The price of sworn translation in Spain varies, a standard one-page document can cost between 30€ and 90€, althuogh the final figure depends on the language, the length of the text, and the deadline. Before accepting any quotes, it’s worth learning how a sworn translator’s rates are calculated and what can raise the price of a translation, especially in relation to immigration procedures, nationality applications, or the formal recognition of academic qualifications.
At Translinguo Global, an official translation agency, we handle requests for sworn translations for individuals who are in the process of comparing quotes, working with translators qualified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Union, and in accordance with ISO 17100 and ISO 9001 certificates. We cover this process, as well as answering the questions that arise before settling on a firm price.
How much does a sworn translation cost in Spain?
The cost varies depending on the type of document, the length of it, and the original language thereof. Civil certificates (birth, marriage, death) tend to have set prices because their content is short and repetitive, whereas academic, notarial, or legal documents are calculated per word if they are more than one page long.
Birth certificates feature a format which most translators know by heart, an academic record or a sentence include legal terminology and formulae which require further verification. The table below shows the approxiamate prices and timeframes in English, French and German. Less common languages tend to sit at the top end of these price ranges.
| Type of document | Approxiamate price | Usual timefame |
| Birth, marriage, or death certificate | ||
| University degree or academic record | ||
| Contract, deed, or power of attourney (per page) | ||
| Divorce sentences or judicial decisions | ||
| Long technical, medical, or financial document | Dependent on quantity |
How much does a sworn translation cost per page?
There is no single, official rate, the sector became free years ago and so every sworn translator sets their fees as they see fit. For reference, however, some professional colleges publish approximate rates for their legal and sworn translations, which average around 0.20€ per word plus VAT, with a minimum of around 100€plus VAT – this is helpful for comparison purposes, and to help detect quotes which may be abnormally low, but not to use as a fixed price for every company.
What factors influence the price per page of a sworn translation?
A translation company’s quote doesn’t depend solely on the word count of a document, it is also affected by the availability of translators for the pertinent languages, the difficulty of the terminology, and the format of the original document. Before asking for a price its worth checking precisely which documents need a sworn translation for your individual needs, because they’ll each have a different impact on the price.
The following helps to explain why two documents of a similar length may have different prices.
- Origin and target language: language pairs with few authorised sworn translators (Swedish, Korean, Arabic) cost more than French or English.
- Urgency of the translation: Asking for a shorter timeframe means reorganising a sworn translators schedule, which adds extra work
- Terminological complexity: A contract or medical report requires more verification than a civil certificate.
- Format of the original document: an editable PDF can be translated much more quickly than a scanned copy with barely legible stamps.
- Prior legalisation: the apostille, if required, is an process independent from translation.
- The size of the project: multiple documents in the same record usually come at a discount when handed in together.
Price per page or per word: which model is best
The majority of agencies calculate cost per word if the document is more than a page long, and apply a fixed rate only for short and standardised texts. None of these models is better in theory, its best to check what type of document it is that you need to translate before you reject a quote purely because it uses a pricing system different to what you expected.
| Pricing model | When it is applied | Advantages | Risks |
| Price per page or per completed document | Civil certificates, licenses, short diplomas | Predictable cost from the first moment of contact | Does not reflect variations if the document has attachments |
| Price per word + fixed rate | Proportionate to the real length | Difficult to estimate without seeing the full document |
Is it cheaper to pay by word or by page?
It depends on the document. For short certificates, the price per document tends to be cheaper, for longer documents with repetitive sections, its possible to negotiate discounts due to repeated words rather than paying a set price for the whole page.
What an online sworn translation quote includes (and what it doesn’t)
A good online sworn translation quote outlines, as well as the price per word or page, the sworn translator’s fixed rate and their mode of delivery. Some organisations accept online sworn translations with an electronic signature, which is cheaper and doesn’t require delivery by post. Others ask for a hard copy with the original seals and signatures, with a separate shipping cost.
What the quote doesn’t normally include is the previous legalisation of the original document; sworn translation certifies the faithfulness of the text, but it doesn’t replace the apostille which some organisations demand regarding the initial document.
Does the quote include the original document’s apostille?
No, it doesn’t. The Hague Convention Apostille is granted by the Ministry of Justice (or notarial colege, if the document is notarial) and is a free and independent procedure. Its worth obtaining the apostille before the document is translated, because if it is done afterwards, then the apostille itself will then need to also be translated separately.
Urgent sworn translation prices: how much it costs to be quicker
When the deadline for a procedure is tight, the price of a sworn translation goes up because the sworn translator needs to reorganise their schedule around the translation, or work out of office hours. The surcharge isn’t arbitrary, it’s proportionate to how much the standard timeframe is compressed.
| Timeframe requested | Standard surcharge on the base price |
| Standard timeframe (3-5 days) | Without surcharge |
| Delivery in 24-48 hours | |
| Same-day delivery |
How much more do you pay for an urgent translation?
For short documents the surcharge tends to be between an extra 15€ and 40€, for long documents it increases proportionally. Before accepting it, its worth confirming whether or not the organisation really needs the document for the due date or whether there can a few days’ margin.
What we take into account when preparing a sworn translation quote
Quoting a sworn translation isn’t just a matter of cunting words, before giving a final price, we review a few factors which affect the final price. Below is a typical example which illustrates this.
A case study: the price changes as you go
A client asks for a 900-word contract to be translated into English. The first quote, at 0.11€ per word plus a rate of 15€ makes it 114€. Upon reviewing the photo sent through we see cropped pages and an illegible seal, so we ask for a better quality scan. The client needs the document within 48 hours, which adds an extra 30% (34.20€) onto the price. The final price becomes 148.20€, not because the document has changed, but because the format and the urgency weren’t clear at the beginning.
This type of adjustment is common and usually depends on the same few elements:
- Documentation which tends to be missing: copies without apostilles, individual pages without page numbers, or partially illegible seals.
- Circumstances which complicate the pricing: names that have been transliterated from another alphabet, bilingual documents where only one section needs to be assessed, or additional documents which are added later.
- What is analysed before the price is confirmed: The actual amount of text in the target language, repetitions which can help save time, and whether or not the document can be formatted without reworking
- What is taken into account in special cases: if a seal is illegible, this can be indicated with an explanatory note, instead of rejecting the project altogether.
- Clients’ common mistakes: asking for the price before showing the final document, forgetting about the rate, or notifying us of urgency too late.
- When it isn’t a good idea to ask for it yet: if the organisation hasn’t confirmed in writing what they need, or if there is no previous apostille
| Document | Does it require a sworn translation? |
| Certificate for official procedure in Spain (immigration, nationality, recognition of qualifications) | Yes |
| Internal document for own information | Normally not, a basic translation is usually enough |
| Commercial business contract not to be presented to a public body | Depends on whether or not one of the parties requires it in writing |
How to make a sworn translation cheaper without losing validity
Reducing the cost doesn’t mean compromising on legal validity. The key is to eliminate the avoidable cost overruns, such as the ones in the above example; format, urgency, and incomplete documentation. Its worth looking at how to reduce the price of a translation, and comparing cheap sworn translation options, making sure to do the following each time:
- Send the document as an editable PDF or a high resolution photo, rather than a picture taken with a mobile phone.
- Group all the documents from one procedure together to negotiate an overall price.
- Avoid unnecessary urgency by confirming the real deadline before paying for the translation
- Ask for the set price in writing, with the rate and delivery charges outlined
- Prioritise agencies with ISO 17100 or ISO 9001 certifications, which reduces the risk of your translation being rejected.
Can I choose a cheap sworn translation without losing legal validity?
Yes, as long as the lower price is due to a more efficient work process rather than a lack of proofreading or official qualifications on the translator’s part. Sworn translators appointed by the Ministry of Exterior Affairs, European Union, and Cooperation all appear in the public list which allows clients to check a translator’s authorisation before hiring them for a project.
Request your sworn translation quote with a clear price from the start
The price of a sworn translation isn’t a fixed number; it depends on the document, the language, the timeframe, and whether or not the original needs to be legalised. As in the previously mentioned case. what changes a quote usually isn’t the text itself, but the format, the urgecy, and the documentation , and these are all things which should be clarified before asking for the price, not afterwards. If you’d prefer us to revise your document, you can ask for a sworn translation quote and receive a response in less than 24 hours.
At Translinguo Global, an official translation agency, we have expert sworn translators who will streamline the process and lower the cost of your sworn translation.
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