THE DIFFERENCE
Certified. Notarised. Apostilled. Not the same thing.
EXPLAINER
Most people are told by an authority to get a “certified” translation — and the word does a lot of quiet work covering three genuinely different outcomes. A standard translation carries no formal statement at all. A certified translation carries a signed statement that it's a complete and accurate rendering of the source, produced to the standard authorities generally expect; where the receiving authority's rules call for a statsautorisert translatør, we route the order to one for that language pair. Notarisation adds a further step: a notary confirms the translator's signature and identity. An apostille is a separate certificate, added after notarisation, that makes a document recognised in another country under the Hague Apostille Convention. None of these steps can guarantee that a specific authority will accept your document — only that it's formatted to what that authority says it wants. Read the table below to see which one applies to you.
COMPARISON
Comparison
| Standard | Certified | Notarised | Apostilled | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A plain translation with no formal statement | A signed statement of complete, accurate translation | The translator's signature confirmed before a notary | A certificate making the document recognised abroad |
| Who asks for it | Internal use, personal reference | UDI, Skatteetaten, universities, some embassies | Foreign authorities, cross-border legal use | Countries in the Hague Apostille Convention |
| Cost | From NOK 1,100/block | From NOK 1,290/page | From NOK 990/document | From NOK 1,490/document |
| Time | 2 working days | 3 working days | 3–5 working days | 5–8 working days |
DECISION
Which one do I need?
- Is this for internal reference only, with no authority involved? → Standard translation.
- Has a Norwegian or foreign authority asked for a “certified” or “sworn” translation? → Certified & Sworn Translation.
- Does the receiving country require the translator's signature to be notarised? → Add notarisation.
- Will the document be used in another Hague Apostille Convention country? → Add an apostille.
Still not sure? Ask us before you order — it's a two-minute question, not a form.
FAQ
FAQ
Can I upgrade a standard order to certified after I've placed it?
Contact us as soon as possible after ordering — if translation hasn't started yet, we can usually switch it; once work has begun, it's simpler to place a new certified order.
Does “certified” mean the same thing in every country?
No — that's exactly the confusion this page exists to clear up. We describe what our certified translation formally states; whether that satisfies a specific foreign authority's own definition of “certified” is worth confirming with that authority directly.
Can you guarantee my document will be accepted?
No — no translation provider can guarantee a third party's decision. We can guarantee the translation is formatted to the receiving authority's stated requirements as we understand them from your intake information.
Do all three (certified, notarised, apostille) always need to be ordered together?
No — most orders need only one. The bundle exists because some cross-border cases genuinely need all three in sequence; the comparison table above and the decision helper both exist to stop you over-ordering.
