Key takeaways
- Certified translation prices are set by providers; no UK authority publishes a standard price.
- The Scottish Legal Aid Board pays £95 per 1,000 words for translation, and £28.50 for documents up to 300 words.
- Legal Aid Agency guidance for family cases in England and Wales treats rates below £100 per 1,000 words as not usually needing prior authority.
- Official fees come on top: an FCDO apostille costs £45 per document on paper or £35 as an e-Apostille.
- UK ENIC’s Translation Waiver Service can remove translation costs for some languages for a Statement of Comparability.
Anyone ordering a certified translation for a visa, passport or university application wants to know the likely cost before committing. Prices vary between providers, and quotes are often given per page, per document or per word, which makes comparison difficult.
This article explains what drives the cost, which public benchmark rates exist, and the official fees that are often forgotten. It does not quote any agency’s prices. For an overview of certified translation itself, see our guide to certified translation in the UK.
Is there a standard price for a certified translation in the UK?
No. No UK authority publishes a standard price for certified translation, and providers set their own rates. Prices are usually quoted per word, per page or as a fixed fee for short standard documents.
The Home Office describes what the translation must contain, not what it should cost. Our article on Home Office translation requirements sets out those content rules.
What public benchmark rates exist for translation?
Public bodies that pay for translation publish their own rates, which give a useful reference point. They are what those bodies pay translators, not market prices for individual customers.
The Scottish Legal Aid Board sets out its translation rates in these terms:
“Translation is paid at £95 per 1000 words. The rate is applied on pro-rata basis against the document word count at £0.095 per word.”
The same page says documents of up to 300 words are paid a fee of £28.50. Multiple similar documents in the same language, “such as marriage or birth certificates”, are paid a single standard fee of £28.50.
In England and Wales, the Legal Aid Agency’s guidance on remunerating expert witnesses in family cases says prior authority is not usually needed where the translation rate is below £100 per 1,000 words. Above that, solicitors may apply for prior authority.
What affects the price of a certified translation?
The main cost drivers are length, language and complexity. Understanding them helps you compare quotes fairly.
- Word count and density. A one-page certificate with a few hundred words costs less than a multi-page court judgment or transcript.
- Language pair. Languages with fewer qualified translators in the UK may cost more.
- Legibility. Handwritten entries, faded stamps and poor scans take longer to decipher.
- Layout. Tables, transcripts and forms take time to reproduce clearly.
- Certification format. A signed paper copy sent by post costs more than an electronically signed PDF.
- Urgency. Same-day or weekend work may carry a surcharge.
- Extra steps. Notarisation and apostilles add professional and official fees.
What official fees should you budget for on top of translation?
Several official fees may apply depending on what the translation is for. The table lists those most often needed alongside certified translations.
| Extra step | Official fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| FCDO apostille, standard paper | £45 per document, plus postage or courier | GOV.UK: Get your document legalised |
| FCDO e-Apostille | £35 per document | GOV.UK: Get your document legalised |
| UK ENIC Statement of Comparability | £69.60 | UK ENIC: Cost |
| UK ENIC Translation Waiver, for languages such as German, Italian, Polish and Romanian | £49.20 | UK ENIC: Translation Waiver Service |
| Register office check of a divorce granted abroad | £55 locally, or £83 if the General Register Office checks it | GOV.UK: Documents to give notice |
Notary fees are set by individual notaries, so ask for a quote if your document needs notarising before an apostille. See certified vs notarised vs sworn translation to check whether you need one at all.
How can you reduce the cost of a certified translation?
The cheapest translation is the one you do not need to repeat. These steps cut cost without cutting compliance.
- Confirm the requirement first. Do not pay for notarisation or an apostille unless the authority asks for one.
- Check for waivers. UK ENIC’s waiver is free for UNESCO languages such as Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish.
- Send everything at once. Batching related certificates may reduce minimum charges.
- Send clear colour scans. Legible documents take less time to translate.
- Supply name spellings from passports. This avoids paid revisions later.
- Allow normal turnaround time. Urgent surcharges are avoidable with planning; see how long a certified translation takes.
What should you ask before accepting a quote?
A clear quote prevents surprise charges. Ask these questions before you pay.
- Is the price per word, per page or fixed, and is VAT included?
- Does the price include the certification statement and, if needed, credentials for an in-UK application?
- Are stamps, seals and the reverse side included?
- Is a signed paper copy and postage included, or only a PDF?
- What happens if the receiving authority queries the translation?
Common mistakes when budgeting for certified translations
Budget problems usually come from scope, not from the base rate.
- Comparing per-page and per-word quotes directly. A dense page can hold several times the words of a sparse one.
- Choosing the cheapest option without checking the certification. A translation the authority will not accept costs twice.
- Forgetting official fees. Apostilles and checks are charged separately by the authorities.
- Translating documents the authority did not ask for. Check the list before ordering.
If you are tempted to translate documents yourself to save money, read can I translate my own documents for a UK visa? first.
How TranslationWorks can help with certified translation costs
TranslationWorks is a UK-based translation agency that gives a free quote within 24 hours for professional human translation by native-speaking linguists in more than 150 languages. To get an accurate figure, send us your documents, tell us where the translation will be submitted and what format the authority requires, and we will confirm what we can provide in your free quote. TranslationWorks is ISO 9001 registered for quality management and has served more than 300 companies. See our translation services or request your free quote.
