Who Can Make a Sworn Translation in Belgium?

In Belgium, a sworn translation can only be produced by one specific professional: the authorised sworn translator. Here is who holds this status, how it is obtained, how to check that a translator really has it, and why a translation made by anyone else has no official value.

📖 Also read: the full guide · check a sworn translator · certified vs sworn

Only a sworn translator can make a sworn translation

The rule is simple: in Belgium, only an authorised sworn translator can produce a sworn translation. They are the one who applies their signature, their official stamp and the legal statement that give the document its value before authorities, municipalities and courts. Neither an agency without a sworn translator, nor a bilingual relative, nor a lawyer can take the place of this professional. To place this status within the wider topic, see our guide to sworn translation in Belgium.

Registration in the RNEJ and the oath

To practise, the translator must be registered in the National register of judicial experts and sworn translators, interpreters and translator-interpreters (RNEJ), kept by the FPS Justice. This registration is not a mere formality: it follows the review of the candidate's file and then an oath before the court of appeal. It is this oath that legally binds the translator to the faithfulness of their translations. Without registration in the RNEJ and without an oath, no translation can be called sworn.

What conditions to become a sworn translator?

The status is not granted automatically. The candidate must generally meet several conditions:

• Language skills: a degree in the languages concerned or sufficient and demonstrated professional experience.
• Legal knowledge: a command of the vocabulary and procedures of justice, often validated by a recognised training course.
• Good character: a clean criminal record extract attesting to the candidate's integrity.
• Training and ethics: a commitment to comply with the code of ethics and, where applicable, to follow continuing education.

Once these conditions are met and the file is validated, the candidate takes the oath and receives a national identification number that appears on their translations.

How to check that a translator is really sworn?

Before entrusting an important document, it is wise to check the translator's status. Every sworn translator has a national identification number and appears in the official register. We set out the procedure to follow in our guide how to check a sworn translator in the RNEJ, and you can also consult our guide to the FPS Justice sworn translator to understand the exact role of the administration.

Why a non-sworn translation has no official value

A translation made by a person who is not sworn, even one who is perfectly bilingual, remains a simple free translation. It carries no oath, no stamp and no enforceable legal statement, and will therefore be refused by a municipality, a court or a consulate when an official document is required. This is the whole difference between a certified translation and a sworn translation: only the latter, signed by a sworn translator registered in the RNEJ, has an official value recognised by the authorities.