Contract Translation
Certified translation of contracts and leases: supply, distribution, employment, rental and sale agreements, for signing, courts, lenders and USCIS.
Reviewed by Murat Saymaz, Global Certified Translations · Facts checked 4 November 2026
The short answer
Translate a contract before you sign it, not after a dispute. If a contract exists in two languages, it should say which version governs; otherwise a court must decide which reflects the deal. In US litigation the original is the evidence of its contents (Federal Rule of Evidence 1002) and the certified translation is how the court reads it.
Contracts come to us at three moments: before signing, when someone needs to understand exactly what they are agreeing to; during a relationship, when a bank, landlord, agency or court asks for an English version; and in a dispute, when every word may be argued over. The translation is the same careful work in all three, but knowing which moment you are in tells us what layout and certificate you need.
Rules that apply
Each rule links to its source. Checked 4 November 2026. Confirm with the office that will receive your documents.
| Rule | Source |
|---|---|
| To prove the content of a writing, the original is required unless a rule or statute provides otherwise; a translation explains the original, it does not replace it. | Federal Rule of Evidence 1002 |
| A contract filed with USCIS in another language, for example a lease or employment contract as evidence, needs a full certified English translation. | 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) |
| To enforce a foreign arbitral award, the party must supply the award and the arbitration agreement, translated if not in the enforcing country's language. | New York Convention (1958), Article IV |
| Translated versions of standard mortgage instruments are not binding; the executed English documents govern. | Fannie Mae, Translated Uniform Instruments |
| A contract signed before a notary abroad is authenticated for use in another Convention country by an apostille issued where it was signed. | Hague Apostille Convention (1961) |
Typical length and price
Typical length: about 1,500–8,000 words per contract (about 6–32 pages of 250 words).
Estimated price into English at that length: $184.00–$938.00 per file, certificate of accuracy included.
These figures are our estimates for a typical document of this type, not averages of past orders. Upload yours for an exact word count and price.
Bilingual contracts and the governing-language clause
When parties sign the same contract in two languages, small differences between the versions are almost inevitable, and they tend to surface in exactly the clauses that matter: warranties, limitations of liability, termination and payment. A governing-language clause ("In case of discrepancy, the English version prevails") settles which text a court or arbitrator reads. If you are drafting a bilingual contract, put the clause in both versions and make sure it names the same language in each. If you are signing a contract written in the other party's language, get a full translation first and read it as carefully as the original.
Layouts
- Separate translation, clause numbering matched to the original. Best for filing with a court, USCIS or a lender.
- Side by side, original and translation in two columns, clause against clause. Best for negotiation and signing, because both parties can point to the same line.
Either way, the translation keeps the original's numbering, defined terms and cross-references, so "as defined in Clause 4.2" still points to the right place.
Defined terms and legal concepts
Contracts define their own vocabulary: "the Goods", "the Territory", "Confidential Information". Each defined term is translated once and used identically throughout. Legal concepts from other systems are not replaced with US ones: a Spanish arras or a German Vertragsstrafe is translated with its closest English term and, where the effect differs, the original in brackets. We do not tidy up drafting errors or ambiguities; if the original is ambiguous, the translation is ambiguous in the same way, and we tell you.
Leases and rental agreements
Leases are the contracts individuals most often need translated: a foreign lease as proof of residence for USCIS, or a US lease translated for a tenant or a landlord abroad. Rent, deposit, term and termination clauses are translated exactly, and amounts stay in their original currency.
Contracts with signatures, stamps and annexes
Annexes, schedules, signature pages, company stamps and notarial certificates are part of the contract and are translated too. If the contract was signed abroad and will be used in a US court or by a title company, ask whether it needs an apostille from the country of signature; that is added before translation, and we translate the apostille with the rest.
Contracts for USCIS and lenders
Individuals often need a contract translated as evidence rather than for signing: an employment contract proving a job offer or past experience, a lease proving joint residence for a marriage petition, a sale agreement showing where investment money came from. For USCIS every page you file is translated in full, including blank signature blocks and stamps.
What we need from you
- The complete contract, with every annex and the signature pages.
- What it is for: signing, a filing, a lender, or a dispute.
- Layout: separate translation or side by side.
- Deadlines, especially a signing or filing date.
How it works
- Upload the document. The quote tool counts the words and prices the job before you commit to anything.
- Translation. The whole document - every page, stamp, seal and annotation - with the layout kept close enough to the original that a reviewer can read the two side by side.
- Certification. A State Court Certified Translator signs the certificate of accuracy.
- Delivery. A print-ready PDF by email, typically within 24 hours. Notarization, an apostille or mailed hard copies are added here if you need them.
Turnaround
Standard turnaround is 24 hours. Expedited service is +50% for 6-8 hours and +100% for 1-3 hours. Tell us your deadline when you order.
Pricing Information
Contracts are priced by word count: $39 for the first 250 words into English ($49 into another language), then $0.116 per word. A 3,000-word supply agreement into English is $39 + 2,750 × $0.116 = $358. The certificate of accuracy is included; notarization is $19.
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