DSHS - Language Testing and Certification Program

Language Testing and Certification Program

Announcement

Great News for candidates of interpreter and translator tests!! You can now schedule your test by yourself. You need a credit card or debit card and an email address to schedule your test online.

Simply follow the steps in How to Schedule a Test Online (WORD) to self-schedule your interpreter or translator test. For current or potential DSHS bilingual employees, please follow the Bilingual Employee Test Scheduling Guidelines (WORD).

Currently, test dates are open three months at a time. Testing is open year round in Olympia, but it is close in December and January for Yakima.

To get started, click Schedule My Test Appointment Now.

Beginning January 1, 2012, no provisional (temporary) certification will be issued to medical and social service interpreters in Spanish, Russian, Mandarin Chinese, and Korean. The need for provisional certification for these four languages does no longer exist. Full certification will continue to be issued to interpreters who pass the written and oral tests in all certified languages.

Attention, certified or authorized interpreters and translators: If you want LTC to publish your current contact information, please email us at dshsct@dshs.wa.gov whenever you have changed your phone number(s) and/or mailing address. Please include your certificate/authorization number, or the last four digits of your SSN and your language for verification purpose.

You DO NOT need to email us if your contact information has not changed since you were certified/authorized. Your name will not be removed from our database whether or not you update your contact information with us. Thank you!

The Language Testing and Certification - LTC program provides the following services:

Develop systems, methods, procedures and policies to certify DSHS bilingual employees, applicants for DSHS bilingual positions, contracted interpreters and translators, and licensed agency personnel.
Set and maintain qualification standards for DSHS bilingual positions, interpreters, and translators across languages.
Administer language proficiency testing to certify/authorize DSHS bilingual employees, applicants for bilingual positions, contracted interpreters, contracted translators, and licensed agency personnel.
Provide consultation to the department in establishing DSHS policies regarding the quality of language services to Limited English Proficient - LEP clients.
Manage the roster of certified interpreters and translators; manage the roster of authorized interpreters.

The LTC Examination Manual (WORD) contains detailed information about language testing and certification.

If you cannot schedule your test online, you can fill out, print and mail the Examination Application form (DSHS 05-218) (WORD) with appropriate payment to the address on the form to schedule your test. Please be advised that if you mail your application with a check or money order to schedule your test, you will not be able to choose your test date and time. It will also take much longer for you to hear from us about your test appointment.

Click here if you need Olympia New Test Site Driving Directions (WORD).

Click here if you need Yakima Test Site Driving Directions (WORD).

If you are a certified or authorized interpreter and plan to provide interpreter services in medical or social service settings, please click on the following link for related contact information:

Interpreter Service Provider for Spoken Languages

If you are a certified translator and plan to provide document translation services to DSHS programs, please click on the following link for contact information:

DSHS Contracted Document Translation Agencies (WORD)

If you want to register your profile for free in a Directory, where those looking for an interpreter or translator for their communication needs can search for professional interpreters and translators working in Washington State across service sectors, please click on the following link:

Washington State Coalition for Language Access (WASCLA) Directory of Interpreters and Translators

For applicants of DSHS recruitments, consult the following Word document to determine the test requirements for specific positions, then follow the test registration process in the LTC Examination Manual:

DSHS Employee Position Clusters and Test Requirements (WORD)