Database of translators and interpreters

The President of the Higher Regional Court of Schleswig-Holstein (Schleswig-Holsteinisches Oberlandesgericht) is responsible for the official authorization (swearing in) of interpreters and certification of translators.Further information and application forms are available at:
schleswig-holstein.de - Dolmetscher

1. A person may be sworn in or authorised as a court interpreter or translator if they
   1. are a natural person
   2. is a citizen of a Member State of the European Union or a citizen of a contracting state of the Agreement on the European Economic Area or Switzerland or a person who has his or her professional establishment or place of residence in one of these states
   3. is of full age
   4. are personally suitable
   5. lives in settled financial circumstances
   6. is reliable and
   7. possesses the requisite specialist knowledge in the German language and in the language for which he or she is authorised/sworn.


2. A person shall be deemed not personally qualified who
   1. during the last five years prior to the application for swearing-in, has been legally convicted of a crime or for making a false statement while not under oath, false sworn affidavit, false accusation, violation of personal and privacy sphere, assistance after the fact, dealing in stolen goods, money laundering, assistance in avoiding prosecution, fraud or forgery
   2. is not willing or not physically capable of providing services to the courts and prosecuting offices of Schleswig-Holstein on short notice (interpreters),


3. The applicant must be in good financial standing. In particular, no insolvency proceedings may have been opened against the applicant's assets. The applicant must also not be named in the list of debtors maintained by the enforcement court or insolvency court (Section 26 (2) Insolvency Code 2 (Insolvenzordnung) of 5 October 1994 (Federal Law Gazette (BGBl) I p. 2866) , last amended by Article 6 of the Act of 15 July 2024 (Federal Law Gazette 2024 I No. 236), Section 882b German Code of Civil Procedure (Zivilprozessordnung).


4. Professional competence requires sufficient language skills and a basic knowledge of German legal language. Language skills must be proven by a state-recognised interpreting/translation examination. An alternative proof of competence may be considered only if no examination is offered for the language in question at one of the recognised examination offices in the Federal Republic of Germany.


5. In addition to the documents proving the required professional skills, the following documents must be enclosed with the application:
   1. As proof of personal suitability, a certificate of good conduct in accordance with Section 30 (5) Federal Central Register Act (Bundeszentralregistergesetz) in the version published on 21 September 1984 (Federal Law Gazette I p. 1229, 1985 I p. 195), last amended by Article 5 of the Act of 19 July 2024 (Federal Law Gazette 2024 I No. 245), must be submitted to the President of the Higher Regional Court of Schleswig-Holstein.
   
   
   2. Furthermore, the application shall provide the following statement:
   
   

   “I hereby certify that during the last five years, I have not been legally convicted of a crime or for making a false statement while not under oath, false sworn affidavit, false accusation, violation of personal and privacy sphere, assistance after the fact, dealing in stolen goods, money laundering, assistance in avoiding prosecution, fraud or forgery. I am aware of the fact that the general swearing-in as interpreter may be rescinded if it was obtained through false statements.” This declaration is contained in the application form available on the website of the Higher Regional Court of Schleswig-Holstein.

   3. Furthermore, the applicant shall provide a statement that he/she is willing and physically capable of providing services to the courts and prosecuting offices of Schleswig-Holstein on short notice. The applicant shall state specifically how he/she will ensure such short-notice availability. This declaration is contained in the application form available on the website of the Higher Regional Court of Schleswig-Holstein.
   
   
   4. The applicant must also submit a declaration stating whether insolvency proceedings have been opened against his or her assets and whether no discharge from any residual debt has yet been issued, or whether he or she is entered in the register of debtors.
   
   
   5. In addition, a signed curriculum vitae must be submitted.

Excerpt from the schedule of fees:

4. Swearing-in of interpreters, certification of translators
   4.1

   1. General swearing-in of court interpreters in accordance with Section 5 of the Court Interpreters Act (Gerichtsdolmetschergesetz) and of sign language interpreters in accordance with Section 76 (1) of the Court Interpreters Act.

      EUR 150

   
   4.2

   2. Authorisation of translators to certify the accuracy and completeness of translations in accordance with Section 74 (1)

      EUR 150

   3. Notes:
   4. If applications are submitted for both the official acts referred to in sections 4.1 and 4.2 at the same time, the fee is 170 EUR. If applications are submitted for the official acts referred to in sections 4.1 and 4.2 for several languages at the same time, the fee shall be increased by a one-off amount of EUR 50. The certification of judicial officers as court interpreters, sign language interpreters and sign language interpreters is free of charge.
   
   4.3

   Rejection of an application for an official act for which a fee is provided for in sections 4.1 and 4.2.

   EUR 75