Notarization for Certified Translations

What Is Notarization?

A notary public is a state-commissioned official who verifies a signer's identity and witnesses the signing of a document. For a certified translation, notarization authenticates the signature on the Certificate of Translation Accuracy. The notary does not check the language, content, or accuracy of the translation.

Our notary witnesses an authorized RushTranslate team member signing the Certificate of Translation Accuracy. This is separate from the translator's certification that the translation is complete and accurate.

Here's how the process works:

1. An authorized RushTranslate team member signs the Certificate of Translation Accuracy.
2. A Kentucky-commissioned notary public verifies the signer's identity and witnesses the signing.
3. The notary signs, stamps, and logs the notarization in accordance with Kentucky state law.

Notarizations performed by our fulfillment team in Louisville, Kentucky are legally valid in all 50 U.S. states. If you're submitting your documents internationally, you can also obtain an apostille from the Kentucky Secretary of State. This authenticates the notary and allows the notarization to be recognized in Hague Convention member countries.

Why Notarization May Be Required

Some receiving institutions require notarization in addition to the signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy. The requirement depends on where and how the translation will be used. Organizations that may request notarization include:

• Credential evaluation services
• Universities
• Consulates
• Courts
• Some government agencies
• Foreign countries

If you're unsure whether notarization is required, check with the organization that will receive your translation. Requirements can vary widely depending on the institution and purpose. For example, USCIS does not require notarization (only a signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy), so adding notarization for immigration purposes is typically unnecessary.

If the instructions are unclear, share them with our team before ordering. We can explain what our notarization service includes and help you identify questions to ask the receiving institution.

Notarization Can Only Be Performed by Us

Our authorized signer must appear before the notary to sign the certificate. RushTranslate therefore arranges notarization through our own team in Kentucky. You cannot complete this step by taking an already-signed certificate to a local notary. This means:

• You cannot take the certification we provide and have it notarized elsewhere.
• We cannot notarize documents using a notary from a specific state other than Kentucky.
• This doesn't impact validity. All 50 states recognize notarizations performed legally in any other state.

Apostilles and Notarization

If you need an apostille in addition to notarization, keep in mind:

• Apostilles can only be issued by the state that commissioned the notary.
• Since our notarizations are completed by Kentucky-commissioned notaries, apostilles must be obtained from the Kentucky Secretary of State.

If your recipient requires an apostille, you can add our e-Apostille service during checkout or when requesting a quote. After you approve the translation, we notarize the certificate and request the e-Apostille from the Kentucky Secretary of State. Confirm the recipient's authentication and submission requirements before ordering.

Digital vs. Physical Notarization

Your notarized translation includes a signed PDF. If you also select shipping, you'll receive an original hard copy with physical signatures and stamps. The two formats differ as follows:

• All notarized translations include a PDF copy that features digital signatures and stamps, secured using an X.509 digital document signing certificate. In the digital PDF, these signatures and stamps appear in black as part of the document. The certificate meets Adobe's trust standards and makes the document tamper-evident. If any changes are made after signing, the signature will show as invalid.
• If you request a hard copy, we'll also send the original document with wet-ink signatures and stamps from the RushTranslate authorized signer and the notary. The physical signatures and stamps are applied in blue ink, which helps distinguish an original, physically signed document from a printed copy of the digital PDF.

The black signatures in the PDF and blue wet-ink signatures on the hard copy distinguish the two formats. Printing the PDF does not create an original wet-ink document, so choose shipping if your recipient requires physical signatures.

Please check with the receiving party to confirm whether they accept digital notarization or require a physical hard copy.

How the Notarization Process Works

Here's what to expect if you add notarization to your certified translation order:

1. We'll notify you when your translation is ready for review.
2. You must approve the translation before notarization can proceed.
3. Once approved, your order enters our notarization queue.

We notarize completed orders in batches Monday through Friday during standard business hours at our fulfillment office in Louisville, KY. Orders approved after the daily cutoff will be included in the next business day's notarization cycle.

Summary

Add notarization when the receiving institution requires authentication of the signature on your Certificate of Translation Accuracy. Our Kentucky fulfillment team handles the signing and notarization after you approve the translation. You'll receive a signed PDF and, if you select shipping, an original hard copy. For questions about notarization, delivery, or adding an e-Apostille, contact our support team with your recipient's instructions.