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Sworn translator in Poland: who they are and how to check a certification

A certified translation is not just “a translation with a stamp”. The profession is regulated by statute, and the certification itself must contain specific elements — that is how an authority tells whether the document is valid. Below: who may certify, what must appear on the translation, how to verify the translator, and one rule most people do not know — some names in a diploma must NOT be translated.

Key facts

  • The right to practise starts only after the oath and entry on the Minister of Justice list (Art. 6 of the Act). [8]
  • A certified translation carries a seal with the list number and a repertory number (Art. 18). [8]
  • Professional titles, degrees and school names in a diploma are not translated — they stay in the original language. [1]
  • The apostille goes on the document, not the translation; fee PLN 60. [10]

Who can be a sworn translator

  • The profession is governed by the Act of 25 November 2004 on the profession of sworn translator (ustawa o zawodzie tłumacza przysięgłego). It sets the conditions for obtaining and losing the right to practise and the rules of practice (Art. 1(1)). [8]
  • A sworn translator must, among other things, know Polish, have full legal capacity, have no conviction for an intentional offence, a fiscal offence or an unintentional offence against the security of business transactions, hold a university degree and pass the sworn translator exam (Art. 2(1)). [8]
  • Polish citizenship is not required: the Act also admits citizens of EU member states, EFTA states party to the EEA Agreement, Switzerland and — on a reciprocity basis — other countries (Art. 2(1)(1)). [8]
  • Passing the exam is not enough. The right to practise arises only after taking the oath and being entered on the list of sworn translators kept by the Minister of Justice (Art. 6(1)–(2)). [8]

What a sworn translator is entitled to do

  • The Act lists three powers: preparing and certifying translations, preparing and certifying copies of documents in a foreign language, and interpreting (Art. 13). [8]
  • A separate power that is often forgotten: a sworn translator may CHECK AND CERTIFY a translation made by someone else (Art. 13(1)). If a translation already exists, you do not have to start from scratch. [8]
  • The translator must work with particular care and impartiality and keep confidential the facts and circumstances learned in connection with the translation (Art. 14(1)). [8]

How to recognise a proper certification

  • The seal is not arbitrary. Its rim bears the translator’s full name, and its centre the language they are authorised for and their entry number on the list of sworn translators. It is ordered — at the translator’s expense — by the Minister of Justice from the Polish Mint (Art. 18(1)). [8]
  • Every certified translation states the entry number under which it is recorded in the translator’s repertory (Art. 18(2)). A missing number is a warning sign. [8]
  • The translation must state whether it was made from the ORIGINAL or from a translation or copy — and if from a copy, whether the copy is certified and by whom (Art. 18(2)). [8]
  • Electronic form is allowed: the translator may certify a translation with a qualified electronic signature (Art. 18(1a)). [8]

How to check a translator before ordering

  • The list of sworn translators is public and kept by the Minister of Justice (Art. 6(2)). The search lets you filter by language, city, voivodeship, name and list number. [9]
  • Mind the scope of the search: it does not include persons suspended from practising as sworn translators. No result may therefore also mean a suspension. [9]
  • The number on the seal is the same entry on the list you can search by — the seal and the register cross-check each other (Art. 18(1) in conjunction with Art. 6(2)). [8]

What must NOT be translated in education documents

  • When translating education documents, professional titles, academic degrees and titles, and the names of schools, universities and other educational institutions must be quoted IN THE SOURCE LANGUAGE, and no value judgements or statements on the equivalence of the level of education may be made. The rule is set out in § 46 of the Code of Professional Conduct of Sworn Translators, following guidelines of the European Commission, the Council of Europe and UNESCO/CEPES. [1]
  • This is not a formality. Translating a title implies ASSESSING it, and that belongs solely to recognition experts. The rule should therefore be to give the title or degree obtained abroad in its original form, untranslated. [1]
  • Translations that equate a foreign title with its Polish counterpart SHOULD NOT BE ACCEPTED — the practice causes distortions and makes it hard to tell which education document is involved. [1]
  • The equivalence of a title or degree can be determined only by the competent authorities on the basis of an international agreement or, where there is none, through nostrification. [1]

Apostille: on the document, not on the translation

  • An apostille certifies the official character of a domestic document to be used abroad — it confirms the signature, the capacity of the signatory and the authenticity of the seal. [10]
  • In Poland most apostilles are issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but NOT all: university diplomas — the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA), school certificates — the Ministry of National Education, art school documents — the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. Applying at the wrong office only costs time. [10]
  • The fee is PLN 60 per document. Matters handled in person are completed during the visit where possible; applications sent by post are processed within 30 days of receipt. [10]

Based on the official sources listed below (as of August 2026). In each case the authority receiving the document decides — check its current requirements. We do not accept documents for translation.

Request to sworn translators

Tell us briefly what you need. We pass the request to sworn translators registered with us — whoever takes it contacts you directly with their offer.

Send a request to translators

Are you a sworn translator?

Lingverra produces a precise translation in the original layout and makes your work up to 95 % easier — you check the marked spots, certify and are responsible for the translation.

See Lingverra for translators

Sources

All information above comes from official sources:

  1. ENIC-NARIC Polska (NAWA) — Zasady tłumaczenia dokumentów w procedurze uznania wykształcenia
  2. Ministerstwo Sprawiedliwości — Tłumacze przysięgli (lista, ustawa z 25.11.2004)
  3. NAWA — nostryfikacja dyplomów ukończenia studiów
  4. Umowa PL–UA o pomocy prawnej z 24.05.1993 r., art. 15 (Dz.U. 1994 nr 96 poz. 465)
  5. NAWA — Apostille dla ukraińskich dyplomów i świadectw
  6. Umowa PL–RF o pomocy prawnej z 16.09.1996 r., art. 15 (Dz.U. 2002 nr 83 poz. 750)
  7. Ministerstwo Sprawiedliwości — obrót prawny z Federacją Rosyjską
  8. Ustawa z dnia 25 listopada 2004 r. o zawodzie tłumacza przysięgłego — tekst jednolity (Dz.U. 2017 poz. 1505)
  9. Ministerstwo Sprawiedliwości — wyszukiwarka listy tłumaczy przysięgłych
  10. Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych — Apostille
  11. Transkrypcja zagranicznego aktu stanu cywilnego — procedura urzędu stanu cywilnego (portal samorządowy gov.pl)
  12. Konwencja nr 16 o wydawaniu wielojęzycznych odpisów skróconych aktów stanu cywilnego (Wiedeń 1976, Dz.U. 2004 nr 166 poz. 1735)
  13. Krajowy Rejestr Karny — koszt zaświadczenia o niekaralności
  14. Gov.pl — Uzyskaj zaświadczenie z Krajowego Rejestru Karnego
  15. Ustawa o zawodach lekarza i lekarza dentysty — tekst jednolity (Dz.U. 2026 poz. 37)
  16. Ustawa o zawodach pielęgniarki i położnej — tekst jednolity (Dz.U. 2011 nr 174 poz. 1039 ze zm.)
  17. NIPiP — przyznawanie prawa wykonywania zawodu pielęgniarki lub położnej cudzoziemcowi (art. 35 i 36)
  18. Ministerstwo Zdrowia — prawo wykonywania zawodu pielęgniarki lub położnej na określony zakres czynności (art. 35a)
  19. Ustawa o kierujących pojazdami — tekst jednolity (Dz.U. 2025 poz. 1226)
  20. Rozporządzenie Ministra Infrastruktury z 5.08.2025 r. w sprawie wydawania dokumentów stwierdzających uprawnienia do kierowania pojazdami (Dz.U. 2025 poz. 1073)
  21. UN Treaty Collection (MTDSG) — Convention on Road Traffic (Wiedeń, 8.11.1968): lista stron
  22. Gov.pl — Wymień zagraniczne prawo jazdy na polskie
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