PROCEDURES TO APPOINT A NONCERTIFIED OR 
NONREGISTERED SPOKEN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER AS EITHER 
PROVISIONALLY QUALIFIED OR TEMPORARY

INT-100-INFO

The court is required to appoint a certified or registered interpreter. If a certified or registered interpreter is not available, the court 

may provisionally qualify (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.893(d)(3)) or temporarily use an interpreter (Cal. Rules of Court, rule  
2.893(d)(4)). These procedures include different instructions for provisional qualification and temporary use.

How does the court appoint a potential noncertified or nonregistered interpreter?  
 

•  The court must determine if a certified or registered interpreter is expected to be available by reviewing and completing a 

Certification of Unavailability of Certified or Registered Interpreter (form INT-120). Form INT-120 must be completed, signed, 
and filed on the day of the proceeding. 

•  The court must also determine if a noncertified or nonregistered interpreter is being temporarily used per rule 2.893(b)(7) and 

(d)(4), or if the interpreter needs to be provisionally qualified or is already provisionally qualified.  

What is the process for provisionally qualifying an interpreter? 
 

•  To provisionally qualify an interpreter, the presiding judge or judicial designee must review the declaration on Qualifications of 
a Noncertified or Nonregistered Spoken Language Interpreter (form INT-110) and sign the six-month Finding of Provisional 
Qualification and Order of the Presiding Judge. 

•  Requirements to provisionally qualify an interpreter are different during the first six-month period and subsequent six-month 
periods. The presiding judge or judicial designee should be careful to review whether the proposed interpreter has met those 

requirements under rule 2.893(f).  

What is the process for temporary use of an interpreter? 
 

•  After the interpreter has completed and signed the Temporary Interpreter Declaration on Temporary Use of a Noncertified or 
Nonregistered Spoken Language Interpreter (form INT-140), the judge must review and sign the Finding of Qualification for a 
Single Proceeding. 

•  A separate form INT-140 must be completed for each language and each usage of an interpreter. 

•  The judge's finding must include that the Limited English Proficient (LEP) person has waived the appointment of a certified or 

registered interpreter. 

•  Form INT-140 is intended for a single, brief appearance before the court and may not be extended to subsequent 

proceedings without completing a new form INT-140.  

What are the record-keeping requirements when using a noncertified or nonregistered 
interpreter? 

•  There are specific requirements as to who must make findings on the record and what details must be included whenever a 
noncertified or nonregistered interpreter is used. To learn more about these requirements in each situation, review rule 

2.893(d)(2) and (d)(4)(A) of the California Rules of Court. 

•  File the completed Certification of Unavailability of Certified or Registered Interpreter (form INT-120) with the court on the day 

of the proceeding. 

•  Process the completed Qualifications of a Noncertified or Nonregistered Spoken Language Interpreter (form INT-110) in 

accordance with the court's record-keeping procedures. 

•  Retain the completed Temporary Use of a Noncertified or Nonregistered Spoken Language Interpreter (form INT-140) in the 

case file, unless voire dire is used.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Form Adopted for Mandatory Use 
Judicial Council of California 
INT-100-INFO [New January 1, 2018]

PROCEDURES TO APPOINT A NONCERTIFIED OR 
NONREGISTERED SPOKEN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER AS EITHER 
PROVISIONALLY QUALIFIED OR TEMPORARY

Page 1 of 2

Government Code, § 68560 et seq.; 
Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.893 
www.courts.ca.gov

PROCEDURES TO APPOINT A NONCERTIFIED OR 
NONREGISTERED SPOKEN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER AS EITHER 
PROVISIONALLY QUALIFIED OR TEMPORARY

INT-100-INFO

What does an interpreter need to do to become provisionally qualified? 
 

•  Complete and sign under oath the Qualifications of a Noncertified or Nonregistered Spoken Language Interpreter (form 

INT-110) and submit it to the court. 

provisionally qualified. 

 

 

•  Renew the declaration in form INT-110 after the first six months if the interpreter remains uncertified or unregistered and 

•  If seeking provisional qualification in additional six-month periods, the interpreter must take the written court interpreter exam, 
required ethics courses, and/or relevant bilingual interpreting or oral proficiency exams. These requirements are detailed in 

rule 2.893 of the California Rules of Court. 

INT-100-INFO [New January 1, 2018]

Page 2 of 2

PROCEDURES TO APPOINT A NONCERTIFIED OR 
NONREGISTERED SPOKEN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER AS EITHER 
PROVISIONALLY QUALIFIED OR TEMPORARY