attorney licensed to practice law in Maryland. Maryland law also bars non-attorney notaries from giving legal advice or acting as immigration consultants.