New Jersey Document Translation Services
Apostille Authentications provides certified document translation for people and businesses in New Jersey, from $65 per page, with most orders ready in 1 to 2 business days. Each translation 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. Below is what New Jersey agencies publish about translated documents.
Upload your document below as a PDF, JPEG, PNG or Word file, or call (971) 514-3743 for a quote.
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Who asks for a certified translation in New Jersey
Three rules come up most often. The first is federal. 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 second is the Motor Vehicle Commission. Its 6 Points of ID page states that documents in any language other than English must be accompanied by a certified translation. The third is the Department of the Treasury, which recommends attaching a notarized English translation when a non-English document is sent for an apostille.
What the MVC counts as a certified translation
The MVC publishes a one-page definition. It does not list approved translators and does not mention notarization. A translation qualifies if it is one of the following:
- Government issued. Issued by a government entity, such as a consulate or ministry, that issued the original document.
- Qualified translator. Signed with a seal by a person qualified to translate, such as someone certified by the American Translators Association.
- Competent adult translator. From a person over 18 who is competent to translate, with a certification giving the translator’s name, the document name, the applicant’s name, statements of fluency and of completeness and accuracy (including stamps and seals), an acknowledgment that an intentionally false translation is punishable, and the translator’s signature, address, email and phone number.
How apostilles work in New Jersey
New Jersey has no Secretary of State apostille desk. Apostilles and certifications are issued by the Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES), in Trenton, and carry the signature of the State Treasurer. An apostille is issued for countries in the Hague Convention and a certification for other countries.
You place the request through the state’s online apostille service, pay by credit card or e-check, then mail or deliver the confirmation page with the documents. Notarized documents must bear the original inked signature of the New Jersey notary and of the person who presented the document. Treasury’s instructions do not describe a county clerk certification step.
| Standard fee | $25 per document, plus a service fee of $2.50 (credit card) or $1.00 (e-check) |
|---|---|
| Expedited fee | $40 per document, plus the same service fee |
| Adoption documents | $5 per document standard, $20 expedited |
| Standard processing | 12 to 20 business days from receipt |
| Expedited processing | 8.5 business hours from receipt by courier; in-person delivery is accepted 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. |
| Regular mail | PO Box 452, Trenton, NJ 08646 |
| Expedited, in person or courier | 33 West State Street, 5th Floor, Trenton, NJ 08608 |
Translations and the New Jersey apostille
Treasury states that when a document is not in English, attaching a notarized English translation is recommended, and that this results in two apostilles or certifications and two fees: one for the original and one for the translation.
Because the apostille on the translation authenticates a New Jersey notary’s signature, the notarization has to be a New Jersey one. When a translation needs to be notarized for New Jersey, we hire a notary commissioned in New Jersey to notarize the translator’s statement. We can also help you with the apostille request itself; ask for details when you request a quote.
Vital records: where the certified copy comes from
Treasury directs applicants to obtain birth, marriage, death and similar records from January 1, 1923 forward from the Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry. Earlier records come from the New Jersey State Archives, and records from other states must be authenticated in the state that issued them.
The State office charges $25 for the search and one certified copy and $2 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. Its walk-in counter is at 140 East Front Street, Trenton, open 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays; after 3:30 p.m. you can only drop off an application. The mailing address is PO Box 370, Trenton, NJ 08625-0370. Local registrars also issue copies for events in their municipality at fees they set, but if you need an apostille, tell the State office on your application.
Notaries, courts and language access rules
A New Jersey notary does not certify that a translation is accurate; the notary notarizes the translator’s signed statement. State law (P.L. 2014, c.48) bars notaries who are not attorneys from using the title of lawyer or equivalent terms in English or any other language. A non-attorney notary who advertises must include this notice, in the language of the advertisement: “I am not an attorney licensed to practice law and may not give legal advice about immigration or any other legal matter or accept fees for legal advice.” The Notary Public Manual also lists acting as an immigration consultant as grounds for losing a commission.
- Courts. The Judiciary’s Language Access Plan says it provides court interpreters, qualified bilingual staff and certain translated materials and bears the cost except in very limited circumstances. Interpreters who pass the oral exam are classified Master (80 percent or higher on each part) or Journey (70 percent or higher). The plan has a separate section on translation, including evidentiary submissions; ask the court handling your case what it requires.
- State agencies. The New Jersey Language Access Law (P.L. 2023, c.263) requires executive branch agencies that serve the public to offer translation and interpreting in the seven languages most spoken by residents with limited English proficiency: Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, Gujarati, Chinese, Haitian Creole and Arabic.
- Language data. About 34.3 percent of New Jersey residents speak a language other than English at home and about 25 percent are foreign born (ACS 2024 one-year estimates).
How to order a translation from anywhere in New Jersey
Upload a scan or clear photo of each page through the quote form as a PDF, JPEG, PNG or Word file, and tell us which agency the translation is for. We confirm the price and timing before work starts. The certified translation is returned electronically or by mail, and the translator’s statement can be notarized on request.
We translate 100 languages. The most requested are Spanish, Russian, Hindi, Urdu, Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic and Czech; for any other language, ask. Our office is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at (971) 514-3743. Acceptance is always decided by the receiving agency, so check its current requirements first.
Translation pages for New Jersey cities
We have a page for each of these New Jersey cities, with the local offices, courts and schools that affect a translation there:
Trenton · Newark · Jersey City · Paterson · Elizabeth · Edison · Toms River
- New Jersey apostille service, when the original record needs an apostille too
- All document translation services
New Jersey document translation questions
The New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services in Trenton issues apostilles and certifications. New Jersey does not route them through a Secretary of State.
The state’s online service lists $25 per document for standard service and $40 for expedited service, plus a $2.50 credit card or $1.00 e-check service fee. Adoption documents are $5 standard and $20 expedited.
Treasury recommends attaching a notarized English translation to a non-English document. It issues two apostilles and charges two fees, one for the original and one for the translation.
The MVC requires a certified translation for any document not in English. Its definition covers a translation from the issuing government, one signed with a seal by a qualified translator, or one from a competent adult translator with a detailed signed certification.
A notary notarizes signatures and does not certify translation accuracy. New Jersey law prohibits non-attorney notaries from giving legal advice about immigration or presenting themselves as lawyers in any language.
Apostille Authentications charges from $65 per page and completes most translations 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.
- NJ Treasury DORES: Apostilles and Notary Certifications
- NJ online apostille request service (fees and delivery)
- NJ Department of Health: vital records fees
- NJ Department of Health: Vital Statistics contact and walk-in
- NJ MVC: definition of certified translation
- NJ MVC: 6 Points of ID
- P.L. 2014, c.48 (notary advertising)
- New Jersey Notary Public Manual
- NJ Judiciary Language Access Plan
- New Jersey Language Access Law
- 8 CFR 103.2 (eCFR)
- Census Reporter: New Jersey profile
Get your New Jersey 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.