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How Much Does a Legal Translation Service Cost?

Last Updated: January 06, 2022

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Finding a service that has mastered the translation solutions for legal document translation is invaluable.

The ramifications of mistranslated or improperly formatted legal documents can come with significant consequences.

Cultural differences in legal language, lexical gaps, and distinctions in format are matters of pinnacle importance pertaining to the translation of legal documents. Leading legal translation services employ experts that understand the culture and legal system from where source and target languages originate.

Finding exceptional translation services has never been easier for multitude of common legal matters:

  • Contracts and Patents
  • Birth Certificates
  • Marriage Licenses
  • Court related documents or legal transactions
  • Legal Letters
  • Adoption papers
  • Divorce
  • Educational Transcripts & Diplomas
  • Financial Statements

When you submit your legal document(s) you should expect:

  • Target text is read by someone familiar with the language and legal system of specified source and target languages.
  • Precise, quality document translation delivered by one or more individuals educated and experienced specifically in judicial or legal matters related to your particular needs.
  • Thorough proofreading and editorial processes to ensure accuracy. Even the smallest discrepancy or mistake in a translated legal document can spell disaster and, at the very least, render a time consuming fix.
  • An individual other than the person that translated the actual document should completing the final editorial process.

Cost for legal transcription service is typically set as an hourly rate, flat fee (per page), or with a per word charge (according to page number or word count of the original document).

Regardless of the method a company uses to determine service fees, you should always inquire about their service guarantee policies.

According to these pricing methods you can expect to pay:

  • $20 to $100 per hour
  • $0.07 to $0.35 per word
  • $25 to $125 per page charge**

You will pay higher prices depending on the complexity of the target language (Chinese vs. Spanish), subject matter (Diploma vs. Legal Contract), length of the document, turnaround time, etc.

There may be additional charges for editorial services. They are not always included within the cost of translation. Be sure to ask if this is available if you think you may need it.

  • Fox Translate - offers translation services in 30+ languages; 24 hour turnaround; Flat rate certified translation at $29 per page.
  • Certified Translate - Flat translation rates start at $49, depending on the document type. They advertise that typical turn within 24 to 48 hours; Example- diploma - $49; marriage license or birth certificate - $59, passport - $69.00; school transcript - $89.
  • Say Hola Spanish Translation Services - Languages available are English, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and Japanese. The price is $40 for marriage and birth certificates. There is a minimum flat fee charge of $35 for all other legal documents (school transcripts, criminal record certificates, death certificates, etc.); per word they charge $0.07 - $0.10.

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