NAATI Translator Rates in Australia

You will not find a reliable rate card on this page, for two reasons. NAATI, the body that credentials translators in Australia, does not set or publish what translators charge; rates are set by individual translators and agencies. And translators price in different units — per word, per page, per document — so two quotes can look far apart while describing the same job, or look similar while covering different work.

What follows is how translation is priced, what legitimately moves the price, how to get quotes you can actually compare, and the situations where you may not need to pay at all.

Before you pay: check whether you need to

The free government service. The Australian Government runs a free translating service for eligible new migrants, covering personal documents such as birth, marriage and identity documents, for a limited period after arrival or after being granted permanent residence. If you arrived recently, check the current eligibility rules before paying anyone. It is the cheapest option by definition.

Whether the receiver needs a NAATI credential. Translations for Australian government purposes done in Australia are expected to be by a NAATI-credentialled translator. Many private purposes are not so strict. And for documents going overseas, the receiving country decides whose translation it accepts — some want a translator in their own country, or a sworn translator on their own list, in which case a NAATI translation bought in Australia may be wasted. Ask the receiver first. The separate page on NAATI and non-certified translation covers this in detail.

How translators price

Per word. Common for general text such as letters, contracts and reports. Ask whether the count is of the original document's words or the English translation's; the two can differ noticeably depending on the language pair.

Per document or per page. Common for short, standard personal documents — birth certificates, driver licences, marriage certificates — where the layout is predictable. Often quoted as a fixed price per document.

Minimum charge. Most translators have one. A single short certificate may cost the minimum regardless of its word count.

Hourly. Sometimes used for checking or correcting someone else's translation, or for unusual formatting work.

What legitimately moves the price

The language pair. Where there are many credentialled translators in a language, prices tend to be more competitive. Rarer languages usually cost more, and for some there may be few credentialled translators available at all.

The credential level available. NAATI issues different credentials, and in some languages the higher levels are not offered. The credential a receiver requires, and what is available in your language, both affect cost.

The document itself. Handwriting, faded stamps, poor scans, dense tables and multiple seals take longer than clean printed text. Specialist legal, medical or technical content costs more than everyday language.

Formatting. Reproducing the layout of a certificate or a table so the translation mirrors the original takes time.

Urgency. Faster turnaround is commonly priced higher. Ask rather than assume.

Delivery and copies. A digitally signed PDF, one certified hard copy, and several posted hard copies are different jobs.

Further formalities. If the translation is going overseas and the destination wants the translator's signature notarised and apostilled, the notarial fee and the DFAT fee are separate charges on top of the translation.

Getting quotes you can compare

Send every translator the same complete scans, including backs of pages and any stamps. Then ask each:

1. Is the price per word, per page or per document, and what is the total?
2. Is the translator NAATI-credentialled in this language pair, at what level, and what is the credential number?
3. Does the price include certification, and how many certified copies?
4. Is delivery digital, hard copy, or both?
5. What is the turnaround, and is faster available?
6. What happens if the receiver asks for a correction?

Also tell each translator how names must be spelled — normally exactly as in your passport — so transliterated names match across all your documents. A mismatch is one of the commonest reasons a translation is sent back, and fixing it costs a second job.

Checking a credential

NAATI maintains an online directory of credentialled practitioners. Listing is a matter of the practitioner's choice, so absence from the directory does not by itself mean someone is uncredentialled. Ask for the credential number and verify it with NAATI if you are in doubt. A certified translation normally identifies the translator and their credential on its face.

Common questions

Does NAATI publish recommended rates? Not that the business is aware of. Rates are set by the market.

Is the cheapest quote the risky one? Not necessarily. Check the credential and what the quote includes. The expensive outcome is a translation the receiver rejects.

Can a notary translate my document? A notary can notarise a translator's signature, which is a different thing. Whether a particular notary also translates depends on the practice.

Do I need a NAATI translation for a document going overseas? The destination decides. Ask before paying.