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New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission: Translation Requirements for Documents in Another Language
Yes: NJ MVC accepts certified translations from professional services such as eVerbary.
Who may translate: Any competent adult with signed certification
- $24.95 per page
- Usually 24 h for 1–3 pages
- Signed certificate of accuracy, PDF
- See the price before you pay
How we know · policy checked on October 21, 2026
The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission requires a certified translation for any document in a language other than English, and it defines the term: a translation issued by a government entity, one sealed by a qualified translator such as an ATA-certified one, or one by any competent adult with a signed certification that states seven specific points.
A certified translation from a professional service such as eVerbary meets the third option.
Visitors driving on a foreign license are a separate case: the MVC asks them to carry an International Driving Permit from their home country, which we do not issue.
NJ MVC at a glance
Does it accept eVerbary? Yes
The MVC accepts a translation from a person competent to translate, over 18, with a signed certification listing the translator's name, the document, the applicant, fluency, completeness and contact details (6 Points of ID), so a certified translation from a professional service such as eVerbary meets it. Policy checked on October 21, 2026.
- Translation
- Certified, for any non-English document
- Who may translate
- Any competent adult with signed certification
- Foreign license
- Visitors: one year with IDP
- Price
- $24.95 per pageUp to 250 words, certification included
- Delivery
- 24 hoursStandard for one to three pages
- Certificate
- SignedCertificate of translation accuracy, PDF
Checked on October 21, 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page. Policies change: confirm on NJ MVC's own page before you submit.
Worth knowing about NJ MVC
Three ways to certify
Government entity, sealed ATA translator, or a competent adult's signed statement.
Stamps and seals too
The translation must cover the full original, stamps included.
Taiwan and South Korea
The only countries whose licenses skip New Jersey's tests.
NJ MVC requirements in detail
Translation
Any document in a language other than English must be accompanied by a certified translation, for a standard license or a REAL ID (6 Points of ID and certified translation, first-time drivers FAQ).
Who may translate
One of three: a government entity, such as the consulate or ministry that issued the document; a person qualified to translate who signs with a seal, such as an ATA-certified translator; or a person competent to translate, over age 18, who signs a certification (6 Points of ID and certified translation).
What the certification says
The translator's name; the name of the document; the applicant's name; that the translator is fluent in English and the other language; that the translation is complete and accurate, stamps and seals included; that an intentionally false translation is punishable; and the translator's signature, address, email and phone (6 Points of ID and certified translation).
Original or copy
Identity documents must be originals or certified copies bearing the required seals, on paper (6 Points of ID and certified translation).
Foreign license, visitors
Visitors may drive up to one year on their foreign license if it is accompanied by an International Driving Permit from their country of residence (Moving to New Jersey).
Foreign license, new residents
Non-citizens who move to New Jersey can apply for a standard license or REAL ID with the required documents; license holders from Taiwan and South Korea, 18 or older, skip the knowledge and road tests (Moving to New Jersey).
Notarization
Not required by the definition; the certification is a signed statement with contact details.
How the MVC defines a certified translation
New Jersey is one of the few states that spells the rule out. On its 6 Points of ID page and in its FAQ for first-time drivers, the MVC lists three kinds of translation it accepts and the seven elements the third kind must contain.
The third option is the broadest: any person competent to translate and over 18, as long as the certification names the document and the applicant and states that the translation covers the full original text, including stamps and seals.
Two details cause rejections.
The certification must name the applicant and the specific document, so one generic statement for a stack of papers does not fit the definition; and the translation must cover every stamp and seal, not only the main text.
Our certificate is issued per order and names each document; tell us in the order notes that it is for the NJ MVC so the applicant's name and the translator's email and phone appear on it as the MVC lists.
Foreign licenses: visitors, Taiwan and South Korea
A visitor may drive in New Jersey for up to a year on a foreign license, but only with an International Driving Permit issued in the country of residence (Moving to New Jersey). An IDP is issued abroad; a certified translation is not a substitute for it.
Residents with a license from Taiwan or South Korea can skip the knowledge and road tests under reciprocity agreements, for a class D license, if they show the valid foreign license with a translation, proof of identity, New Jersey residency, Social Security number and at least 12 months of lawful presence.
Taiwan applicants also need a Verification of Certificate of Driver's License; Korean applicants need, besides the translation, an apostille or a notarial certificate from the Korean consulate when the back of the license predates 2019 and is not in English, and a Certificate of Driver's License from Korea (Moving to New Jersey). Holders of other foreign licenses apply as new drivers.
Need a certified translation for NJ MVC?
$24.95 per page of up to 250 words, certification included, usually within 24 hours for one to three pages. See the price before you pay.
Documents people usually translate
- Foreign birth certificates presented as proof of identity
- Foreign marriage certificates and divorce decrees linking a name change
- A Taiwanese or South Korean driver's license for a reciprocity exchange
- Foreign passports or national ID cards, where the text is not in English
- Foreign court orders changing a name
What an eVerbary translation includes
- A complete English translation of every page, stamps, seals and handwritten notes included, laid out like the original so each line can be matched.
- A signed certificate of translation accuracy on letterhead, with our contact details, delivered as a PDF you can upload or print.
- $24.95 per page of up to 250 words, certification included; 24 hours for one to three pages as standard. Regular clients who need it can get delivery in as little as 30 minutes, on request.
- Notarization added at checkout ($34.90 per order) when the office asks for a notarized translation.
Submitting the translation to NJ MVC
Bring the original or certified copy of each document, with its certified translation, to your appointment at a licensing center; appointments for a first-time license or a transfer are booked online (Frequently asked questions: first-time NJ drivers, Moving to New Jersey).
The 6 Points of ID page notes that updated document requirements are coming; check it before your visit (6 Points of ID and certified translation).
What we do not do
eVerbary translates documents; it is not the DMV and does not issue licenses, International Driving Permits or REAL ID decisions.
For the NJ MVC that means we translate and certify your documents; we do not issue International Driving Permits, the Taiwanese verification certificate or the Korean consulate's apostille or notarial certificate.
How to order
- Scan or photograph every page of the document, front and back, including any stamps on the reverse.
- Upload it, choose the language and "certified", and see the price before paying.
- Receive the PDF, usually within 24 hours for one to three pages, and submit it with the copy of the original wherever the office asks for it.
Frequently asked questions
Can a translation company translate my documents for the NJ MVC?
Yes. The MVC accepts a translation by any person competent to translate, over 18, with a certification that includes the seven elements it lists (6 Points of ID and certified translation).
Does the translator have to be ATA-certified?
No. A sealed translation by an ATA-certified translator is one of three options; a competent adult's signed certification is another (6 Points of ID and certified translation).
Does the translation need to be notarized?
The MVC's definition does not ask for notarization; the translator signs a statement that a false translation is punishable (6 Points of ID and certified translation).
Can I drive in New Jersey on my foreign license?
As a visitor, for up to one year, if it is accompanied by an International Driving Permit from your country of residence (Moving to New Jersey).
Which foreign licenses can be exchanged without tests?
Licenses from Taiwan and South Korea, for applicants 18 or older and a class D license only (Moving to New Jersey).
Sources
New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission's own pages, read on October 21, 2026.
Translating documents for NJ MVC?
Upload a scan of your license or certificate and see the price and delivery time before you pay.