Official Court Transcription Services Across the UK
Need an official transcript of a court hearing? Start with the court or tribunal that holds the recording. England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have different request procedures; this guide explains how to find the correct official route, and when separate private transcription may be appropriate. For authorised non-court family-law interviews or conferences, see family court case transcription guidance.
Locate Translate does not claim to be an HMCTS-, SCTS- or Northern Ireland court-appointed official transcription provider. Court-controlled recordings must follow the relevant authority's process.
Separate rules across UK jurisdictions
Where to request an official court transcript in the UK
There is no single UK-wide EX107 application process. Always check which court or tribunal held the proceedings and follow that authority's current guidance.
HMCTS: recorded courts and tribunals
For a transcript of all or part of a qualifying recorded hearing, GOV.UK provides form EX107 and supporting guidance. Other routes apply to certain sentencing remarks and fee-relief requests.
View official HMCTS transcript guideScottish Courts and Tribunals Service
Scottish court transcript access follows Scottish law and SCTS procedures. For criminal trials, different statutory routes apply, and SCTS arranges authorised transcription where permitted.
View official Scottish transcript guidanceCourt Reporting Unit
Requests for court audio or written transcripts are made through Northern Ireland's Court Reporting Unit. Approval, availability and exceptional circumstances for written transcripts are governed by its guidance.
View official Northern Ireland guidanceHow the official EX107 court transcript process works
HMCTS sets out the application route for recorded hearings. The form and procedure depend on the relevant proceeding and what part of it is requested.
- Confirm the hearing was recorded: HMCTS says Crown Court and civil/family court hearings are recorded; tribunals vary, and magistrates' courts do not have routine hearing recordings available for transcript requests.
- Specify the portion: you may require a whole hearing, evidence, judgment, sentencing remarks or another permissible part.
- Use the correct current form: EX107 generally covers applications for all or part of recorded proceedings; some sentencing-remarks requests have a separate free application route.
- Submit to the right recipient: follow the form's return instructions, generally to the relevant court or tribunal, with certain exceptions.
- Check confidentiality and permission: private hearings, sensitive proceedings and certain non-party applications require special arrangements or judicial approval.
- Budget for the official fee: the official provider's charges and availability depend on transcript type, length, deadline and eligibility for a free copy or other relief.
- Allow for judicial approval: any review before release can extend the delivery period beyond the transcription service level.
Examples of court and tribunal transcript types
Subject to jurisdiction and eligibility, the official court process may distinguish these different portions of a recorded hearing.
Whole hearing
Proceedings from the relevant hearing date or dates, where the court's recording and release rules permit.
Witness evidence
A particular witness's evidence, including examination-in-chief, cross-examination or re-examination where applicable.
Judgment or ruling
The court's decision and reasons, subject to its published-judgment arrangements and transcript request rules.
Sentencing remarks
The judge's explanation of a sentence; some eligible applicants may qualify for a free copy through the specified process. Our criminal court transcription guide explains Crown Court recordings, magistrates' court limitations and the special EX107H free-remarks route.
Legal submissions
Opening or closing remarks, legal arguments and rulings where the source proceedings and request method allow.
Specified hearing extract
An identifiable segment with relevant hearing dates, times and participants as requested by the issuing authority.
Transcription of authorised private legal recordings
Not every legally relevant recording is an official court recording. A law firm, business or other authorised party may hold audio from an interview, consultation, case conference or meeting that it is permitted to share for transcription. For separately authorised private case audio, see our legal transcription services. For civil disputes and litigation evidence, see our civil litigation transcription guide, which distinguishes private case recordings from official court-held audio. For permitted private arbitration hearing audio and the restrictions on mediation recording, see our arbitration and mediation transcription guide. None of these pages replaces the official court transcript process.
- Confirm lawful recording and transfer: establish source ownership, consent and any legal restrictions before sharing.
- Describe the material: tell us whether it is an interview, client meeting, witness conversation, case discussion or another private recording. Separate authorised material may arise from tribunal preparation, internal disciplinary meetings, public-inquiry preparation, interviews or arbitration; those proceedings have different recording and disclosure rules. Solicitors or barristers can provide the matter reference, source filenames, duration, priority, any agreed terms list, speaker roles and relevant exhibit references without disclosing privileged case content in the first enquiry.
- Choose the output: specify whether the legal team needs an original-language transcript, a separately commissioned English translation, or both as clearly identified deliverables. For multilingual recordings, confirm each spoken language, important case terminology and any glossary provided by the authorised client; do not silently translate speech inside a purported verbatim source transcript.
- Agree fidelity: speaker labels, strict or intelligent verbatim, timestamps, file/exhibit references, treatment of interruptions and how inaudible or overlapping words should be marked. A private transcript should not invent speech or silently smooth over disputed wording; the legal team can define a review and corrections process.
- Set handling requirements: confidentiality, secure transfer, access limits, anonymisation and retention instructions.
- Confirm the use: legal advisers decide whether the finished transcript suits their matter or requires further verification. Identify the person authorised to review draft corrections, approve the final version and specify whether it is for internal case preparation, witness review, appeal preparation or another permitted purpose. Any receiving court or tribunal formatting, declaration or transcript-status requirement should be checked with that authority rather than assumed.
Handling authorised legal recordings and digital transcripts
This digital-file guidance is for privately held recordings that you are entitled to share, such as a solicitor interview or agreed client conference. It does not grant access to court-owned audio or create an official court transcript.
Check recording and disclosure rights
Identify who recorded the audio, who controls it and whether confidential, court or reporting restrictions permit third-party transcription. For solicitor or counsel instructions, check legal professional privilege, any protective orders and who is authorised to approve outside processing. Do not upload an unauthorised hearing recording.
Agree the file-transfer method first
Confirm the approved transfer channel, recipient and access restrictions before supplying confidential audio. Ask which safeguards apply in transit and in storage; an HTTPS link alone does not establish end-to-end protection.
Specify formatting and review
Agree audio length, speakers, timestamps, strict or intelligent verbatim style, redactions, inaudible passages and a procedure for corrections. Where clients review a draft, confirm who may see it, how correction requests are recorded and who approves the final version. Preserve clear differences between what is heard and what is inferred; do not make undocumented substantive changes.
Define access and deletion instructions
Before instructing, confirm who may receive files, whether subcontracting is permitted, retention periods and the approach to deletion or return. Agree how revised versions and proofing comments are controlled when multiple case-team reviewers are involved. Keep only necessary personal data and avoid sending sensitive details in a general enquiry.
Official court proceedings: use HMCTS EX107 guidance for relevant courts in England and Wales. Official court recordings must use the applicable court-authorised process; private transcription is not an alternative. For safe sharing and retention practices, consult the ICO's data-sharing checklist and encryption guidance. Ask the provider to confirm its actual controls rather than assuming a certification or guarantee.
Three checks before arranging any court-related transcription
These checks help you use the right official channel or, for appropriate private audio, prepare an accurate commercial instruction.
Identify the source and jurisdiction
Which court, tribunal or private party holds the recording? Is it governed by HMCTS, SCTS, Northern Ireland court rules, or an independent recording agreement?
Determine permission and requirements
Confirm whether the recording may be obtained and processed, which transcript part is needed and whether court approval or a specific provider is required.
Follow the correct route
Apply through the official authority where the court controls the record; otherwise agree an itemised private transcription scope and suitable secure handling.
Official court transcription FAQs across the UK
Answers on EX107, court records, Scottish and Northern Ireland procedures, authorisation and private legal audio.
How do I order an official court transcript in England and Wales?
Start with GOV.UK's official transcript guidance. For all or part of a recorded hearing, form EX107 will generally apply; additional or different routes apply to certain sentencing remarks and eligible applicants.
Does the EX107 form apply to Scotland or Northern Ireland?
No. It is an HMCTS form for the relevant England and Wales court and tribunal procedure. Scotland uses Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service rules, while Northern Ireland has its own Court Reporting Unit process.
Are all UK court hearings recorded?
No. Recording availability varies by court and type of proceedings. In England and Wales, HMCTS states Crown Court and civil/family hearings are recorded but magistrates' hearings are not; tribunals vary. Check the appropriate court's own guidance.
Can I request part of a hearing instead of the full transcript?
Where permitted, a request can identify a particular portion such as witness evidence, sentencing remarks or a judgment. State the case details and relevant dates or times as required by the official process.
How do I request a transcript from a Scottish court?
Follow the SCTS official transcript guidance for the particular proceeding. Criminal-trial transcript routes depend on Scottish statute and eligibility. The court service controls whether material can be released and how an authorised transcript is arranged.
How do I request a court transcript in Northern Ireland?
Refer to the Northern Ireland Department of Justice guidance and submit the required request to the Court Reporting Unit. The guidance explains details to provide, approval considerations and the circumstances in which written transcripts may be issued.
Can a transcription agency access court audio and create an official transcript?
A commercial agency cannot assume that right. Courts and tribunals decide who can access their recordings and which authorised providers or processes apply. An independently prepared text does not automatically become an official court record.
Can Locate Translate transcribe a private legal interview?
You can enquire about separately recorded legal interviews, meetings or consultations where you have permission to share the audio. Transcript style, file security, language, duration and intended format can be reviewed before a private instruction.
What should solicitors and barristers include in a private transcription brief?
For legally held recordings, provide a non-confidential matter or file reference, the audio type and duration, speaker roles, any required terminology or transcript template, verbatim style, timestamps, deadline and authorised review contact. Confirm privilege, third-party disclosure permissions and handling instructions before supplying sensitive material. This does not substitute for EX107 or another official court transcript application.
What affects court transcript costs and timing?
Official transcript fees and service levels are defined by the relevant authority's current process, including recording length, transcript type and any approvals. Private legal-audio transcription has a separate quotation based on the actual authorised recording and requirements.
Discuss a legal transcription enquiry
For legally shareable interviews, client meetings or other privately held audio, tell us the duration, source language, speakers, format and deadline. For official court-held audio, follow the jurisdiction-specific authority above instead.
Tell us about your permitted audio
Use this enquiry for authorised privately held recordings, not official court-controlled audio. Share non-sensitive details about duration, languages, speakers, format and deadline. Discuss confidential transfer separately.