A NAATI-certified translation is a written translation completed by an individual practitioner who held the relevant NAATI translator credential for that language direction when the work was done. NAATI certifies practitioners; it does not certify LodgeHQ, endorse the marketplace or make the receiving organisation accept a document. The person or organisation receiving the translation decides whether the credential, source document, copy type and submission method meet its current rules.
What this guide covers
This guide explains the terminology a customer is likely to meet when ordering a written translation in Australia. It separates four roles that are often blurred together:
| Actor | What they do | What they do not decide |
|---|---|---|
| NAATI | Sets standards and grants credentials to individual translators and interpreters. | NAATI does not operate LodgeHQ or approve a visa, court filing, licence or university application. |
| Translator | Reads the source, produces the translation and applies their own certification details. | The translator does not authenticate the source document or control the recipient's decision. |
| LodgeHQ | Operates the upload, quote, payment, matching, messaging and delivery workflow. | LodgeHQ is not NAATI, a government body, court, law firm or migration adviser. |
| Receiving organisation | Sets the current requirements for its particular transaction. | Its rule should not be assumed to apply to a different organisation or purpose. |
NAATI's current system includes the Certified Translator certification and, for some languages where certification testing is unavailable, a Recognised Practising Translator credential. Those credentials are not interchangeable. The relevant organisation may specify the credential it accepts, so check its instruction before relying on a general description such as “certified translation”.
Requirements and what to prepare
Begin with the receiving organisation's written instruction, not with a general assumption about what “NAATI translation” means. Record the exact source language, target language and purpose. A credential for English into another language does not establish the reverse direction.
- Complete source: include every page, reverse side, stamp, seal, note and attachment the recipient expects.
- Readable image: keep edges, fine print and handwritten entries visible. Do not crop an inconvenient annotation.
- Name context: provide the spelling used in the related Australian record while preserving genuine source variations.
- Recipient instruction: note whether the organisation asks for the original, a certified copy, a digital file, paper delivery, a stamp, signature or particular credential.
- Exact direction: identify every written language in the file, including bilingual text or a second language in a stamp.
A translator translates what the source says. They should not be asked to correct the source, remove an adverse entry, invent missing text or certify that an original is genuine.
How the process works
- Check the recipient first. Read the current page, form, request letter or registry instruction that applies to the transaction.
- Upload the complete readable source. LodgeHQ uses automated document analysis to estimate quote inputs. A file outside the reliable automatic path can be referred for manual assessment.
- Review the displayed scope. Confirm the language direction, page count, files, price and target timing before payment.
- A matching translator accepts the work. Matching depends on an approved profile covering the requested direction and on current availability.
- Check the delivered translation. Compare names, dates, page coverage and certification details with the source and report a genuine translation issue promptly.
- Submit it as instructed. Include the source document with the translation where the receiving body asks for both.
You can independently check a practitioner's name, CPN, credential type, direction and current or expired status using NAATI's official verification tool. NAATI states that a translation completed while the practitioner held active certification remains valid indefinitely; that does not make the underlying source document current or require every recipient to accept it.
Price and turnaround factors
There is no responsible universal price or delivery promise for every certified translation. The current LodgeHQ pricing guide explains the quote inputs, while the quote screen remains authoritative for the files supplied.
- Page and file count affect scope, including reverse sides and attached certifications.
- Language direction and current translator availability affect whether an option can be offered.
- Handwriting, poor scans, tables, specialist terminology and mixed languages can require manual assessment.
- The displayed turnaround is a quote-specific target, not a guarantee of translator acceptance or delivery by an external deadline.
- A recipient's separate paper, notarisation, affidavit, legalisation or certified-copy requirement is not included unless the order expressly says so.
Acceptance, evidence and limitations
Home Affairs currently says that documents not in English must be translated and that the original and translated document must both be submitted. Its instructions also distinguish translations completed in Australia from translations completed overseas. That is a Home Affairs rule for the relevant process, not a promise about every court, road authority, university, employer or registry.
Court and licensing requirements can add steps beyond the translation itself. An organisation may require an approved provider, original hard copy, affidavit, certified copy or specific submission channel. Check the precise recipient and transaction. Neither a NAATI credential nor a marketplace order guarantees acceptance, accuracy of the source, or an application outcome.
“NAATI-certified translation” is useful market shorthand, but the accurate actor statement is that a NAATI-certified translator completed the translation. NAATI's trademark guidance specifically distinguishes a practitioner's credential from an organisation implying that it is NAATI certified.
Frequently asked questions
Is LodgeHQ NAATI certified?
No. NAATI certifies individual practitioners. LodgeHQ is an independent marketplace operated by LodgeHQ Pty Ltd.
Does a NAATI credential cover both language directions?
Do not assume so. Check the exact direction recorded for the practitioner. A credential for one direction is not evidence of the reverse direction.
Does an expired credential invalidate an older translation?
NAATI's verification guidance says a translation completed while certification was active remains valid indefinitely. A recipient can still have separate rules about the age or currency of the source evidence.
Is a translation the same as a certified copy or apostille?
No. Translation conveys the written content. Certified copies, apostilles, legalisation and source-document authentication are separate processes.
Will Home Affairs or a court accept every translation?
No universal assurance is possible. Check the current instructions for the particular application, court, registry and document.
Primary sources and review status
- NAATI Certification System — current credential categories and assessment framework.
- NAATI Certified Translator — the written translator certification and tasks assessed.
- Check a NAATI certification — practitioner, CPN, direction and status verification.
- NAATI logo and trademark guidance — how organisations should describe practitioner credentials.
- Home Affairs: English translations of documents — current general document-translation instruction.
Last fact-checked: 2 August 2026. This is an editorial source check, not a recorded legal, migration or NAATI professional review. Requirements can change. See the Sourcing Policy or report a correction.
Start with the maintained service guide
Read the maintained NAATI-certified translation service guide, then upload the complete source for a current quote when you know the required language direction and recipient.