Notice
March 26, 2025

Current Interpreter Testing Opportunities

Spanish and Farsi Languages - BIE Registration Closed

Spring 2025 Administration of Spanish and Farsi Details (Including Exam Dates & Locations):

  • Registration Period: Closed

  • Exam Administration Dates: March 12 – April 3, 2025

  • Exam Locations: Camarillo, Culver City, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose.  (The administration will adhere to federal, state, and local health and safety guidelines).

  • Note: A second BIE administration for Spanish and all languages with qualified raters is anticipated to take place later in 2025.

American Sign Language (ASL): 

Currently, there is no state ASL exam to become a court interpreter, but interested candidates have two reciprocity pathways to enroll on the Judicial Council Master List as a credentialed ASL Court Interpreter:

  • The Texas Board for the Evaluation of Interpreters (BEI) Court Interpreter Certification (currently testing)
  • The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) Specialist Certification: Legal (current holders of this formerly offered certification)

To learn more about reciprocity visit our ASL webpage.
If you have one of the valid credentials listed above, please email us to request a reciprocity application: courtinterpreters@jud.ca.gov

 Written and Oral Proficiency Examinations (OPEs):

Registration for the Written and Oral Proficiency Examinations (OPEs) is open year-round. To schedule your next exam, contact Prometric candidate care, Monday through Friday, between 5 a.m. and 3 p.m. (PST).

  • For the Written Examination, please dial 1-(866) 241-3118, and select option 2.
  • For the OPE registration, please dial 1-(800) 967-1139, and select option 2, followed by option 2, and option 3.

Detailed registration instructions are available on the Language Access in California's Courts "Become an Interpreter" web page.

 Japanese, Khmer, and Western Armenian:

Effective January 1, 2025, candidates pursuing court interpreter credentialing in Japanese, Khmer, and Western Armenian must pass both the Written Exam and the Oral Proficiency Exam (OPE) in English and the target language. For more details, visit the Language Access Services’ Registered Spoken Language Interpreter web page.

 For information on becoming a credentialed interpreter, including the BIE, Written Exam, and OPE, consult the Prometric Candidate Information Bulletin (CIB).

To return to the Become a Court Interpreter webpage, click here.