Court Interpreter Orientation
Cost for Orientation is $150, including required online information for individual review and a two-day in-person workshop. Scholarships based upon financial need may be considered for qualified Nebraska resident applicants of high-demand languages who are required to travel more than 150 miles (one way) to attend Orientation, and whom have completed of 8 hours of documented court interpreter observation.
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The next Court Interpreter Orientation workshop is Saturday and Sunday, October 15th and 16th, 2022 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Please note, this orientation is cancelled, pending a new date. Current candidates will be notified of the new date.
In an effort to maintain the health and safety of all participants
- Enrollment is limited to 25 individuals.
- Face masks will be available but optional for all participants and trainers.
To successfully complete Interpreter Orientation and be eligible to sit for the Interpreter Written Exam, registrants must attend and participate in all sessions, both Saturday and Sunday.
- Travel expenses, lodging arrangements and meals are your responsibility.
- Guests/children are not allowed to attend Interpreter Orientation.
- All Interpreter Orientation content, including lectures, handouts, or electronic materials, is for the sole use of the paid registrants. Any unauthorized recording, review, use, disclosure, or distribution of Interpreter Orientation classes, exercises, discussions or materials is prohibited.
Written Exam
Applicants for the Court Interpreter Written Exam for certification must have successfully completed Court Interpreter Orientation to be eligible for the Written Exam, which is administered approximately one month after Nebraska's Court Interpreter Orientation. Applicants may test at six month intervals. The Written Exam is regularly administered in Lincoln, Omaha, Grand Island. Additional exam locations may be designated on an as-needed basis. The next Written Exam will be offered:
November 14, 2022, in Omaha 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. City Hall, 1819 Farnam St., Room 1210
November 16, 2022, in Lincoln 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Nebraska State Capitol, 1445 K St., State Library on third floor of the Capitol building
November 18, 2022, in Grand Island 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Hall County Courthouse jury room, 111 W 1st Street, (test site capacity 5)
Registration for the Written Exam, payment by cashier's check or money order payable to Nebraska Supreme Court, and a completed background check authorization form are required ten (10) business days before the exam date. Written Exam Registration form. Submit required forms and payment to:
Nebraska Supreme Court
Administrative Office of the Courts & Probation
ATTN: Kathleen Valle
PO Box 98910
Lincoln, NE 68509-8910
REQUIRED background check authorization form. Be sure to include your full first, middle, and last name and all of your previous names.
Cost for the Written Exam:
- Nebraska Resident: No fee for first two attempts on the Written Exam.
- Nebraska Residents taking the Written Exam for a third or subsequent time must pay a $50.00 re-testing fee, by cashier's check or money order payable to Nebraska Supreme Court.
- All Out of State Residents: $100.00 each time exam is taken, by cashier's check or money order payable to Nebraska Supreme Court.
If you fail to appear for your Interpreter Written Exam as scheduled, you will have to register for a future Exam date and pay another testing fee by cashier’s check or money order payable to Nebraska Supreme Court.
The National Center for State Courts develops all Court Interpreter Written Exams and exam scoring materials. Each exam is given exactly as prepared by the National Center. The Director of Language Access is responsible for ensuring the security of the examination and has no impact on the content of the exams or scoring materials. The Nebraska Judicial Branch never changes or edits exam content or exam scoring materials in any way for any reason. All exam security rules are enforced without exception.
Oral Exam
Applicants for the Court Interpreter Oral Exam for certification must have successfully completed Court Interpreter Orientation and passed the Court Interpreter Written Exam with a score of 80% or higher to be eligible for the Interpreter Oral Exam. Applicants are eligible to test at six month intervals. Exam is administered twice a year at the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln on the second Tuesday in January and the second Tuesday in July.
Registration for the Oral Exam, payment by cashier’s check or money order payable to Nebraska Supreme Court, and a completed background check authorization form are required 45 days before the exam date.
REQUIRED background check authorization form. Be sure to include your full first, middle, and last name and all of your previous names.
Submit required forms and payment to:
Nebraska Supreme Court
Administrative Office of the Courts & Probation
ATTN: Kathleen Valle
PO Box 98910
Lincoln, NE 68509-8910
Cost for the Oral Exam:
- Nebraska Resident: $225.00 each time exam is taken, by cashier's check or money order payable to Nebraska Supreme Court.
- Out of State Resident: $350.00 each time exam is taken, by cashier's check or money order payable to Nebraska Supreme Court.
If you fail to appear for your Interpreter Oral Exam as scheduled, you will have to register for a future Exam date and pay another testing fee.
Note: For purposes of the oral exam, an interpreter is considered "Nebraska Resident" if he or she lives in the state of Nebraska, or within 50 miles of the Nebraska border and reasonably intends to primarily interpret for the Nebraska Judicial Branch.
Interpreter Oral Exam Date:
Tuesday, January 10, 2023, at Nebraska State Capitol, 1445 K Street, Lincoln
- Exams will be scheduled in 90-minute intervals beginning at 8:00 a.m. Central Time
The National Center for State Courts develops all Court Interpreter Oral Exams and exam rating materials. Each exam is given exactly as prepared by the National Center. The Director of Language Access is responsible for ensuring the security of the examination and has no impact on the content of the exams or rating materials. The Nebraska Judicial Branch never changes or edits exam content, audio recordings of exams, or exam rating materials in any way for any reason. All exam security rules are enforced without exception.
Interpreter Test Preparation Strategies for Written and Oral Exam
A list of test preparation strategies and resources cand be found here. Although various training strategies and resources are included, the State of Nebraska does not endorse any particular program and does not guarantee success on examinations as a result of any training.
