Legal translation costs in the UK depend on the document type, language pair, amount of text, certification required and deadline. For short standard documents, Locate Translate’s certified translations start from £25 per page. Longer legal documents such as contracts, court papers and evidence bundles are reviewed and quoted according to the actual word count, complexity and required turnaround.
Pricing and official-fee check: 29 October 2026. Locate Translate’s published figures below are starting prices or indicative budgets, not an offer to translate every document at the same rate. Official legalisation fees and processing times may change; confirm the receiving authority’s requirements and request a document-specific written quotation.
Legal translation cost at a glance
- Standard certified translation: from £25 per page for suitable short documents.
- Longer or specialist legal documents: quoted after review, usually according to word count, language pair, complexity and deadline.
- Notarisation through Locate Translate: from £130 per document where required.
- Sworn translation: from £70 per page where the destination country specifically requires a sworn translator.
- FCDO apostille fee: £45 per standard paper document or £35 for an eligible e-Apostille, plus any applicable delivery or service costs.
The cheapest route is not always the right route. A standard certified translation may be enough for a UK court, government body or university, while an overseas authority may ask for notarisation, a sworn translation or an apostille. Confirm the exact requirement before paying for extra certification.
What affects the price of legal translation?
- Language pair — Common language combinations are generally easier to resource than rarer combinations.
- Document type — A one-page certificate is very different from a contract, witness statement, court bundle or corporate agreement.
- Word count and complexity — Dense legal drafting, specialist terminology, handwritten material, tables, stamps and exhibits can increase the work required.
- Certification — The cost changes depending on whether you need a standard certified translation, notarisation, a sworn translation or legalisation.
- Turnaround — Same-day and next-day requests may require an urgent service depending on the language, volume and linguist availability.
- Formatting and delivery — Complex layouts, hard copies, courier delivery and document legalisation may add separate charges.
Certified, notarised, sworn or apostilled: what do you actually need?
Certified translation: For many UK purposes, a properly certified translation is sufficient if it meets the recipient’s instructions. Locate Translate’s standard certification includes the agency stamp, signature and date, identifying details and a statement confirming that the translation is true and accurate. GOV.UK’s translation certification guidance specifies a written true-and-accurate declaration, translation date, and the translator’s full name and contact details. This does not itself certify the original document’s authenticity or guarantee court acceptance.
Notarised translation: Notarisation is an additional legal formality and is not normally required for routine UK certified-translation submissions unless the receiving organisation specifically asks for it. Our notarisation service starts from £130 per document.
Sworn translation: The UK does not operate a single national sworn-translator system equivalent to countries such as France, Spain or Italy. Where a foreign authority requires a sworn translation, the correct process depends on that country’s rules. We can arrange sworn translations where available.
Apostille: An apostille confirms an eligible signature, seal or stamp on a UK document for use abroad; it is not a guarantee that the document’s contents or translation will be accepted. The FCDO currently lists £45 for the standard paper apostille and £35 for an eligible e-Apostille, with applicable postage or courier fees added. Its standard paper service is usually up to 25 working days, and e-Apostilles up to two working days. Not every document qualifies for an e-Apostille: UK birth, death and marriage certificates issued by the General Register Office and ACRO or DBS certificates are among the exclusions. Documents issued outside the UK generally need legalisation in their issuing country, not through the UK Legalisation Office. The published faster FCDO services have restricted eligibility.
Check the current GOV.UK apostille fees and processing guidance.
Example legal translation budgets
These examples show how the pricing structure works. They are not fixed quotations because the actual document must be reviewed first. Our broader UK translation cost guide describes illustrative specialist per-word market ranges; they are not guaranteed prices for a legal matter. The final quote should specify the billable source word count or qualifying page count, minimum fee, translation and review scope, certification, VAT where applicable, formatting, delivery and any external notary or FCDO charges.
- One-page birth, marriage or police certificate: a standard certified translation can start from £25. If notarisation is genuinely required, that is a separate service from £130 per document.
- Multi-page contract or shareholder agreement: quoted after review based on word count, language pair, legal complexity, formatting and deadline.
- Court bundle or witness statement: quoted according to the amount of material requiring translation and the deadline. If only specified extracts are required, send the exact pages or sections to avoid paying for material that does not need translation.
- Document for use overseas: the translation cost is separate from any notarisation, sworn-translation or apostille requirement. We recommend checking the receiving authority’s instructions first.
How long does legal translation take?
Short certified documents are typically completed within 1–2 working days. Standard projects commonly take 2–3 working days, while larger contracts, evidence bundles and complex legal documents require a project-specific schedule. Same-day or next-day translation may be available after we review the files.
Apostille timing is separate from translation timing. The FCDO’s current standard paper apostille guidance is up to 25 working days, so factor legalisation into the overall deadline if it is required.
Legal Aid-funded translation: who approves the cost?
For a legally aided case, the instructing solicitor should confirm that the particular translation is necessary and within the matter’s funding scope before work begins. The amount recoverable, the evidence needed for a disbursement and whether prior authority is appropriate depend on the case and funding system; a private translation quote is not automatically an approved Legal Aid rate. For England and Wales see the Legal Aid Agency funding and costs guidance, and for Scottish cases see the Scottish Legal Aid Board’s translation guidance. Share the court deadline, source-word count, matter reference and approval requirements when requesting a quote.
For funded instructions requiring both language support and document translation, our Legal Aid translation services page explains how to brief the project team. The solicitor remains responsible for confirming what the funder will reimburse.
How to reduce legal translation costs
- Send the complete document for review so the quote is based on the actual scope rather than an estimate.
- Confirm which pages or sections are required if the receiving organisation does not need the full document.
- Provide editable files where possible, especially for long contracts, tables or corporate documents.
- Share approved terminology or previous translations for recurring legal or corporate work.
- Avoid unnecessary certification extras by checking whether the recipient really requires notarisation, a sworn translation or an apostille.
- Plan ahead where possible to avoid urgent translation, courier or legalisation costs.
How Locate Translate quotes legal documents
- We review the document, language pair and intended use.
- We confirm whether standard certification is sufficient or whether another formal process has been requested.
- We assess word count, complexity, formatting and deadline.
- We provide the price and turnaround before work begins.
- The completed translation is delivered digitally, with printed signed and stamped copies available where required.
Need an exact price? Send your files through our legal translation quote form, or see our legal translation services. For certificate-only instructions, you can also upload a document for a certified translation quotation.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a legal translation cost per page?
For suitable short documents, Locate Translate’s standard certified translation starts from £25 per page. Longer legal documents are normally quoted after review rather than applying a flat page rate.
How much does notarisation cost?
Locate Translate’s notarisation service starts from £130 per document. Only request notarisation when the receiving organisation requires it.
How much is an apostille in the UK?
The FCDO currently charges £45 per document for its standard paper apostille service and £35 for an eligible e-Apostille. Delivery charges and any agency or document-preparation services are separate.
Do UK courts require notarised translations?
Not automatically. A properly certified translation may be sufficient, depending on the proceedings and the court’s instructions. Check the specific requirement before ordering additional legalisation.
Can you translate urgent legal documents?
Yes, same-day or next-day service may be available depending on the language, volume and complexity. Send the document and deadline so availability can be confirmed.