What is a NAATI certified translation? The complete guide

If you have been asked for a "NAATI translation", a "certified translation" or an "official translation" in Australia, this guide explains what that means, why it is required, and how to get one without paying twice.

What NAATI is

NAATI stands for the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters. It is a company owned jointly by the Australian federal, state and territory governments, and it is the only body in Australia that certifies translators and interpreters to a nationally recognised standard.

NAATI does not translate documents itself. It tests translators, issues them a credential, lists them in a public directory, and requires them to keep that credential current through ongoing work and professional development. When an authority asks for a NAATI translation, it is asking for a translation done by someone who holds one of these credentials.

What makes a translation "NAATI certified"

A NAATI certified translation is not simply a translation done by a bilingual person, or even by a professional translator. It has to meet a specific set of conditions:

• It was completed by a translator holding a current NAATI credential in that language direction (for example, French into English)
• It is a complete and accurate rendering of the original, including stamps, seals, handwritten notes and text on the reverse
• It carries the translator's full name, NAATI credential number, signature and the date of certification
• It bears the translator's NAATI stamp (physical or digital)
• It includes a certification statement confirming the translation is true and accurate

If any of these are missing, most authorities will treat the document as uncertified and ask you to redo it.

Who requires a NAATI translation

In practice, almost every Australian institution that accepts foreign-language documents:

• Department of Home Affairs, for visa, citizenship and migration applications. Any non-English document must be accompanied by an English translation, and for translations done in Australia, that translator must be NAATI certified.
• State and territory road authorities (VicRoads, Transport for NSW, TMR Queensland, WA Department of Transport and their equivalents), for driving on an overseas licence and for converting it. See our guide to translating an overseas driver's licence.
• Courts and tribunals, for any foreign-language evidence or supporting document
• Universities and skills assessing authorities, for academic transcripts, degrees and professional qualifications
• Registries of Births, Deaths and Marriages, for registering overseas life events
• Medicare, Centrelink, the ATO, banks and employers, for identity and eligibility documents
• DFAT, for translations that need an apostille or authentication before use overseas

The rules can be summarised in one line: if you are giving a non-English document to an Australian authority, expect them to require a NAATI certified translation.

Translations done overseas: a common trap

The Department of Home Affairs distinguishes between translations done inside and outside Australia. Translations completed in Australia must be by a NAATI certified translator. Translations completed overseas can be accepted if the translator includes their full name, address, contact details, qualifications and a signed declaration.

In theory this gives you flexibility. In practice, overseas translations are the most common reason for delays: case officers query them more often, state road authorities and universities frequently do not accept them at all, and if one is rejected you end up paying for a NAATI translation anyway. If there is any chance your document will be used for more than one purpose in Australia, get it done by a NAATI translator from the start.

Certified vs "accredited" vs "recognised practising"

You will see these terms used loosely. They mean different things:

• Certified Translator is the current standard credential. This is what you should look for.
• Certified Advanced Translator is a higher-level credential, relevant for complex legal or technical work but not needed for personal documents.
• Recognised Practising Translator is issued only for languages where NAATI does not yet run a certification test. It is a valid credential and is accepted by Home Affairs and other authorities.
• Accredited refers to the pre-2018 system. Translators moved across to the certification system, and translations dated after 1 July 2018 need to be from a certified (or recognised practising) translator to be accepted by DFAT and most other agencies. If a service still describes itself as "NAATI accredited", ask for the translator's current certification.

What a NAATI translation costs

NAATI translations are priced per page. At EzyTranslate, the first page costs $69 and each additional page $49, so a single-page document such as a driver's licence, birth certificate or police check is $69, and a two-page marriage certificate is $118. That price includes the certified PDF with the translator's stamp and credential number, and there is no extra charge for the certification itself. Multi-page documents like academic transcripts and court judgments follow the same per-page rate, so you can work out the total before you order.

Across the market, expect anywhere from about $35 to $90 per page for standard documents. Prices well below that range are worth checking carefully: ask whether the translator holds a current NAATI credential and whether the number will appear on the document. Anything advertised as free, or generated by AI without a certified translator reviewing and stamping it, will not be accepted by any Australian authority.

How to get one

The process is fully online for personal documents:

1. Photograph or scan the document, both sides, with all four corners visible
2. Upload it and confirm the source language and the spelling of names as they appear on your passport
3. Review the draft if the service offers one
4. Receive the certified PDF, and a hard copy if you request it

Turnaround is typically 1 to 2 business days for common languages, with same-day options available.

How to check a translator is genuinely NAATI certified

NAATI keeps a public online directory of every credentialled practitioner. Search by name or credential number and check that the credential is current and covers the right language direction. A legitimate service will have no problem giving you the translator's name and number before you pay.

Also check that the credential is in the right direction. A translator certified for English into Japanese is not necessarily certified for Japanese into English, and authorities do check this.

Does a NAATI translation expire?

The translation itself carries no expiry date. It stays valid as long as the original document is unchanged and the translator held a current credential when they signed it. Two situations do require a new translation: the original document is renewed or replaced (a new passport, a renewed licence), or the receiving authority has a specific recency requirement, which is rare for translations but common for the underlying document (police checks, for example, are usually only valid for 12 months).

Documents commonly translated

The same rules apply across all of these. Each links to its own guide where available:

• Driver's licence
• Birth certificate
• Marriage certificate
• Passport and ID
• Police check and police clearance certificate
• Academic transcripts and degrees
• Divorce and death certificates
• Bank statements and payslips

FAQ

Is a NAATI translation the same as a certified translation?

In Australia, effectively yes. When an Australian authority says "certified translation", it means one done by a NAATI credentialled translator. Outside Australia, "certified translation" can mean different things depending on the country.

Can I get a NAATI translation if I am outside Australia?

Yes. NAATI translators work online, and many people arrange their translations before arriving. You do not need to be in Australia to order one.

Does Home Affairs accept digital copies?

Yes. Visa applications are lodged online and a certified PDF with a digital stamp is standard. Keep the original PDF; a screenshot or a photo of a printout can cause problems.

Can a friend or family member who is a translator do it?

Only if they hold a current NAATI credential in the right language direction, and even then, some authorities discourage translations by people with a personal connection to the applicant.

Do I need to translate every page of a long document?

Usually yes, if you are submitting the document. Some authorities accept extract translations of specific pages (a passport bio page, for example), but partial translations of certificates and legal documents are commonly rejected. If in doubt, ask the receiving authority before you order.

Is a NAATI translation accepted overseas?

Often, but not automatically. If the document is going to a foreign government, it may need an apostille or authentication from DFAT on top of the translation. DFAT only issues these for translations by NAATI certified translators.