Court Document Translation Services in Singapore
Singapore courts work in English. A document that is not in English must come with an English translation that is either certified by a court interpreter or verified by an affidavit of a person qualified to translate it. The courts' own translators only cover Chinese, Malay and Tamil and need at least 4 weeks. For every other language, or a closer deadline, a private translator swears a translator's affidavit before a commissioner for oaths. We do the translation and our translator swears the affidavit, for the State Courts, the Family Justice Courts (including probate) and the Supreme Court.
Quick answer: A certified court translation starts from S$40 a page and takes 24 to 48 hours. The translator's affidavit adds from S$250; the set usually takes 2 to 4 working days. Order: translate, check, then swear. A Singapore court needs no notary or SAL step. Need it fast? Send short documents before 11am on a weekday for same-day translation. The affidavit adds working days.
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Looking for a "Court Certified Translation"? What Singapore Courts Actually Accept
No translation company in Singapore is "court certified" or court approved. The courts look at the route the translation took: a court interpreter's certified translation, or a private translation verified by the translator's affidavit. Filing a document in court? You need card 2. Small Claims Tribunals hearing? Card 1 is usually enough.
1. Certified Translation
- Who signs it: Our translator and our company, with a signed and dated statement of accuracy, the translator's name and contact details.
- Used for: Small Claims Tribunals evidence, lawyers' first review, mediation, letters of demand and drafts before filing.
- Time: 24 to 48 hours.
- From: S$40 per page.
2. Translator's Affidavit (court filings)
- Who signs it: Our translator, who swears an affidavit of accuracy before a commissioner for oaths, with the original and the translation exhibited.
- Used for: State Courts, Supreme Court and Family Justice Courts filings, including probate and letters of administration.
- Time: Usually 2 to 4 working days.
- From: S$40 per page + S$250 per affidavit.
3. The Courts' Own Translation Service
- Who signs it: A court interpreter, who certifies the translation.
- Used for: Chinese, Malay or Tamil documents translated into English for proceedings in the Supreme Court, State Courts or Family Justice Courts.
- Time: At least 4 weeks, longer for long or complex documents.
- From: S$45 per translated page, paid to the courts. The total is only known when the work is done.
One thing we will always tell you straight
No court in Singapore endorses a private translation company, and no company can promise that a judge will accept every word. What the court looks at is the route: a court interpreter's certificate, or a translator who swears on affidavit that the translation is true and that they are qualified to make it. So we do not sell you a "court approved" label. We give you an accurate translation, a translator who will stand behind it on oath, and a straight answer when the courts' own service would suit you better. Asked for a "sworn" translation? See our sworn translation Singapore page for what that means here.
Court Translation From Chinese, Malay, Thai, Indonesian and 200+ Languages
Most court work we see comes in:
Also: Chinese in Simplified and Traditional script, and 200+ other languages
The courts' own service covers Chinese, Malay and Tamil only. For every other language, a private translator with an affidavit is the normal route. Mixed-language chats are translated line by line, and slang, emoji and short forms are kept with a translator's note rather than tidied up. Rarer languages may cost more and take a little longer, so tell us the language and we confirm both before we start.
Court Documents and Evidence We Translate
Send the whole bundle with its index. We keep your page numbers so the translation matches the court bundle.
Chats and Messages
WhatsApp, WeChat, Telegram and SMS screenshots, with sender names and timestamps left as they are.
Audio and Video
Voice notes, calls and videos are transcribed first, then translated. See legal transcription.
Probate Papers
Foreign death certificates, wills and foreign grants.
Family Papers
Foreign divorce decrees, custody orders, marriage certificates and bank statements for maintenance.
Commercial Papers
Contracts, invoices, emails and company records. Long contracts sit with legal translation.
How to Get Court Documents Translated, in the Right Order
Many people pay twice because they do the steps in the wrong order, for example by notarising a translation for a Singapore court (not needed) or swearing an affidavit before the translation is final.
Check what your court needs
Court filing: translator's affidavit. Small Claims Tribunals: certified translation. Court abroad: affidavit before a Notary Public plus SAL. If you have a lawyer, ask them first. Then send clear copies of every page and your filing deadline.
Get a price and a plan
We reply within an hour with a fixed, itemised price, the route you need, and a list of any unclear words or handwriting we must ask about.
Translation, check and your review
A human translator does the work. A second linguist checks every name, date, amount and timestamp against the original. You or your lawyer get an unsigned draft to check before anything is sworn.
Affidavit and delivery
Our translator swears the affidavit before a commissioner for oaths, with the original and the translation as exhibits. You get the signed affidavit set on paper plus a PDF for your lawyer to file through eLitigation. Certified-only jobs come as a signed PDF, with a paper copy on request. Courier for a small fee, or collect from our office.
Why Lawyers and Litigants Trust Us With Court Translations
What you get with every court translation we handle.
A Translator Who Will Swear to It
The person who translates your document is the person who swears the affidavit. If the other side questions a word, the translator can explain the choice.
Faithful, Not Friendly, Wording
We translate what the document says, not what helps your case. Unclear phrases are flagged to you, not quietly decided.
Bundle-Ready Format
Page numbers, timestamps and sender names match your bundle index, so the court can check the translation against the original line by line.
Honest Timelines
Certified translation takes 24 to 48 hours. With the translator's affidavit, the set usually takes 2 to 4 working days. If your deadline is too close for a careful job, we tell you on day one.
A Real Job: 214 Pages of Mandarin Chats and a Contract for a State Courts Trial
A firm acting for a plaintiff in a State Courts contract claim sent us eleven months of Mandarin chat messages, voice notes and a supply contract: 214 pages in all. The court had set a deadline nine days away.
Court Document Translation
Mandarin chats, voice notes and a supply contract
Eleven months of casual Mandarin full of slang, short forms and half sentences.
What the client needed
Firm acting for a plaintiff in a State Courts contract claim
- The chats were casual Mandarin full of slang, short forms and half sentences.
- The defence had said it would challenge the wording.
What we did
One word list, a third reviewer, nothing quietly decided
- Two translators worked from one shared word list, and a third person reviewed every page.
- Slang was kept with a short note in brackets.
- Two unclear phrases were flagged to counsel instead of being decided by the translator.
- Timestamps and sender names stayed exactly as in the original, and the page numbers matched the trial bundle index.
- The translator swore the affidavit.
How Much Does Court Document Translation Cost in Singapore?
You pay per page for the translation and a fixed fee for each affidavit. You get a fixed price before we start. Several documents for one case? Send them together for one bundled quote with an itemised breakdown.
Translation + Translator's Affidavit
2-4 daysplus S$40 a page for the translation
- Sworn before a commissioner for oaths, original and translation exhibited (commissioner's fee included)
- Signed paper set plus a PDF for eLitigation
- For a court abroad: sworn before a Notary Public, then SAL (quoted on request)
Certified Translation
24-48 hrsStarting from
- Signed statement of accuracy with the translator's name and contact details
- For Small Claims Tribunals evidence, lawyers' review and drafts
- Signed PDF, paper copy on request
Urgent
Same day*Extra charge
- *Same-day translation if sent before 11am on a weekday (short documents)
- The affidavit still needs a commissioner appointment, usually a working day or more
Worked example: a Thai death certificate for probate (from real enquiries). Translation of a 1-page Thai death certificate: S$40. Translator's affidavit, sworn before a commissioner for oaths: S$250. Courier of the signed set to your lawyer: small fee. Total: from S$290, usually ready in 2 to 4 working days. Worked example: a 15-page Indonesian court bundle (from a real enquiry). Translation of the Indonesian parts, about 15 pages × S$40: S$600. One translator's affidavit covering the bundle: S$250. Total: from S$850. If the court needs one affidavit per document, each extra affidavit adds to the total; your quote shows the exact count. For comparison, the courts' own service charges S$45 a page, covers only Chinese, Malay and Tamil, and needs at least 4 weeks. Rare languages: Chinese, Malay, Indonesian and Thai are standard for us. Rarer languages, poor recordings, handwriting and very faded papers may cost more or take longer, and we tell you before we start.
What Clients Say
Real client experiences from people who used our translation service.
Real Client Experiences
Swipe to read more success stories
Pleased With Final Document
"Sending my English academic transcript for Malay translation was part of my embassy task. They handled dates and grades properly. I felt relieved after seeing the copy. It was accepted..."
English to Malay Agreement for Regional Hire
"For a Malaysian staff member, we needed the employment contract translated from English to Malay. It was for internal record and clarity. Delivery took two days. The staff understood every..."
Satisfied With Embassy Submission Result
"My Malay business letter had to be translated into English for Malaysia embassy. I compared both copies line by line. Everything looked correct. The process ended without any problem."
My Research Looks Professional
"Amazed at how my French dissertation became easy to read in English. Every point stayed correct. My professor didn't need to ask any questions. This translation service really helped me..."
Scholarship Submission Ready
"The Arabic academic essay translation kept all details accurate. I used it for my scholarship form. Every paragraph is readable in English. Felt relieved knowing I could submit it without..."
Supplier Issue Solved
"Supplier document language caused delay. Translation fixed it. Logistics team approved. Shipment moved."
French Website Version for Market Entry
"Expanding into France meant our company website needed proper French translation. We submitted the translated version to our overseas partner for approval. They accepted it without revision. This helped us..."
Online Portal Accepted
"Government upload portal accepted the translated permit. No error shown. Process finished smoothly."
Great Choice For Expats
"Your team helped me with English translation. Steps were simple. I sent pictures by WhatsApp. Traffic Police accepted immediately."
My Thesis Feels Complete
"Seeing my Chinese Simplified dissertation in English made me smile. All my explanations are clear. I understood it fully. Submission was easy. I feel really satisfied and proud."
Other Services and Guides for Your Court Matter
Court files rarely have one paper. We run the set as one job, so every name and term is translated the same way across the bundle.
Helpful guides
Several Documents for One Case? One Bundled Quote
Send them together for one bundled quote with an itemised breakdown.
Common Questions About Court Document Translation
Short, direct answers to the questions clients ask us most.
FAQ Group
Do Singapore courts accept a certified translation, or do I need an affidavit?
For a court filing, plan for the affidavit. The rules accept a translation certified by a court interpreter, or a private translation verified by an affidavit of a person qualified to translate. A company's certificate alone is not one of those routes. The Small Claims Tribunals are different: they ask for a certified translation. We tell you which one your case needs before you pay.
How much does court document translation cost in Singapore?
Translation starts at S$40 a page. The translator's affidavit adds from S$250 per affidavit, so a 1-page death certificate for probate is from S$290. Same-day translation adds S$20 a page for short documents sent before 11am on a weekday. Send your bundle and you get a fixed, itemised price within an hour.
Do I need notarisation or SAL authentication for a Singapore court?
No. For a Singapore court, the translator swears the affidavit before a commissioner for oaths, and that is the end of it. Notarisation and SAL are for documents going abroad, or for ICA files. If the translation is for a court in another country, the affidavit is sworn before a Notary Public and then authenticated by SAL; see our notarised translation page.
My hearing or filing deadline is in a few days. Can you still help?
Often, yes. Short documents sent before 11am on a weekday can be translated the same day, and the affidavit then needs a commissioner appointment, usually a working day or more. Long chat bundles take longer. Message us on WhatsApp today with the page count and your deadline, and we will tell you honestly whether it can be done well in time.
Do I get a PDF for e-filing and a paper set? Do you need my originals?
Clear scans or screenshots are enough to start, and your originals stay with you. You get the signed and sworn affidavit set on paper, plus a PDF your lawyer can file through eLitigation. For a certified-only job, you get a signed PDF and a paper copy on request. Collect it from our office, or we courier it for a small fee.
Should I use the courts' own translation service instead?
It can be cheaper if your document is in Chinese, Malay or Tamil and you have more than 4 weeks. The courts charge S$45 a page and confirm the total only when done, and they may decline short-notice or technical requests. For any other language, or a closer date, a private translator with an affidavit is the usual route.
Can you translate WhatsApp screenshots and voice notes for court?
Yes. We translate chats line by line and keep names, timestamps, emoji and slang, with a note where a word has no exact English match. Voice notes and videos are transcribed first, then translated. For the Small Claims Tribunals, put the recording on 2 CDs and upload a transcript of the key parts with a certified translation.
Can I translate it myself, or use Google Translate or ChatGPT?
Not for a filing. The translation must be certified by a court interpreter or verified by the affidavit of a person qualified to translate, and a machine cannot swear an affidavit. If you or a relative translate it, the other side can question whether you are qualified and neutral. A machine draft is fine for your own understanding before you instruct us.
What if the other side challenges the translation?
Send us their objection or their own translation. Our translator reviews each disputed line and explains the choice in writing, or corrects a real error. Because the same translator swore the affidavit, they can stand behind the wording. We do not shade wording to help either side, and that neutrality is what makes the translation hold up.
Do you provide an interpreter for the hearing?
The courts provide interpreters for Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and some Chinese dialects, free for criminal cases and many family cases, such as PPO and maintenance. For other languages, or when the court cannot provide one, you need a private interpreter. Tell us the language, date and court, and we quote one.
Get Your Court Document Translation Done the Right Way
Send your bundle, tell us the court and your deadline, and get a fixed, itemised price within an hour.