Legal Interpreting Guidelines in Utah

Legal Language Services ranks Utah as a state with moderately regulated legal interpreting requirements.

Requirements for Certified Interpreters in Utah

Utah state authorities periodically offer exams, both written and oral, for certification based on the guidelines of the Consortium for State Court Interpreter Certification.

Certification exams are provided by the National Center for State Courts and are available in numerous languages.

Classification of Interpreters in Utah

The Utah State Courts system defines legal interpreters in the following ways:

  • Certified Interpreter: An interpreter who has passed both a written exam and three-part oral exam as well as the Code of Professional Responsibility for Court Interpreters exam, attended a two-day orientation program, submitted to a background check, obtained 10 hours of observation, completed a five-day training course, and submitted to a criminal background check.
  • Approved Interpreter: An interpreter who has passed both a written exam and an Oral Proficiency Interview as well as the Code of Professional Responsibility for Court Interpreters exam, attended a two-day orientation program, obtained 10 hours of observation, and submitted to a criminal background check.
  • Registered Interpreter: An interpreter who has passed a written exam as well as the Code of Professional Responsibility for Court Interpreters exam, attended a two-day orientation program, obtained 10 hours of observation, and submitted to a criminal background check.
  • Conditionally Approved Interpreter: An interpreter who has completed an application and submitted to a criminal background check.

Not all venues in Utah require certified interpreters, even for Spanish-language cases. Please consult with Legal Language Services for the rules pertaining to your specific venue and language.

Common Languages Spoken in Utah

According to a recent American Community Survey, approximately 14.09% of the Utah population speaks a language other than English.

What’s more, more than 84% of the non-English speaking population in Utah speaks on of the following 10 languages:

  • Spanish
  • German
  • Navajo
  • French
  • Portuguese
  • Chinese*
  • Tongan
  • Vietnamese
  • Japanese
  • Korean

Other languages spoken in Utah include Russian, Tagalog, Samoan, Italian, Serbo-Croatian, Mandarin, Laotian, Mon-Khmer/Cambodian, Dutch, Greek, other Pacific Island languages, Arabic, Swedish, Cantonese, Bantu, Persian, Urdu, Thai and other specified North American Indian languages.

*This table was created based on respondents’ written answers, the majority of whom wrote “Chinese” while others specified “Cantonese” or “Mandarin.”

Judicial Districts in Utah

There are 8 judicial districts in Utah encompassing 29 counties. Certification requirements in Utah are statewide and remain consistent across all local jurisdictions.

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  • 1st Judicial District of Utah
    Counties: Box Elder, Cache, Rich
  • 2nd Judicial District of Utah
    Counties: Davis, Morgan, Weber
  • 3rd Judicial District of Utah
    Counties: Salt Lake, Summit, Tooele
  • 4th Judicial District of Utah
    Counties: Juab, Millard, Utah, Wasatch
  • 5th Judicial District of Utah
    Counties: Beaver, Iron, Washington
  • 6th Judicial District of Utah
    Counties: Garfield, Kane, Piute, Sanpete, Sevier, Wayne
  • 7th Judicial District of Utah
    Counties: Carbon, Emery, Grand, San Juan
  • 8th Judicial District of Utah
    Counties: Daggett, Duchesne, Uintah

Call Legal Language Services at 1-800-788-0450 to find Utah interpreters who meet state interpreting rules for courtroom trials, hearings, depositions, arbitrations and other legal proceedings.

Please Note

The content provided on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. The information about legal interpreting guidelines in Utah is believed to be accurate at the time of posting; however, Legal Language Services is not responsible for any errors or omissions.