Aging and Long-Term Support Administration

Certified Court Sign Language Interpreters


To qualify as a certified court intermediary interpreter, you must complete the following requirements:

To be on the ODHH list of certified court interpreters, sign language and intermediary interpreters must register with and meet qualification standards established and administered by ODHH. There are two categories of interpreters, and different requirements for each category.

To qualify as a certified court sign language interpreter, you must complete the following requirements:

  1. The applicant must hold a current certification, either:
    1. Specialist certificate: Legal (SC: L) from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf; or
    2. Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) certification and having passed the SC: L written test.
  2. You must undergo a DSHS criminal background check conducted by DSHS.
  3. You must complete the Washington courts training provided by the ODHH.
  4. You must take an oath of interpreter, as administered by the Washington courts.
  5. You must register online with ODHH annually by July 1.

Alphabetical Preferred Interpreter List (Specialist Certificate: Legal - SC:L)


Alphabetical Interpreter List (RID Certification with SC:L written test)



Intermediary Interpreters (Deaf Interpreter)

To qualify as a certified court Intermediary interpreter, you must complete the following requirements:

  1. The applicant must hold a current certified deaf interpreter (CDI) certification from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf;
  2. You must undergo a DSHS criminal background conducted by DSHS.
  3. You must complete the Washington courts training provided by ODHH.
  4. You must take an oath of interpreter, as administered by the Washington courts.
  5. You must register online with ODHH annually by July 1.