Pursuant to Section 5.07(F) of the Standards and Procedures, OLA may, at its discretion, waive any of the listed requirements set forth in Section 5.07 or impose additional requirements. OLA is the only entity authorized to grant state certification and credentialing for Trial Court interpreters in Massachusetts. In turn, only OLA-registered interpreters or vendors can act as interpreters in all Trial Court courtrooms and departments across the entire Commonwealth. OLA expects interpreters to move efficiently through the credentialing process to reach the level of Court Certified. OLA’s internal guidelines will govern the process.
Per diem interpreters previously certified by OLA or the former Office of Court Interpreter Services (OCIS) shall maintain that credential to the same extent that Trial Court staff interpreters have maintained it pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding between the Executive Office of the Trial Court and the Office and Professional Employees Union Local 6 executed on November 3, 2021.
All credentials will be valid for two years, during which time you must take continuing education courses and complete courtroom assignments, among other requirements. If you meet those requirements, your credential will be renewed without the need to retest.
If you were previously deemed Certified by OLA as a staff or per diem interpreter, you are not required to take the National Center for State Courts’ exams, but you may choose to do so. This decision will not affect your status with OLA, and you are not currently required to become credentialed through the new program.
Pursuant to Section 5.07(B)(3)(i) of the Standards and Procedures, the Massachusetts Office of Language Access will recognize any Federally Certified Interpreter with active status as certified by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts in the available and applicable languages listed.
Certification is a multi-step sequential process, open only to Massachusetts residents who have completed a bachelor's degree or its equivalent. The National Center for State Courts’ written and oral examinations are integral to the Trial Court’s Court Interpreter Credentialing Program.