CCIP Frequently Asked Questions
Please review the CCIP State Court Administrator Guidelines for additional information.
To become a Nevada certified court interpreter, you must:
- Complete two online orientation workshops (written and oral exam prep)
- Submit application materials: fingerprint card, $50 fee, and passport photo
- Pass the written exam with 80% minimum score
- Pass the oral exam with 70% minimum score or an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) with a score of Advanced Mid
- Complete 40 hours of Nevada courtroom observation
Testing is offered twice yearly. Visit the Become a Court Interpreter page for more information.
Nevada Certified and Registered court interpreters should be paid a minimum of $49 per hour or the prevailing rate of the local court, whichever is higher.
The AOC Court Education & Development team has developed Orientation Workshops that introduce interpreter candidates to the Judicial System, the Code of Professional Responsibility, legal terms and usage, common idioms, synonyms, and antonyms. It also provides an introduction to the modes of interpreting in a legal setting, an overview of each skill utilized, and ethical considerations.
It is also recommended to review the NCSC Written Exam Overview and Oral Exam Overview.
Observation Hours can be collected in person or virtually. This is also a great way to prepare for the exams. Contact local Courts in your area and ask if they offer any public hearings you may sit in on. Also, find out if they have a Language Access department or coordinator and let that person know you are looking to obtain observation hours. A court employee can sign off the hours you log.
If the courts only conduct virtual hearings, use this affidavit to fill out with your hours. Additionally, Washoe County Online Hearings and Clark County Online Hearings can help you get started. Be advised that the required observation hours for certification must be earned in the last 12 months from when you are seeking certification.
After receiving an interpreter candidate’s documents, the fingerprint card is sent to the Department of Public Safety. It can take 6-8 weeks to receive those results. Once the candidate successfully passes the criminal history check, it may take up to four weeks to receive the certification and ID badge in the mail.
Court interpreters work mostly on a contractual basis. This is coordinated between the interpreter and the court.
Nevada is not under a unified court system. Each court handles their own interpreter assignments. It is advised to contact the court individually to offer your services.
After maintaining credential, an interpreter must renew the Nevada Court Interpreter credential every three years. The three-year effective period for the certification begins upon the date of issuance of the credential.
To satisfy the requirements for retaining the Nevada court interpreter credential, each interpreter must earn 26 CE credits every three years, as a condition of renewal. The 26 continuing education credits must include a minimum of three credits on ethics. No less than six and no more than 12 CE credits earned during a 12-month period may be counted toward the required 26 CE credits.
Alternative study programs may be used to obtain CECs. In order for a court interpreter to obtain credits for alternative-study programs, the interpreter must submit the Alternative Study Course Plan Form and subject to pay an administration fee to the AOC for prior approval.