Who can do a sworn translation valid in Spain?
In Spain, only a sworn translator-interpreter authorised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation (MAEC) and listed in its official public register may sign a sworn translation. Neither an agency, nor a notary, nor a qualified translator without that authorisation can certify one, however good the translation is. At Textualia the work is done by Carolina López García (English, MAEC authorisation no. 3664) and Eva Moreno Ortiz (French, MAEC authorisation no. 1916).
MAEC authorisation published · From 25 € per page, VAT included
- Translators authorised by the MAEC, official number published
- The number appears on the translation, so you can verify it
- No middlemen: the authorised translator does the work and signs it
- Valid before administrations, courts, universities and registries in Spain
- Electronically signed PDF included in the price
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The rule
Who is authorised, and how to check
The sworn translation is a regulated instrument in Spain. Whoever signs it must be a sworn translator-interpreter authorised by the MAEC, which is obtained by passing the official examination or through recognition of an approved qualification. The MAEC maintains and publishes the official register of those holding that authorisation, with name, languages and number. If the name signing your translation is not in that register, the translation is not a sworn translation, whatever it is called.
What does not make a translation sworn
Four confusions come up again and again, and all four cost you a rejected application:
- A translation agency. Companies are not authorised; individuals are. An agency may commission the work from a sworn translator, but the person who certifies is that individual, by name and number.
- A notary. A notary can attest a signature or certify a copy, but does not certify that a translation is faithful.
- A foreign "certified translation". The Anglo-Saxon model, where the translator or the agency certifies its own work, is not equivalent to the Spanish sworn translation and is generally not accepted for procedures in Spain.
- An excellent translator without the authorisation. Quality does not substitute for the legal requirement.
How to verify the authorisation number
Every sworn translation carries the translator's certification, stamp and signature, and these show the authorisation number. With that number and the name, you can look them up in the official register published by the MAEC and confirm the authorisation is in force for that language.
This is the check we recommend you always run, including on us: Carolina López García is listed under number 3664 for English and Eva Moreno Ortiz under 1916 for French.
What document you receive, and what it certifies
You receive the translation together with the certification signed by the authorised translator, as a PDF with an electronic signature. That document certifies that the translation is faithful and complete with respect to the document presented to the translator. It does not certify that the original is authentic: that is a matter for the body that issued it, which is why some procedures also ask for a Hague apostille on the original.
Every translation we issue is printed on official stamped paper and scanned, so the PDF already carries it. It is worth being precise about this: the stamped paper is a matter of form and presentation — it is not what confers legal validity. Validity comes from the authorisation of the person who signs.
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Common questions
Questions about who can sign it
Can a translation agency issue a sworn translation?
An agency can handle the order, but the certification is always signed by a person authorised by the MAEC, by name and number. Ask for that number before you order: it is the detail you can verify.
Is a sworn translation done in another country valid?
For procedures in Spain, what is normally required is a sworn translation signed by a MAEC-authorised translator. A certification issued under another country's rules is not automatically equivalent. Ask the body requesting it before ordering abroad.
Do I also need the Hague apostille?
It depends on the procedure and on the country that issued the document. The apostille validates the original before foreign authorities; the sworn translation translates and certifies its content. They are two different things, and sometimes both are required.
Which languages do you cover?
English and French with Spanish, in both directions, with MAEC-authorised translators. For other languages we tell you plainly instead of taking the order: see our languages page.
Where is the official MAEC register?
It is published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation on its electronic portal, under sworn translators and interpreters. It is public and free to consult.
Signed by someone who holds the authorisation
Upload your document and see the price and the exact date before you pay — with the MAEC authorisation number on the translation itself.
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