Reference guide

Sworn translation in Italy: the complete guide

Everything worth knowing before having an official document translated for use in Italy: what asseverazione is, who asks for it, how it works, what it costs and how long it takes.

Updated 14 September 2026

In short

A sworn translation, in Italian traduzione asseverata or giurata, is a translation to which the translator attaches a sworn statement signed before the Court clerk. With the oath, the translator takes responsibility for the accuracy of the text, and the translation can be used before public offices, schools, universities and courts throughout Italy. If the document must be valid abroad, an apostille or legalization is added to the translation.

What a sworn translation is

Asseverare means to confirm under oath. The translator completes the translation, then goes to the Court registry and signs a record declaring that the document has been translated faithfully. The record is bound to the translation and to the source document, original or copy, and the clerk signs and stamps it.

The oath does not prove that the original document is authentic: it certifies that the translation matches the source text. When the document comes from abroad, its authenticity is proved separately, with an apostille or legalization.

Whoever swears is personally responsible for the statement. That is why at Asseveria translations are carried out only by translators registered with the Court and with the Chamber of Commerce.

Asseverata, giurata, legalizzata, certificata: the words you will hear

Italian offices use several words, and they do not always mean the same thing. Knowing which translation you are being asked for keeps you from handing in the wrong one. Below are the Italian terms as you will hear them at the counter.

What the office says	What it means	Accepted by Italian offices?
Asseverata	Translation with the translator's sworn statement signed before the Court clerk.	Yes
Giurata	Synonym of asseverata: the same oath.	Yes
Legalizzata	In everyday speech it often means the sworn translation. Technically, legalization is the certification of a public official's signature, needed for a document to be valid abroad.	Depends on what the office means: always ask
Certificata	Translation with a declaration of accuracy signed by the translator, without an oath.	Only if the office explicitly accepts it
Consolare	Translation certified as accurate by the Italian embassy or consulate in the country that issued the document.	Yes, for documents issued abroad
Ufficiale	A generic term, used mostly abroad. In Italy it usually means the sworn translation.	Depends on what the office means: always ask

Be careful with translations made abroad, for example authenticated by a notary or signed by a sworn translator in another country: they follow that country's rules and Italian offices often reject them. If the document has to be valid in Italy, the safe route is a sworn translation made here.

When you need it

Any Italian office that has to make a decision based on a document written in another language will ask for it. These are the most common cases.

Italian citizenship: birth and marriage certificates, criminal records from the country of origin. See Italian citizenship.
Civil status: registering births and marriages that took place abroad with the Italian municipality, with birth certificates, marriage certificates and divorce decrees.
Driving licence: converting a foreign licence and procedures at the Motorizzazione. See driving licence translation.
Study and profession: recognition of diplomas and degrees, public competitions, registration with professional bodies. See academic qualifications.
School: enrolling children with foreign school reports and vaccination certificates. See medical and vaccination certificates.
ISEE and benefits: income, property and bank accounts abroad. See documents for the ISEE.
Courts and notaries: foreign judgments, powers of attorney signed abroad, legal and notarial deeds.
Work and transport: contracts and payslips, qualifications such as the CQC, documents for businesses.

How to get one, step by step

Send the document A readable photo or scan of every page, including the back, stamps and notes. Tell us which office you will hand it to.
Get the quote Price and timing before we start, free and with no obligation. The quote also tells you whether an apostille or legalization is needed.
We translate the document In full: text, stamps, signatures and notes, with names spelled exactly as in the passport.
The translator swears in Court The sworn statement is signed before the clerk, who binds it to the translation and the source document. You do not need to be there.
Receive the file We deliver it wherever you prefer, anywhere in Italy. For many documents 3-4 working days are enough.

If the translation must be valid abroad, we add the apostille or legalization after the oath: it takes a few more days.

What the sworn file looks like

The sworn file is a single bundle in three parts: the source document, original or copy; the translation; the sworn statement, with the revenue stamp when it is due. The pages are bound and stamped together.

Do not take it apart: an unbound file may be rejected. If you need to hand the same document to several offices, say so when you send your request, so all the files you need are prepared together.

Foreign documents to be used in Italy

A document issued abroad has to pass two steps: proof that it is authentic, and translation into Italian. Authenticity is proved in the country that issued it.

If that country is party to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961, an apostille from its authorities is enough. Parties include Romania, Moldova, Ukraine and Russia. Otherwise, legalization at the Italian embassy or consulate is required.

Then comes the translation. Article 33 of Presidential Decree 445/2000 requires documents in a foreign language to be accompanied by a translation certified as accurate by the consular authority or by an official translator: in Italy, in practice, this means a sworn translation.

The right order is: apostille or legalization on the original first, then translation of the whole document, apostille included.

Italian documents to be used abroad

The route is reversed: the Italian document is translated into the language of the destination country, the translation is sworn, and the apostille or legalization is then affixed to the clerk's signature. For sworn translations, the competent office is usually the Public Prosecutor's office (Procura della Repubblica).

Some countries require further steps, such as legalization at their own consulate in Italy. Details in legalization and apostille.

How much it costs

There is no single price list, because every document is different. The price is always made up of the same items, and you will find them all in the quote.

Translation: from 25 € per page, the translation alone. Oath, stamp duty and shipping are possible extra costs, depending on what your procedure requires.
Urgency: faster delivery may carry a surcharge.
Stamp duty: usually a 16 € revenue stamp every 4 pages, unless the Court states otherwise. It is a legal cost, not a fee.
Apostille or legalization: only if the document must be valid abroad.
Discounts: on long documents and when you send several documents together, already included in the quote.

Some uses are exempt from stamp duty, for example school enrolment, separation and divorce, adoptions and some procedures with public bodies. Exemption depends on the use and on the Court: see pricing.

How long it takes

For many documents the sworn translation is ready in 3-4 working days. The number of pages, the language and the registry's schedule all play a part. With an apostille or legalization it takes a few more days, because the file goes through the Public Prosecutor's office. If you have a deadline, tell us straight away: we plan the work around that date.

Validity

A sworn translation is valid throughout Italy, whichever Court it was sworn at: a translation sworn in Milan is also valid in Palermo.

The translation itself does not expire, but the translated document may. Many offices accept criminal record or residence certificates only if recently issued, often within six months: check the date before having it translated.

Languages

We translate to and from Italian in Romanian, Moldovan, Russian, Ukrainian and English. For Cyrillic we transliterate names so that they match the passport: a single different letter can get an application rejected.

FAQ

Are a sworn translation and a traduzione asseverata the same thing?

Yes. Asseverata and giurata are two Italian names for the same translation, accompanied by the translator's sworn statement before the Court clerk.

Is a certified translation enough?

Only if the office explicitly accepts it. Public offices, schools, universities and courts usually ask for a sworn translation.

Do I have to go to Court myself?

No. The translator takes the oath: you send the document and receive the sworn file wherever you prefer.

Do I need the original document?

It depends on the office you are handing the file to: some accept it with a copy, others want the original. Ask first, so we prepare the right file.

Do I also need an apostille?

For a foreign document to be used in Italy, usually yes, on the original. For an Italian document to be used abroad, the apostille is added after the oath.

Is a sworn translation valid throughout Italy?

Yes, whichever Court it was sworn at.

Does a sworn translation expire?

The translation does not, but the translated document may: many certificates are accepted only if recently issued, often within six months.

How much does it cost and how long does it take?

The price depends on length, language and urgency, plus stamp duty unless exempt. For many documents delivery takes 3-4 working days. The quote is free.

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