Legal Translation Services in Singapore
A contract, deed or company resolution must say exactly the same thing in both languages. One wrong party name, date, amount or clause number can change who owes what. We translate legal documents for law firms, in-house legal teams, companies and private clients in Singapore. A translator who works on legal texts does the work, and a second linguist checks it. Then we certify it, arrange the Notary Public and SAL for use abroad or at ICA, or add a translator's affidavit when it goes to court.
Quick answer: Certified legal translation starts from S$40 a page for short documents and takes 24 to 48 hours. Long contracts are quoted per word, from S$0.18, with a fixed delivery date. A notarised version with SAL starts from S$202.20 for 1 page and takes 3 to 7 working days. Same-day translation (+S$20 a page) is for short documents sent before 11am on a weekday.
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Certified, Notarised or Translator's Affidavit: Which Legal Translation Do You Need?
Legal translations come in three forms. The right one depends on who will read it, not on how important the document is. A contract for your own records, your lawyer or a Singapore counterparty? You only need card 1.
1. Certified Translation (contracts and firm use)
- Who signs it: Our translator and our company, with a signed and dated statement of accuracy, the translator's name and our contact details.
- Used for: Contracts, agreements, legal letters, due diligence files, MOM and bank files, and lawyers' review.
- Time: 24 to 48 hours for short documents; long files get a fixed date in the quote.
- From: S$40 per page, or from S$0.18 per word for long files.
2. Notarised + SAL (overseas or ICA)
- Who signs it: A Notary Public in Singapore notarises the translation. SAL then authenticates it with an apostille.
- Used for: Contracts, deeds or company papers used abroad, and legal papers in an ICA PR or citizenship file.
- Time: 3 to 7 working days.
- From: S$202.20 per 1-page document (S$40 translation + S$75 notarial certificate + S$87.20 SAL).
3. Translator's Affidavit (court)
- Who signs it: Our translator, who swears before a commissioner for oaths that the translation is accurate.
- Used for: Documents filed in the State Courts, Family Justice Courts or Supreme Court, including probate.
- Time: Usually 2 to 4 working days.
- From: S$40 per page + from S$250 per affidavit.
One thing we will always tell you straight
We are translators, not lawyers. We do not tell you what a clause means for your case, whether a contract can be enforced, or which version wins if the two languages differ. Your contract's governing-language clause decides that, and your lawyer advises on it. No court or office in Singapore endorses a translation company, so we do not sell a "court approved" label or claim that any office certifies us. What we give you is a faithful translation that a second linguist has checked, the right form for the office that will read it, and a straight answer when you do not need to pay for a notary.
Legal Translation From Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French and 200+ Languages
The legal work we see most is:
Also: English ↔ Chinese in Simplified and Traditional script, and 200+ other languages
Legal terms do not always have an exact match. A Chinese 违约金 is not always a "penalty", and a civil-law notarial deed is not a common-law deed. Where a term has no true equivalent, we keep the original in brackets and add a short translator's note, so your lawyer sees the choice. Rarer languages may cost more and take a little longer, so tell us the language and we confirm both before we start.
Legal Documents We Translate
Send the signed version, or the latest draft with tracked changes. We keep your clause numbers, defined terms and page layout, so the two versions can be read side by side.
Contracts and Agreements
Sale and purchase, shareholder, joint venture, distribution, agency, NDA, service, lease and employment contracts.
Deeds and Declarations
Deeds, statutory declarations, undertakings and indemnities.
Company Legal Papers
Constitutions, board and shareholder resolutions, registry extracts. For ACRA filings see ACRA translation.
Powers of Attorney
See our power of attorney translation page for the notary and SAL route.
Disputes and Court Papers
Letters of demand, pleadings, judgments, orders and evidence. Filing in a Singapore court? See court document translation.
IP and Regulatory
Trademark certificates, licences, permits, compliance policies and regulator letters.
How to Get Legal Documents Translated, in the Right Order
Four steps from your file to the right form for the office that will read it.
Send the file, and your NDA if you have one
Upload a scan or the Word file, and tell us who will read the translation: your lawyer, a Singapore office, a court, or an office abroad. We sign your NDA before we open a confidential file.
Get a fixed price and the right route
Within an hour we reply with a fixed, itemised price, a delivery date and the route you need (certified, notarised + SAL, or translator's affidavit). We also list any unclear words, handwriting or missing pages.
Translation and second check
A translator who works on legal texts translates the file. A second linguist checks every name, date, amount, defined term and clause number against the original. You or your lawyer can review an unsigned draft first.
Certify, notarise or swear, then deliver
Certified: a signed PDF plus your editable file, with a paper copy on request. Notarised: a PDF of the full set plus the signed paper set. Affidavit: the sworn set on paper plus a PDF for e-filing. Courier for a small fee, or collect from our office.
Why Law Firms and Companies Trust Us With Legal Translation
What you get with every legal translation we handle.
Translators Who Work on Legal Texts
Your file goes to a translator who translates contracts, deeds and court papers as regular work, not a general linguist. Ask us about the translator's background for your language pair before you confirm.
A Second Check of Every Number and Term
A second linguist checks names, dates, amounts, defined terms and cross-references. Unclear wording is flagged to you, never quietly decided.
Confidential by Default
We sign your NDA, only the translator and the checker see your file, and we delete it on written request. We do not put client files into public AI tools.
Honest Timelines
Short documents take 24 to 48 hours. Notarised sets take 3 to 7 working days, and a translator's affidavit usually 2 to 4 working days. Long contracts get a fixed date in the quote, and we tell you on day one if your date is too tight.
A Typical Job: A 10-Page Service Agreement Translated From English Into Chinese
A Singapore company asked us to translate its 10-page coaching service agreement into Simplified Chinese for its clients from mainland China (enquiry of October 2026). No notary was needed, because the Chinese version was for clients to read and sign alongside the English one.
Legal Translation
10-page coaching service agreement in English
For clients from mainland China to read and sign alongside the English version.
What the client needed
Singapore company with clients from mainland China
- Keeping the defined terms identical in every clause.
- Matching the clause numbers so both versions could be signed side by side.
- Using mainland Chinese legal wording rather than Hong Kong or Taiwan terms.
What we did
Clause for clause, one word list
- The company sends the agreement and says who will read the Chinese version.
- No notary is needed, because the clients read and sign the Chinese version alongside the English one.
- A translator who works on legal texts keeps the defined terms identical in every clause.
- The clause numbers match, so both versions can be signed side by side.
- A second linguist checks every name, date, amount, defined term and clause number against the original.
How Much Does Legal Translation Cost in Singapore?
Short official documents are priced per page. Long contracts are priced per word, because a dense legal page can hold three times the text of a certificate. You get a fixed price before we start. Several documents for one deal? Send them together for one bundled quote with an itemised breakdown.
Short Legal Documents
24-48 hrsstarting from · certified
- Signed statement of accuracy with the translator's name
- Letters, declarations, certificates, short agreements
- Signed PDF, paper copy on request
Contracts and Long Files
Fixed datestarting from · fixed total in your quote
- Repeated clauses counted once
- One word list for defined terms and party names
- Lower rate for large or repeat work
Notarised or Urgent
3-7 daysper 1-page document, notary + SAL included
- +S$40 for each extra page
- Same-day translation +S$20 a page: short documents sent before 11am on a weekday
- The notary and SAL steps still take a few working days
Worked example: a 12-page shareholders' agreement for a Japanese partner. Translation, English to Japanese, about 4,800 words × S$0.18: S$864. Certified, signed PDF plus editable Word file: included. If the Japanese side needs it notarised: + S$75 notarial certificate + S$87.20 SAL apostille (Japan is an Apostille country, so no embassy step). Total: S$864 certified, or S$1,026.20 notarised, usually 3 to 4 working days for the translation, plus 3 to 7 working days if notarised. Rare languages: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French, Spanish, Malay and Indonesian are standard for us. Rarer languages, handwriting and poor scans 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 for Your Legal Matter
Legal files rarely come alone. We run the set as one job, so every name and term is translated the same way across all documents.
Helpful guides
Several Documents for One Deal? One Bundled Quote
Send them together for one bundled quote with an itemised breakdown.
Common Questions About Legal Translation
Short, direct answers to the questions clients ask us most.
FAQ Group
Do Singapore offices accept a certified legal translation?
Most do. Banks, MOM, accountants, ACRA filers and Singapore counterparties usually accept a certified translation with a signed statement of accuracy. ICA wants the notarised version. A Singapore court filing needs a translator's affidavit. An office abroad may want a notarised translation with SAL's apostille. Tell us who will read it and we tell you which one you need before you pay.
How much does legal translation cost in Singapore?
Short legal documents start at S$40 a page. Long contracts start at S$0.18 a word, with repeated clauses counted once. A notarised version with SAL starts at S$202.20 for 1 page, and each extra page adds S$40. Same-day translation adds S$20 a page for short documents sent before 11am on a weekday. You get a fixed, itemised price within an hour.
When do I need notarisation, SAL or a translator's affidavit?
Notarisation is for documents used abroad or filed with ICA. Every Singapore notarisation is then authenticated by SAL with an apostille; the S$87.20 fee is included in our price. A translator's affidavit, sworn before a commissioner for oaths, is for Singapore court filings and adds from S$250; see our court document translation page. For your own records or a Singapore company, a certified translation is enough.
Our signing or filing date 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. A long contract needs more time, but we can split it between two translators who share one word list, with one checker for the whole file. Notary and SAL steps add a few working days. Message us with the page count and your date for an honest answer.
Do I get a PDF and a paper copy? Do you need the original?
A clear scan or the Word file is enough to start, and your original stays with you. Certified work comes as a signed PDF plus an editable file, with a paper copy on request. Notarised sets are made on paper because the notary signs a physical page, and you also get a PDF of the full set. Collect from our office, or we courier it for a small fee.
Will you sign our NDA? Who sees our files?
Yes. We sign your NDA before we open the file, and the translator assigned to it signs one too. Only the translator and the checker see the document. We keep a copy for reissues unless you ask us in writing to delete it. We do not upload client files to public AI or translation tools.
Our contract says the Chinese version prevails. What does that mean for the translation?
The governing-language clause decides which version counts if the two differ, not the translator. We translate faithfully either way, and we flag any line where the two versions may be read differently, so your lawyer can fix the wording before signing. We do not give legal advice on which language you should choose.
Can you check a translation our client or a machine already made?
Yes. We review an existing translation or a machine translation (MTPE) line by line against the original, correct it, and then certify it under our name. If the draft is too weak to fix, we tell you and quote a fresh translation instead. Pricing depends on the draft's quality; see proofreading and editing.
We send legal work every month. Can we have one word list and a monthly invoice?
Yes. We build a glossary of your defined terms, party names and preferred wording, and every translator on your account uses it. You keep the glossary. Regular clients can have a volume rate and one invoice a month. Ask us when you send your first file.
Are you ISO 17100 certified?
No, we do not hold ISO 17100 certification. Our process follows the same core steps the standard sets for translation: a qualified translator, revision by a second linguist, and a final check before release. If your procurement team needs a supplier questionnaire filled in, send it with your first file.
Get Your Legal Translation Done the Right Way
Send your document, tell us who will read it and your deadline, and get a fixed, itemised price within an hour.