Sworn Translation in Spain: What It Is and When You Need One

According to Spain's Office of Language Interpretation (MAEC), sworn translations and interpretations produced by an appointed Traductor-Intérprete Jurado "have official character, and may be submitted before judicial and administrative bodies."

What distinguishes a sworn translation from an ordinary one isn't the language pair or how well it reads — it's the certification: the sworn translator's signature, their official stamp, and a certification statement attesting that the translation is a faithful and accurate rendering of the original document.

Only a Traductor-Intérprete Jurado — a title granted specifically by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation — may certify a translation as sworn. Holding this appointment doesn't make someone a Spanish civil servant or create an employment relationship with the Spanish state: it's an independent professional authorized to certify their own translations.

MAEC sets out two routes: passing an examination the Ministry convenes periodically, or having equivalent professional qualifications obtained in another European Union or European Economic Area member state, or in Switzerland, formally recognized.

The Office of Language Interpretation publishes an official list of appointed Traductores-Intérpretes Jurados, organized by language pair and province. Before commissioning a sworn translation, check that list to confirm the professional is genuinely appointed for the language pair you need — a provider stating "sworn" or "certified" on their own website isn't sufficient confirmation on its own.

Since 2025, Orden AUC/213/2025 regulates the use of electronic signatures by Traductores-Intérpretes Jurados, enabling digital certification of their work. In practice, this allows sworn translations to be delivered electronically and signed digitally, without paper and a physical stamp, when the sworn translator holds an electronic signature recognized for this purpose.

In general, a sworn translation is required when a document written in a language other than Spanish must be submitted to a Spanish judicial or administrative body — or, conversely, when a Spanish document must be submitted to a foreign authority that requires a certified translation. The exact requirement depends on the specific procedure and the receiving body; check the relevant document or procedure guide before commissioning a translation.