Notice
March 13, 2026

Current Interpreter Testing Opportunities

Updates on the Availability of Certified Language Testing

Due to the possible compromise of National Center for State Courts (NCSC) oral exam content, all test forms for Arabic (Egyptian), Arabic (Levantine) and Mandarin have been suspended by NCSC at this time. In light of this suspension, the administration of oral exams in these languages in Spring 2026 must be cancelled. We regret any inconvenience.

Testing in Spring 2026 for Farsi, Punjabi and Spanish will continue as planned.

Please check the Judicial Council’s Language Access Services web page (https://languageaccess.courts.ca.gov/) to keep apprised of any new developments in the availability of testing in different certified languages.

Spring Bilingual Interpreting Examination (BIE) — Registration Is Now Closed!

Spring Administration Details:

  • Exam Administration Dates: March 18 – April 16, 2026

  • Exam Locations: Camarillo, Culver City, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose. 

  • Exam Languages: Farsi (Persian), Punjabi (India) and Spanish.​​​​

  • Cancelled Exams: Arabic (Levantine), Arabic (Egyptian) and Mandarin.

The administration will adhere to federal, state, and local health and safety guidelines.

🛠️ Need Assistance or Want to Share Feedback? Whether you experience issues during exam administration—such as technology malfunctions, proctor errors, or noise disturbances—or wish to share positive feedback about your experience, please contact the Court Interpreters Program at: 📧 courtinterpreters@jud.ca.gov

Written and Oral Proficiency Examinations (OPEs): OPEN

All candidates must first pass the Written Exam with a score of 80% or higher.
Registration for the Written and Oral Proficiency Examinations (OPEs) is open. 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.

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

Japanese, Khmer, and Western Armenian:

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).

Return to the Become a Court Interpreter webpage.