FAQ

• Legal: A Legal license is required to interpret in court settings, interactions with law enforcement, and attorney/client meetings, among other things. Refer to A.R.S. 12-242 for a complete list of settings which require a legal licensed interpreter.
• General: A General license holder is a certified interpreter who can interpret in a variety of community settings, such as medical, mental health, post-secondary, and many others. General license holders may not interpret in legal settings, as prescribed in A.R.S 12-242. 
• Provisional: Provisional license holders are pre-certified interpreters who are permitted to interpret in community settings with some restrictions while they prepare for their certification exams. See Question 9 for details.

• All applicants must provide the following, regardless of the category for which they are applying:
• High school diploma, GED, or college degree (copy of the diploma or transcript);
• Documentation of name change, if your name is different on any documentation provided (i.e., the name on your birth certificate is different from the name on your diploma);
• Citizenship form and proof of US Citizenship (i.e., birth certificate or passport);
• 2 passport-sized photos taken within the last 6-months.
• Applicants for a General License must provide the following:
• Proof of NAD/RID/BEI certification in good standing.
• Applicants for a Legal A License must provide the following:
• Proof of RID SC:L or BEI CIC certification in good standing.
• Applicants for a Legal C License must provide the following:
• Proof of NAD/RID/BEI certification in good standing;
• Proof of 50 hours legal training obtained within the last five (5) years;
• Affidavit affirming the completion of a minimum 10,000 hours paid interpreting experience earned after receiving your initial certification;
• Copy of your initial certification from NAD/RID/BEI.
• Applicants for a Legal D License must provide the following:
• Proof of NAD/RID/BEI certification in good standing;
• Proof of 50 hours legal training obtained within the last five (5) years;
• Affidavit affirming the completion of a minimum 500 hours paid interpreting experience earned after receiving your initial certification;
• Copy of your initial certification from NAD/RID/BEI.
• Applicants for a Provisional A License must provide the following:
• Proof of passing the NAD/RID/BEI written exam;
• Proof of 40 hours of interpreter education/training;
• Proof of 24 hours work experience in settings which licensure is not required under A.R.S. 36-1971.
• Applicants for a Provisional B License must provide the following:
  • Proof of passing the NAD/RID/BEI written exam;
  • Proof of 80 hours of interpreter education/training;
  • Proof of one of the following:
  • EIPA 4.0 or higher, OR
  • ACCI certification, OR,
  • A state-issued certification or certificate of competency in good standing.
• Applicants for a Provisional C License must provide the following:
  • Proof of passing the NAD/RID/BEI written exam;
  • Proof of 80 hours of interpreter education/training;
  • Proof of 80 hours work experience in settings which licensure is not required under A.R.S. 36-1971.
• Applicants for a Provisional D License must provide the following:
  • Proof of passing the NAD/RID/BEI written exam;
  • Proof of 40 hours of interpreter education/training;
  • Proof of 40 hours work experience in settings which licensure is not required under A.R.S. 36-1971.

• Legal A interpreters must hold a Specialist Legal Certification in order to qualify and are authorized to work in any legal setting.
• Legal C interpreters must meet specific certification, work experience, and training requirements, and are authorized to work in legal settings only when teamed with a Legal A interpreter.
• Legal D interpreters are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and must meet specific certification, work experience and training requirements. Legal D interpreters typically team with Legal A interpreters in legal settings that require a Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI).

Legal A interpreters may take the BEI CIC exam. Additionally, language in the new rules will allow ACDHH to accept new Specialist Legal certifications that RID or NAD may create at a later date.

Interpreters who held a Legal A license as of August 15, 2016 will have until January 1, 2021 to obtain a Legal Specialist Certification. Interpreters who are unable to do so will be automatically recategorized as Legal C licensees.

Any setting referenced in A.R.S. 12-242 is considered “legal” and requires a Legal Licensed interpreter.

Only settings listed under A.R.S. 12-242 are required to have a Legal Licensed interpreter, but interpreters considering accepting quasi-legal assignments are reminded to consider their qualifications and obligations related to the Code of Professional Conduct (CPC).

Current Legal B licenses will be recognized until they expire. Upon renewal, the interpreter will be moved to a Legal C or may upgrade to a Legal A if he or she meets the qualifications.

• "Class A provisional interpreter" means a pre-certified interpreter who provides oral transliteration and does not have an OTC.
• "Class B provisional interpreter" means a pre-certified interpreter who is qualified to provide interpreting services without a General or Legal licensed team, except in Medical, Mental Health, and Platform/Performance settings. In addition to teaming in these settings, a Class B interpreter must team with a General or Legal licensed interpreter a minimum of 8 hours per month, or meet with a mentor once per month.
• "Class C provisional interpreter" means a pre-certified interpreter who is qualified to provide interpreting services only when teaming with a General or Legal licensed interpreter.
• "Class D provisional interpreter" means a pre-certified interpreter who is deaf or hard of hearing and must team with a General or Legal licensed interpreter at all times.

Yes; you may reapply for a Provisional License, as long as you have not already held a Provisional License for 5 years.

Not necessarily. You will be required to meet the Provisional B requirements as written in the current rules, regardless of the type of license you previously held.

No; upgrading from a Provisional C to a Provisional B is only permissible upon renewal.

Yes; all restrictions outlined in the new rules will apply to all interpreters as of August 15, 2016, regardless of when your license was issued.

ACDHH 
ATTN: Emmett Hassen, Licensing and Certification Coordinator 
100 North 15^th Ave, Suite 104 
Phoenix, AZ 85007

• $125 for Legal and General ($50 for renewal)
• $25 for Provisional ($25 for renewal)

Please note that the application fee is non-refundable.

We accept credit card and e-check (ACH) payments online.

*Note: After you click submit at the end of application, you will have an opportunity to pay online or pay later. If paying later, you need to submit payment immediately via mail following submission of online application. For mail payments, We only accept money orders, cashier’s checks, personal check, payable to “Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing (ACDHH)” or cash (in person).  (CASH payment in-person option not available due to COVID-19 currently)

Credit Cards issued by a foreign bank or entity are not an acceptable form of payment due to the system’s inability to confirm security measures. As an alternative, please use a secured or prepaid Credit Card issued by a US entity or bank. 

• Educational interpreters K-12 who are interpreting in accordance with a student's Individualized Education Plan are not required to be licensed. Interpreting done for non-students in the educational setting will require a licensed interpreter. For detailed information, contact your school district or the Arizona Department of Education.
• Interpreters interpreting in religious settings.
• Anyone interpreting on a volunteer basis without compensation in any form, excluding legal settings.

No, an Arizona License is required to work in all settings not mentioned in the exemptions listed above.

Yes. The interpreter licensure law applies to all interpreters, including video remote interpreters, who provide interpreting services to consumers in Arizona regardless of where the interpreter resides.

Only if the interpreter is physically located in Arizona.

This call must be teamed with or interpreted by a General or Legal licensed interpreter, whether received via VRS or VRI.

ACDHH has an overall time frame of 90 days to grant or deny a license.

• Initial Application:  Commission staff will administratively review all applications within 30 days of submission. The Commission does the administrative review process in order to prepare application files for review by the Interpreter Application Review Committee (IARC). If your application is complete, a letter of completion confirmation will be sent to you and then your application will be referred to the IARC for approval. If you don't see your name on an agenda for the review committee and have not received a letter from ACDHH regarding your application, please contact ACDHH licensing staff Emmett Hassen or Vicki Bond at (602) 542-3323 V, (480) 559-9441 VP, (602) 364-0990 TTY, (800) 352-8161 V/TTY.
• Renewal Application: Once your renewal application has been received by the ACDHH office, the application process is a 90-day overall time frame. Licensees can continue to work while their renewal application is in process. Should verification for an employer be needed, please feel free to contact the Licensure Department.

Refer to meeting minutes. Meeting minutes will be posted to the ACDHH website within three working days after a public meeting. For recordings, please contact ACDHH at (602) 542-3323 V, (480) 559-9441 VP, (602) 364-0990 TTY, (800) 352-8161 V/TTY or info@acdhh.az.gov.

Every application will remain in a locked file cabinet in a locked office and/or in a secure database accessible only by ACDHH authorized staff.

Agendas of public meetings will be posted 24 hours prior to the meeting time on ACDHH website and at 100 N 15th Ave, Suite 104, Phoenix, AZ in compliance with open meeting laws.

All licensee’s names (first and last), license type, original issue date and expiration date will be listed on our website and be available to the public. The applicant can opt to have contact information and credentials listed in our interpreter directory located in the resources section. Click here to fill out an application to be included in this Directory.

You are not required to wear your badge, but you are required to carry it with you while you are working and present it to consumers upon request.

• Initial applications received on or after August 15th must include passport sized photos taken within the last 6-months.
• Currently licensed interpreters will submit photos upon renewal.
• Photos will be kept on file for 5-years, at which time a new photo must be submitted.

Technically, yes, but you also have the right to due process.

• All applicants must renew annually. Submit the appropriate application and fee on or before your license expiration date.
• Provisional Licensees must submit proof of 12 hours of continuing education, and a copy of their teaming/mentoring journal if applicable.
• Every 5-years, you will be asked to submit a new passport-sized photo to be used on your licensure badge.
• General and Legal A Licensees must comply with CEU requirements as needed to maintain their certification. Upon certification cycle renewal (every 3-5 years, depending on the type of certification you hold), interpreters must submit proof to the Commission that they have met the requirements and their Certification Cycle has been renewed.
• Legal C and D Licensees must comply with CEU requirements as needed to maintain their certification, and at least 2.0 CEUs (20 hours) must be Legal CEUs. Upon certification cycle renewal (every 3-5 years, depending on the type of certification you hold), interpreters must submit proof to the Commission that they have met the requirements, including proof of the 20-hours of legal training, and their Certification Cycle has been renewed.

• You must show proof that you have met the CEU requirements of your certification when your certification cycle renews. For example, if your RID Certification Cycle ends on 12/31/2017, you will need to show proof that you completed your CEU requirements when you renew your license in 2018.  Additional note: You do not need to submit proof of CEUs annually unless your CEU cycle renews annually, as is the case with some BEI Certifications. Note that your annual membership renewal is distinct from your Certification Cycle Renewal.
• For Provisional Interpreters: You must submit proof of 12 hours of Continuing Education annually upon renewal. You may submit Certificates of Completion or CEU transcript for workshops attended, or college transcripts for qualifying courses taken relevant to the practice of interpreting.

You are required to meet the certification maintenance requirements for the certification you currently hold. You will not need to submit proof of Legal CEUs.

• Applicants renewing within 30-days of their expiration date will be required to pay a $100 late fee, in addition to the regular renewal fee.
• Applicants may not renew more than 30-days after their expiration date. These individuals will be required to reapply as an Initial Applicant and will not be permitted to work in settings where a license is required until their new application is reviewed and approved by the Board.

• Educational interpreters K-12 who are interpreting in accordance with a student's Individualized Education Plan are not required to be licensed. Interpreting done for non-students in the educational setting will require a licensed interpreter. For detailed information, contact your school district or the Arizona Department of Education.
• Interpreters interpreting in religious settings.
• Anyone interpreting on a volunteer basis excluding legal settings.

No, an Arizona License is required to work in all settings not mentioned in the exemptions listed above.

You may choose to apply for a Short-Term Registration, which allows you to interpret in the State of Arizona for up to 20-days per year, in non-legal settings. Note that only one Short-Term Registration will be granted per year, and only two Short-Term Registrations will be granted in an interpreter’s lifetime.

• Interpreters applying for a Short-Term Registration must complete the appropriate form and submit to licensure staff no less than 2-weeks prior to first date of work.
• Interpreters must submit a copy of documentation showing current NAD/RID/BEI or state-issued certification.
• Interpreters must report days worked to ACDHH no more than 5 days after services are provided.

No.

• Close loopholes to licensure compliance
• Protect the public
• Protect the work of qualified, licensed interpreters 

• ACDHH recognizes certifications granted by the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID), and the Board for Evaluation of Interpreters (BEI).  Each certification requires a written and performance exam. For information about the requirements to take each test and how to maintain your certification once you have passed the exams, please visit the respective websites:
• NAD: http://nad.org/ (Certification exams are not currently being offered by NAD, but ACDHH recognizes certifications previously granted by NAD.)
• RID: https://rid.org/rid-certification-overview/
• BEI: https://hhs.texas.gov/doing-business-hhs/provider-portals/assistive-services-providers/board-evaluation-interpreters-advisory-committee/bei-frequently-asked-questions
• BEI TESTING OPTIONS:
• Texas: https://hhs.texas.gov/doing-business-hhs/provider-portals/assistive-services-providers/board-evaluation-interpreters-certification-program/bei-testing
• Illinois: https://www2.illinois.gov/idhhc/licensure/pages/certification.aspx
• Michigan: https://www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-154-89334_72600_84418---,00.html
• Missouri: https://mcdhh.mo.gov/interpreters/form/ 

• Phoenix College (Community Interpreting)
• Pima Community College (Tucson) (Community Interpreting -INACTIVE as of 2020)
• Coconino Community College (Flagstaff) (Community Interpreting)
• University of Arizona (Educational Interpreting)
• For more information on interpreting programs:
• Discover Interpreting - click on ‘paths to interpreting’, click on ‘choosing a school’, scroll down inside the box to ‘access a complete program listing’. That will show you a comprehensive listing of information on schools in Arizona or abroad.

Arizona RID chapter

ACDHH has distributed our allotted amount of free tests.

• There is an identification badge replacement fee of $25.00. Request a replacement badge by mailing payment and you’re a written request to ACDHH, Attention: Emmett Hassen. Once we are in receipt of your request, we will process your payment and send out a replacement badge.
• If you want duplicates of your license, follow the same instructions above and indicate how many duplicates you want. For example, if you want two extra copies, that would be $50.00 for 2 copies. Note: If you apply or renew, you will get one free badge that is included in your initial or renewal fee.

• If you received a request to provide your interpreter services from an in/out of state foreign/spoken language company and they do not know about Arizona’s interpreter licensure law, feel free to educate them about interpreter licensure law and/or contact our licensure department. If you provide us the name of the company and contact information, we will be glad to reach out to these companies and provide them resources and information regarding interpreter licensure rules and law.

• *This is based on our experience from high volume of companies who are not aware of our licensure law who might be hiring non-licensed or non-certified interpreters who might cause harm and injury to Deaf consumers.

You must immediately report with written notice of the disciplinary action to the Commission. Failure to report is unprofessional conduct, per R9-26-518(A).