Court Interpreter Program

Material in Spanish and Haitian Creole

Dates for the 2026 Orientation and Exams are posted.

We are recruiting candidates interested in becoming court interpreters to provide services in-person and remotely for the Delaware courts. All languages will be considered. Please see the FAQs below for more information. If you have questions about the program, please email info_CIP@delaware.gov or call (302) 319-8348.

Request an Interpreter

The Court Interpreter Program

The Court Interpreter Program is managed by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) under the direction of the Court Interpreter Advisory Board. The Advisory Board is comprised of four Delaware judges and the State Court Administrator or designee. The Program is responsible for the development and implementation of policies and procedures on the use of interpreters in the Delaware courts; the interpreter services budget; the recruitment, testing, and certification of interpreter candidates and other general administrative duties.

The Program's goal is to provide language assistance and certified and qualified interpreters to the courts ensuring equal access to the judicial system for litigants with limited English proficiency and who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in keeping with the Program’s guiding principle that all persons should enjoy equal access to the Delaware justice system regardless of age, color, gender, national origin, physical or mental disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status.

The Language Access Plan, (LAP) are existing and contemplated programs and policies of the Judicial Branch aimed at taking reasonable steps to provide meaningful access to all individuals in any encounters with the Delaware Judiciary regardless of their national origin or limited ability to read, write, speak, or understand English.

Want to Be an Interpreter?

We are currently recruiting candidates to provide interpretation services in the Delaware Courts in person and remotely. All languages will be considered.

More information is below. For a quick overview of the process, see our FAQs.

Interpreter Spotlight

“

I became a certified court interpreter (Spanish-English) in 2002, after participating in the Court Interpreter Program with the Delaware State Courts. My journey was and continues to be enriched by long hours of observing court proceedings and other interpreters doing an amazing job. I have had some wonderful mentors along the way and continue to have them! The interpreters work as a team and support each other constantly. I enjoy assisting the communication between people in the courts and being part of such a professional and skilled group of individuals. Court interpreting was never what I would have considered my life goal, however I cannot imagine doing anything else. I feel very blessed to actually have a job I love and enjoy!

Laurie, Staff Interpreter

“

I became a certified court interpreter (Spanish-English) in 2018 after participating in the Court Interpreter Program with the Delaware State Courts. My journey was enriched by long hours of observing court proceedings and other interpreters doing an amazing job. It was super helpful to have wonderful mentors along the way! I enjoy assisting the communication between people in the courts and being part of such a professional and skilled group of individuals. Court interpreting is my dream job!

Claudia, Freelancer

Becoming an Interpreter

All candidates wishing to become certified or otherwise qualified must complete a Qualification and Registration Process that includes a background check and, the following four steps:

Candidate Orientation Seminar
Written Exam
Oral Exam
Registration/Background Check

Interpreter Pathway

1. Attend the Delaware Orientation Seminar for Prospective Interpreters

The orientation seminar is the first step in the certification process. It is offered yearly in February in all three counties. It is a full-day event and attendance requires a fee of $65 for DE residents and $120 for out-of-state residents. These fees are subject to change. You can read more at the Orientation Seminar page.

2. Pass the Written Examination

The written exam tests a candidate's knowledge of the English language, court-related terms, general vocabulary, ethics, and professional conduct. It is offered yearly in April in all three counties.

Take the candidate self-assessment tests to see if you're ready for this exam

3. Pass the Oral Examination

This is a bilingual, four-part exam that candidates must pass in one sitting with a score of 70% or higher in each section. The test is an oral exam that measures language knowledge and fluency in both languages and the ability to successfully interpret in three modes of interpreting.

You can read more on the oral exam page.

We currently conduct oral exams to certify interpreters in the following languages. If your language is not listed, qualification is determined by other means.

Amharic	Filipino (Tagalog)	Khmer	Portuguese	Turkish
Arabic	French	Korean	Russian	Vietnamese
Bosnian/Serbian/Croatian	Haitian Creole	Mandarin	Somali
Cantonese	Hmong	Polish	Spanish

Use the additional resources below to learn about the skills needed to prepare for the oral exam.

When can I take the exam?

The oral exam is offered yearly in September in Wilmington, Delaware. Registration is now open. See registration details.

What is the exam fee?

$300

This fee is subject to change.

4. Congratulations on passing the exams! Now Registration

Now that you have passed the exams, you are ready to apply to the Administrative Office of the Courts as a certified/qualified spoken language court interpreter. The Court Interpreter Program will email you an application and new interpreter packet. The packet includes a services agreement, instructions to complete a background check, how to obtain a Delaware business license, and how to register for a Delaware Supplier/Vendor Identification Number.

Certification/Qualification is not a guarantee that an individual will be placed on the Registry and be able to work for the courts.

Once we have received your application and the paperwork required to be listed in the Registry, we will review it and contact you.

If you have passed all exams and have not received the new interpreter packet, please email: info_CIP@delaware.gov.

The Court Interpreter Program welcomes you to this profession, which provides essential language access to the Delaware Judicial System.

After certification and before inclusion in the Registry, the candidate will enter into a service agreement with the AOC and sign an oath to abide by the Code of Ethics for Professional Interpreters . In order to remain in the Registry, interpreter must be in good standing and comply with all steps and requirements of the Program outlined in the Court Interpreter Program Policy Directive.

If you still have questions about the program, please email info_CIP@delaware.gov or call (302) 319-8348.

Dates for 2026 Orientation and Exams

Complaint Related to Language Services or an Interpreter

You can submit a complaint related to language services or against an interpreter or AOC Court Interpreter Program employee by filling out the Delaware Administrative Office of the Courts Court Interpreter Complaint Form. Complaints submitted will be processed according to the Court Interpreter Program Complaint Procedure Related to Language Services.

Información para litigantes en el Juzgado de Paz—el proceso con intérpretes

Información para Litigantes en el Juzgado de Paz Calendarios para personas que hablan español y criollo haitiano El proceso con intérpretes.