Certified Interpreters

To work at the DC Courts and appear as a certified freelance interpreter on the DC Courts Interpreter Registry, an interpreter must be certified or have passed an interpretation exam administered by one of the following:

1. Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) (American Sign Language and Deaf Interpreters)
    
2. Administrative Office of the United States Courts (AOUSC)-Federal Court Interpreter Certification Examination (FCICE) (available in Spanish only)
    
3. A state court system that administers State Court Interpreter Certification exams, to include those developed by the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) – currently, the NCSC offers oral interpretation certification exams in the following languages: Arabic, Bosnian/Serbian/Croatian, Cantonese, Tagalog, French, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Ilocano, Khmer, Korean, Laotian, Mandarin, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, and Vietnamese
    
4. United States Department of State-Conference Level

Freelance interpreters certified or vetted by the above entities must also complete the following steps:

1. Email your resume and proof of certification to interpreters [at] dcsc.gov. "Proof of certification" means a copy of your Federal Court Interpreter or State Court Interpreter certificate, RID card, or State Department letter stating you have passed the Conference Level examination in the target language. OCIS staff will acknowledge receipt of your email and review your resume and proof of certification. Once the information has been verified, OCIS will instruct you to complete the following steps:
   1. Obtain a DUNS number from https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. It takes one business day to obtain.
       
   2. Approximately 48 hours after being issued a DUNS number, you must register your entity at www.sam.gov.
       
   3. Once your SAM registration has been activated, contact OCIS staff, who will then email you a form to register as a new supplier in Oracle for the District of Columbia Courts. NOTE: Your SAM registration will be valid for one year from the date registration is complete. SAM registration must be renewed annually. If you submit an invoice when your SAM registration is expired, your invoice will be rejected by OCIS. The invoice may be resubmitted after you renew your SAM registration.
       
2. Complete an Orientation Workshop for Interpreters in the District of Columbia Courts for certified interpreters. This workshop covers the DC Courts’ Interpreter Code of Ethics, rules of professional conduct, and practice standards. Interpreters must take and pass a quiz related to these matters. Interpreters will receive training on the Web Interpreter System (WIS), the database through which interpreters post their availability, receive assignments, view assigned cases, and submit invoices. Interpreters will also be trained on the District of Columbia’s court system and OCIS policies and procedures.
    
3. Pass a criminal history background check.