Certified Translation Spanish: Finding and Hiring a Traductor Jurado

Anyone who wants to present a birth certificate, have a diploma recognised or apply for a certificate of good conduct on Mallorca will inevitably come across one term: the traducción jurada, the sworn translation under Spanish law. Unlike in Germany, Spain does not have court-based swearing-in per federal state, but rather a central appointment by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This guide shows who is actually authorised to produce certified translations in Spain, how to find a genuine Traductor Jurado via the official list, why Catalan requires its own chapter in the Balearic Islands, and what the new regulation on electronic signatures means for you. You will also learn which documents are typically affected and how the process works in practice.

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What is a traducción jurada legally speaking?

In Spain, the authority responsible for appointing translators with official certification powers is the Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Unión Europea y Cooperación (MAEC), specifically the Oficina de Interpretación de Lenguas. The legal basis is the disposición adicional decimosexta of the Ley 2/2014 of 25 March, amended by the disposición final cuarta of the Ley 29/2015 of 30 July.

Translations and interpretations from a foreign language into Castilian – and vice versa – have carácter oficial, meaning official status, when they are carried out by a person holding the title of Traductor/a-Intérprete Jurado/a, Traductor/a Jurado/a or Intérprete Jurado/a of the MAEC. These professionals confirm the fidelity and accuracy of their work with a signature, stamp and a formula prescribed by the Ministry. Translations certified in this way can be submitted to courts and administrative authorities.

Note: The formal requirements from the Orden AEC/2125/2014 still apply unchanged – even if a translation is signed electronically, this does not replace the stamp, signature and the attached copy of the original.

Traductor Jurado in Spain vs. sworn translator in Germany

For German-speaking emigrants, the most important difference is this: in Germany, translators are authorised or sworn in depending on the federal state by the relevant regional or higher regional courts – responsibility lies with the individual federal states. In Spain, by contrast, there is a central authority, the MAEC. A translator sworn in Germany is therefore not automatically also a Traductor Jurado in Spain – these are two separate titles with separate registers.

Attention: Whether a translation certified in Germany is accepted by a Spanish authority is decided case by case by the receiving office. There is no rule that automatically guarantees this – ask the specific authority in advance before commissioning a translation in Germany that is to be submitted in Spain.

The official MAEC list — how to find a genuine Traductor Jurado

The Oficina de Interpretación de Lenguas periodically compiles and publishes a list of all Traductores and Intérpretes Jurados appointed by the MAEC, stating the language or languages for which they are authorised. This list is the practical core of any search: instead of relying on adverts or recommendations, you check directly whether a person is actually authorised.

1. Go to the official MAEC page for Traductores/Intérpretes Jurados.
2. Search for the desired language pair (e.g. German–Spanish).
3. Note down several suitable names from the list.
4. Compare availability, specialisation (e.g. legal documents) and response time.
5. Clarify before placing the order whether the original or a certified copy is required.

Note: For queries about the list or the title, the MAEC names the Oficina de Información Administrativa as well as the address interpretes.jurados@maec.es.

Catalan — the special case for the Balearics

This is overlooked in most German-language guides: since 1992 the MAEC conducts no examinations any longer for the appointment of Traductores Jurados of the co-official languages – these include Catalan, Galician and Basque. Responsibility lies with the respective regional governments, which maintain their own registers.

For Mallorca this is practically significant: Catalan is an official language in the Balearics, and Balearic documents – such as certain certificates from municipal authorities – are sometimes issued in Catalan. Anyone who needs a certified translation from Catalan won't find the relevant professionals not in the MAEC list, but in the register of the Generalitat de Catalunya. For most everyday cases of German-speaking expats – birth certificates, certificates of good conduct, diplomas from Germany, Austria or Switzerland – the MAEC list with the German–Spanish language pair is, however, the normal and correct point of contact.

If you're generally interested in the relationship between Catalan and public authorities in the Balearics, it's worth taking a look at our guide on Catalan in schools & public administration.

Electronic signature — current legal status

One point that many portals still don't cover: the electronic signature for the activities of Traductores and Intérpretes Jurados has been explicitly regulated since Orden AUC/213/2025 of 26 February. An electronically signed traducción jurada is therefore no longer a grey area.

Important: The electronic signature does not exempt from the requirements of Orden AEC/2125/2014 regarding the certification formula, signature, stamp and the photocopy of the translated original. Both elements – digital signature and the classic formal requirements – exist side by side.

For you as the client, this means: ask the Traductor Jurado specifically in which form (paper or electronically signed PDF) you will receive the translation, and whether the authority to which you are submitting it accepts this form.

Requirements for the title of Traductor Jurado

To obtain the title, a person must, among other things, hold the nationality of an EU or EEA state. The exact admission procedures differ depending on the language: the Oficina de Interpretación de Lenguas is responsible for the MAEC list, while for Catalan, Galician and Basque the respective regional government is responsible.

Which documents typically require a certified translation

Certified translations are usually submitted to public authorities, courts or educational institutions. The most common occasions for German-speaking expats include:

Process: commissioning a Traductor Jurado

1. Check the original: Clarify whether the source document itself still needs an apostille before it is translated – more on this in our guide Apostille & translation.
2. Find the right Jurado: Search the official MAEC list by language pair, or, for co-official languages, via the relevant regional register.
3. Submit the request: Provide the document (original or scan) and state the purpose of the translation – this affects the wording of the formula and the certification.
4. Get a quote: As there is no official fee schedule, it is advisable to compare several quotes.
5. Receive the translation: The finished traducción jurada is issued with a stamp, signature, prescribed formula and a copy of the translated original stapled together.
6. Clarify legalisation, if necessary:Check whether the translation itself still needs to be legalised before it is submitted abroad.

Legalisation vs. certification — two different things

A common misconception: certification (the confirmation by the Traductor Jurado) and legalisation are not the same thing. For the legalisation of traducciones juradas, the MAEC refers to its own procedural page. Anyone wishing to submit a document abroad should therefore ask the receiving authority specifically whether, in addition to the certified translation, a legalisation of the translation itself is also required – this is a separate step and must not be confused with certification.

Costs and duration — what you should realistically plan for

For the remuneration of Traductores Jurados there is no official fee schedule – the market is free, and prices are negotiated individually between client and translator. Reliable flat-rate prices per page or word cannot seriously be quoted, nor can binding processing times. Therefore, plan for the following:

• Obtain several quotes in parallel before deciding.
• Openly discuss the scope and complexity of the document (e.g. legal terminology), as this affects effort and price.
• Enquire in good time, especially ahead of deadlines for appointments such as the Cita Previa Extranjería.

If you also need a Gestoría for handling official procedures, you'll find background information in our guide Gestoría Spain.

Most common mistakes

• Commissioning a translation without checking the MAEC list – not everyone who calls themselves "sworn" has actually been appointed by the MAEC.
• Searching for Catalan documents via the MAEC list – the register of the Generalitat de Catalunya is responsible for this, not the MAEC.
• Confusing certification and legalisation – both steps may be necessary, but they are different procedures.
• Assuming that a German certified translation is automatically valid in Spain – this is decided by the receiving authority on a case-by-case basis.
• Accepting an electronic signature without a missing stamp/copy – the formal requirements of the Orden AEC/2125/2014 continue to apply despite the digital signature.

Checklist before commissioning

• Language pair and target language (e.g. German → Spanish) clearly defined
• Checked whether the original document itself requires an apostille
• Suitable Traductor Jurado identified via the MAEC list (or regional register for Catalan)
• Checked with the receiving authority whether an original or a copy is sufficient
• Compared several quotes
• Clarified paper form vs electronically signed version
• Clarified whether the translation additionally requires legalisation

What happens next?

Once the certified translation is ready, you submit it together with the original to the relevant office – for example, the Extranjería, the Registry Office, or the university handling the Homologación. Always keep a copy of the certified translation, as some procedures (such as inheritance matters or the recognition of professional qualifications) can span several visits to different authorities.

Conclusion

A certified translation in Spain is not a bureaucratic detail but a clearly regulated category: only those appointed by the MAEC – or, in the case of Catalan, Galician and Basque, by the respective regional register – may translate with carácter oficial. The official MAEC list is your most important tool for distinguishing reputable providers from mere advertising. Anyone who also understands the difference between certification and legalisation, as well as the special case of Catalan, will avoid the most common pitfalls when dealing with authorities in Mallorca.

Official sources

• MAEC – Sworn Translators/Interpreters: https://www.exteriores.gob.es/es/ServiciosAlCiudadano/Paginas/Traductores-Interpretes-Jurados.aspx
• MAEC – Office of Language Interpretation, Sworn Translation and Interpreting: https://exteriores.gob.es/es/ServiciosAlCiudadano/Oficina-de-Interpretacion-de-Lenguas/Paginas/Traduccion-e-interpretacion-jurada.aspx
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation: https://exteriores.gob.es
• Official State Gazette (BOE) – reference for Ley 2/2014, Ley 29/2015, Orden AEC/2125/2014 and Orden AUC/213/2025: https://boe.es