Is an authorized translator the same as a sworn translator?

Yes. In Romania the official term is "interpreter and translator authorized" by the Ministry of Justice. "Sworn translator" is the name used in other countries for the same function.

Is a certified translation automatically notarized?

No. A certified translation is signed and stamped by the translator. Notarization is a separate step, taken by a notary, who confirms the translator's signature.

How do I check whether a translator is authorized?

Look the translator up on the list of authorized interpreters and translators published by the Ministry of Justice, and check the authorization number and language in the translator's statement on the translation.

Does a company need certified translations for internal documents?

The law does not require it for internal documents, marketing or correspondence. It does when the documents go to the tax authority ANAF, a court, a notary or another institution that requires this form.

Guide · Official documents

Authorized translator in Romania: what it means, when you need one and how to check

Updated: 25 September 2026 · Kalimera, translation agency in Bucharest since 2005 · all guides

In short: an authorized translator is a person authorized by the Romanian Ministry of Justice, under Law no. 178/1997, to translate for state institutions in a specific language. Their signature and stamp give the translation official value. It is mandatory for many documents, including when a company submits documents in a foreign language to ANAF, the Romanian tax authority. In other countries, the same function is called a "sworn translator".

1. What authorization means

The Ministry of Justice authorizes the interpreters and translators who work for courts, prosecutors' offices, criminal investigation bodies, public notaries, lawyers and bailiffs. Authorization is granted:

for each language separately: a translator authorized for English cannot sign a certified translation from German;
exclusively on the basis of the translator certificate issued by the Ministry of Culture, in the legal sciences specialty, obtained after an exam;
only to citizens of a European Union, European Economic Area or Swiss state.

The authorized translator is responsible for the accuracy of the translation. That is why the statement they attach to it is an official declaration, not a mere formality.

2. When you need an authorized translator

The law requires a certified translation when the document goes to:

courts, prosecutors' offices and criminal investigation bodies;
notaries: every notarized translation starts from a certified one, because the notary certifies the signature of the authorized translator;
lawyers and bailiffs;
ANAF, the tax authority. Under the Fiscal Procedure Code (art. 8), supporting documents, certificates and other papers submitted to the tax authority in a foreign language must be accompanied by Romanian translations certified by translators authorized by the Ministry of Justice. Documents submitted without such a translation are not taken into account. For a company, this usually means contracts, invoices and correspondence with foreign partners requested during a tax audit. If no authorized translators exist for a language, the translation is made or certified by the embassy or consulate of the issuing state.

Other institutions, banks or contracting authorities in public tenders may also require certified or notarized translations under their own rules. Always ask which form they require before ordering the translation.

For internal documents, marketing materials, websites or day-to-day correspondence, the Ministry of Justice states that authorization is not necessary. What matters then is that the translator knows the field: finance, law, engineering.

3. How to check that a translation was made by an authorized translator

The official list: the Ministry of Justice publishes on its website the list of authorized interpreters and translators, where you can look the translator up by name.
The translator's statement: at the end of the translation, the translator declares that it matches the original and states the number of the authorization issued by the Ministry of Justice.
Signature and stamp on every page: each page of the translation must carry the translator's signature and stamp.
The right language: the translator must be authorized for the language of the document. A translation from Italian signed by a translator authorized only for English has no official value.

4. Terms that are often confused

Authorized and sworn mean the same thing: "sworn translator" is the term used in other countries.
Translator certificate is the document issued by the Ministry of Culture after an exam. It is the condition for authorization, but it is not the authorization itself.
Notarized translation is the next level: the notary confirms the authorized translator's signature. The differences between certified, notarized and apostilled are explained in the guide certified, notarized or apostilled translation.

How we work at Kalimera

Our certified translations are signed by translators authorized by the Ministry of Justice for the language of each document. For companies, we assign translators who also know the field of the document: financial statements, contracts, legal or technical documents. When needed, we also handle notarization and the apostille. Details on the pages legal translations and financial translations.

Sources

Law no. 178/1997 on the authorization and payment of interpreters and translators, as amended;
Law no. 207/2015 on the Fiscal Procedure Code, art. 8 ("Official language in tax administration");
the public information of the Ministry of Justice on the authorization procedure for interpreters and translators (consulted in September 2026).