Certified translation in France and Germany: what you need to know

Published on October 10, 2026 · Julie Auger-Kantor, sworn translator

"Beglaubigte Übersetzung", "traduction certifiée", "sworn translator", "ermächtigter Übersetzer": between France and the German-speaking countries, the terms sound alike but do not always mean the same thing. If you are a client from Germany, Austria or Switzerland who needs to submit a document to a French authority, or to use a French document back home, here are the essentials: who can certify a translation, when one is required, and in what form it is delivered.

In France: the expert translator at a Court of Appeal

In France, the translation that counts before authorities and courts is one made by an approved translator (traducteur agréé). According to service-public.gouv.fr, this is a court expert entered on the lists drawn up by the Courts of Appeal and the Court of Cassation; the framework is set by Act No. 71-498 of 29 June 1971 and Decree No. 2004-1463 of 23 December 2004 on court experts. Because these experts take an oath, they are commonly called sworn translators (traducteurs assermentés). The official title names the court on whose list the translator appears, for example "expert près la Cour d'appel de Paris".

A certified translation (traduction certifiée) is a full translation of the document bearing the translator's signature and seal, by which the translator attests to its accuracy. Julie Auger-Kantor, sworn German ↔ French translator and interpreter, has been a court-appointed expert at the Paris Court of Appeal since 2011.

In Germany, Austria and Switzerland

• Germany: a beglaubigte Übersetzung is made by a translator authorised by the justice administration of a federal state (Land). Depending on the state, the translator is described as ermächtigt, beeidigt or öffentlich bestellt. The state justice administrations run a joint database, justiz-dolmetscher.de.
• Austria: the relevant professionals are court interpreters who are allgemein beeidet und gerichtlich zertifiziert (generally sworn and court-certified) and listed on the official register of court interpreters.
• Switzerland: check with the receiving authority which form of translation it expects and whose certification it accepts.

The purpose is the same on both sides of the Rhine: a translation whose accuracy is attested by someone authorised by the justice system. But each country keeps its own lists, and each authority decides what it will accept.

Is a translation certified in France valid in Germany?

For some documents, EU law gives a clear answer. Regulation (EU) 2016/1191, which has applied since 16 February 2019, covers public documents relating to matters such as birth, marriage, divorce, name, parenthood, nationality and the absence of a criminal record. Where an authority requires a certified translation of such a document, it must accept one made in any EU Member State, as the European e-Justice Portal explains. The same Regulation exempts these documents from the apostille.

For other documents (articles of association, contracts, diplomas and so on), each authority decides for itself. The official German portal Anerkennung in Deutschland warns that some bodies do not accept translations by translators appointed abroad. The rule of thumb: ask before you order the translation.

When is a certified translation required?

In France, it is required whenever a German-language document has to have official effect:

• civil status, marriage, naturalisation, residence permits: birth and marriage certificates and similar documents (see civil status certificates);
• courts and notaries: judgments, divorces, estates, powers of attorney (see legal and court documents);
• public bodies, schools and universities: diplomas, transcripts, certificates (see official documents);
• companies: articles, register extracts and resolutions filed with the commercial registry.

For internal use, negotiations or information, a professional translation without certification is often enough: see business translation German–French.

Scan or original, PDF or paper?

• The source document: a legible scan or photo, front and back, is enough to produce the translation. The receiving body may, however, wish to see the original.
• The translation: you receive it as a signed and sealed PDF by email, suitable for online procedures, and as a paper original, collected in Paris or sent by post, for bodies that require one. If in doubt, ask the recipient which format it accepts.
• The apostille: when a French document is translated for use abroad, the translation comes first and the apostille second; in France, apostilles have been issued by the notarial profession since 1 May 2025. For Germany, the French Foreign Ministry's summary table lists an exemption for public documents (Franco-German convention of 1971).

Frequently asked questions

Does the translation have to be certified by a notary?
Not in France: the translation is certified by the court expert translator, through their signature and seal.

Will a German authority accept your translation of a French document?
For public documents covered by Regulation 2016/1191, it should in principle. For other documents, each authority decides: check with it beforehand.

Do you also translate between German and English?
Yes, in collaboration with David Ameisen, sworn English ↔ French translator: see German ↔ English translation.