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translation agency requirements in california
Thread poster: kev1365
kev1365
kev1365
Apr 30, 2010

Hello
I have been working as a freelancer and now I want to start my own agency offering translation services in many languages.
There is one thing that I am confused about, the stamp or raised seal that translation companies put on their certified translations.
What licenses or permits do i need to get from the state of California to allow me to offer certified translations and to allow me to use that stamp?
Can I get a fictitious business name (doing business as) and bu... See more
Hello
I have been working as a freelancer and now I want to start my own agency offering translation services in many languages.
There is one thing that I am confused about, the stamp or raised seal that translation companies put on their certified translations.
What licenses or permits do i need to get from the state of California to allow me to offer certified translations and to allow me to use that stamp?
Can I get a fictitious business name (doing business as) and buy the round seal and the stamp from a stamp-making company and start operating?
or I need some kind of permit/license from the state to be able to offer certified translations as a translation agency?
When you hire a freelancer who is not court certified and the translation agency puts their stamp on the document saying "we know this translator, he is fluent, blah blah". Is the translation certified now?
again, the question is, what gives the translation agency the right to use that stamp and certify translations?

Thank you so much, the reason I am concerned is I dont want to do anything illegal and get in trouble (you know, the practicing without a license trouble)

thank you so much for any info
steve


[Edited at 2010-04-30 03:12 GMT] ▲ Collapse
 
Tina Vonhof (X)
Tina Vonhof (X)
Canada
Local time: 13:33
Dutch to English
+ ...
Consult a lawyer May 1, 2010

I see that no one has offered any help with this question. I am not familiar with the situation in California but I can give a few suggestions based on my experience in Canada. Here it is the national translators' organization that is in charge of certification and issuing stamps.

Therefore, as a first step I think you should become a member of ATA. This gives you credibility and they may also be able to provide you with information.

You may also need to consult a lawy... See more
I see that no one has offered any help with this question. I am not familiar with the situation in California but I can give a few suggestions based on my experience in Canada. Here it is the national translators' organization that is in charge of certification and issuing stamps.

Therefore, as a first step I think you should become a member of ATA. This gives you credibility and they may also be able to provide you with information.

You may also need to consult a lawyer or the Dept. of Justice in California to find out about the requirements in your state, whether you need to be incorporated, how to become certified, and what you need in order to be able to certify translations done by others. You will most likely need to get liability insurance. You cannot just buy a stamp and start operating. ▲ Collapse
 


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translation agency requirements in california







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