INSTRUCTIONS FOR REGISTERING WITH ALABAMA’S FOREIGN LANGUAGE COURT INTERPRETER PROGRAM and TO BECOME A CERTIFIED 
FOREIGN LANGUAGE COURT INTERPRETER 

TEP 1: REGISTERING WITH ALABAMA’S FOREIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER PROGRAM 
You Must Submit to AOC a Complete Application Registration Packet Consisting of the Following Documents: 

• 

Registration Application Form  

o 

Filled out completely.  In sections that are left blank mark N/A (meaning not applicable). 

•  Authorization to Conduct a Criminal Background Check Form 

o  You must include a copy of your readable driver’s license and signed social security card. 

▪ 

If your social security card has any restrictions listed, you must include copies of all documents that 
correspond with those restrictions. 

• 

E-Verify Affidavit Form  

o 

Filled out completely and this form must be notarized and stamped with notary seal. 

he Registration Application, Authorization to Conduct a Criminal Background Check, E-Verify Affidavit and all other required 
documents to register must be submitted together.  HR cannot conduct a background check without the e-verify affidavit. 
 

• 

There is no fee to register with AOC’s Foreign Language Interpreter Program. 

o  Upon receipt of the application registration form the interpreter’s name and contact information are added to the 

in-house list that is maintained by the FLIP coordinator  

o  Based on the state comptroller’s pay scale for foreign language interpreters a “registered only interpreter” is paid 

$25 per hour 

•  Upon the FLIP coordinator receiving the complete application registration packet, the authorization for a criminal background 

check and e-verify forms are submitted to the HR division to be processed. 

o  HR notifies the FLIP coordinator of the results of the background and e-verify checks. 
o  The FLIP coordinator then notifies the interpreter of the results.  If both are approved then the interpreter is eligible 

to begin the process to become a certified foreign language interpreter.   

o  The interpreter’s email address is added to the distribution list for interpreters and from that point forward will be 

sent the calendar and registration forms for the orientation seminars, written and oral exams.  

TEP 2: ORIENTATION SEMINAR AND WRITTEN EXAM 

•  Attend one orientation seminar 
• 

Take and pass the written exam with a score of 80% or higher 

o  Upon compliance with the steps one and two of the certification program the interpreter is now “Conditionally 

Approved”. 

o  Although an interpreter must pass the written exam and attend an orientation seminar to be “conditionally 

approved” and to move to the next level of the state pay scale, the interpreter’s name and contact information are 
moved from the in-house list to the list of interpreters on the AOC website once the interpreter has passed the 
written exam.  This list is available to all judges, clerks, attorneys and others in need of a foreign language 
interpreter.  

o  Based on the state comptroller’s pay scale for foreign language interpreters a “conditionally approved interpreter” is 
paid $30 per hour.  Remember you must pass the written exam at 80% or higher and attend an orientation seminar 
before you can move to the next pay level. 

•  NOTE: You must pass the written exam and attend an orientation seminar before you are eligible to take the oral exam.   

  S

 

 

  T

 

  S

. 

 

STEP 3: ORAL EXAM 

• 

Take and pass the oral exam with a score of 60 percent or higher on both the simultaneous and consecutive portions of the 
exam; and a score of 55 percent or higher on the English to foreign language sight translation and foreign language to English 
sight translation portions of the exam.  In addition to passing the written exam with a score of 80% or higher and attending 
one orientation seminar. 

o  Upon passing the oral exam with the above listed scores the interpreter is now at the level of “Journeyman”.   
o  This is the first of the three (3) levels of certification after complying with steps one, two and three of the 

o  Based on the state comptroller’s pay scale for foreign language interpreters a “journeyman level interpreter” is paid 

certification program. 

$35 per hour. 

o  This is the second of the three (3) levels of certification after complying with steps one, two and three of the 

certification program. 

o  Take and pass the oral exam with a score of 70 percent or higher on both the simultaneous and consecutive 

portions of the exam; and a score of 65 percent on higher on the English to foreign language sight translation and 
foreign language to English sight translation portion of the exam, with an average of 70 percent or higher overall.  In 
addition to passing the written exam with a score of 80% or higher and attending one orientation seminar. 

o  Based on the state comptroller’s pay scale for foreign language interpreters a “certified level interpreter” is paid $40 

per hour. 
 

• 

CERTIFIED-MASTER LEVEL 

the certification program. 

o  This is the third and final level of the three (3) levels of certification after complying with steps one, two and three of 

o  Take and pass the oral exam with a score of 80 percent or higher on each portion of the exam; simultaneous, 
consecutive, English to foreign language sight translation and foreign language to English sight translation.  In 
addition to passing the written exam with a score of 80% or higher and attending one orientation seminar. 

o  Based on the state comptroller’s pay scale for foreign language interpreters a “certified-master level interpreter” is 

paid $45 per hour. 

nce an interpreter has taken steps one, two and three to reach the level of “Journeyman” the interpreter may remain at that level.  

There is no mandate that an interpreter must move to the level of certified or certified-master level.  But, remember the pay scale 
increases are in direct relation to your certification status within the program.     

    O

THE THREE LEVELS OF CERTIFICATION BASED ON THE ORAL EXAM ARE: 

• 

• 

JOURNEYMAN 
 
CERTIFIED