Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles: Translation Requirements for Documents in Another Language

Worth knowing about Nevada DMV

Nevada DMV requirements in detail

Why the translator number decides it

Nevada puts the requirement on the page itself.

The translators page prints the exact statement the translator must sign, ending with "DMV-approved Translator Number", and tells applicants not to use a separate sheet for the statement and signature.

Documents without a valid number are rejected at the DMV office, and abstract translations are not accepted.

The rule has been in regulation since January 1, 2014.

NAC 483.022 says documents submitted to the Department must be translated by a translator it approved, and that it approves a natural person, on an application affirming experience with a company, school, religious organization or government agency. The list we read has about 1,000 entries, most of them with Spanish.

Which foreign documents the DMV takes

It depends on the card. For a Real ID, foreign licenses, foreign birth certificates and consular ID cards are not accepted as identity, and a foreign passport works only with an I-94 stamp or a U.S. visa and I-94.

For a Driver Authorization Card, one option is two documents such as a foreign passport, foreign birth certificate, consular ID card or other foreign government document, each with an approved translation if not in English.

A name change needs a government-issued marriage certificate, divorce decree, adoption record or court order for each change. A DAC costs $22.50, with a $25 testing fee if tests are required, and is not valid for identification or federal purposes (Driver Authorization Cards).

Taiwan and South Korea

The adult license page describes a drive test waiver for applicants 21 or older with a valid class B Taiwan license and a Verification Certificate from a Taiwan consulate office; if not in English, that certificate must be translated by the consulate or a DMV-approved translator.

They still pass the vision and knowledge tests. Form DMV-015 names a reciprocal agreement with both South Korea and Taiwan, while the license pages mention only Taiwan, so South Korean license holders should ask the DMV first.

Documents people usually translate

• Foreign passports and consular ID cards
• Foreign birth certificates
• Foreign marriage certificates and divorce decrees for a name change
• Taiwan consulate license verification certificates
• Any other foreign-language document submitted to the DMV

What to do in Nevada

• Search for a translator by language and service area on the DMV's translator page. The DMV sets no standard price, so compare a few.

• Before your visit, check the translation against the required elements: full text, date, translator number, printed name and signature, and the certifying statement on the same sheet.

• Bring valid originals or certified copies, plus proof of residency (Proof of identity and residency). Foreign nationals should contact the DMV first, since eligibility depends on immigration status (New resident guide).

• For a written test interpreter, bring the approval letter and the DLD 11 affidavit (Driver Authorization Cards). Questions: (702) 486-4368 in Las Vegas or (775) 684-4368 in Reno and Carson City (Form DMV-015: drive test waiver for foreign nationals).

Frequently asked questions