Home / Interpreters / San Antonio, TX
Interpreters in San Antonio, TX
Yes: we book interpreters in San Antonio by video at $80 an hour (one-hour minimum) or in person at $110 an hour (two-hour minimum), plus $0.70 per mile of travel, confirmed before you pay. The San Antonio Immigration Court at 800 Dolorosa provides the interpreter for the hearing, and the Bexar County civil district courts schedule court interpreters through one office, which asks for ten days' notice for any language other than Spanish. Texas law counts a deposition as a court proceeding, so say so if you need a licensed court interpreter.
In person in San Antonio
$110 an hour per interpreter, two-hour minimum, plus $0.70 a mile from the interpreter's location.
By video or phone
$80 an hour, one-hour minimum, no travel. Zoom, Google Meet, Teams or a phone call.
Quote within minutes
We reply within minutes, four business hours at most, with the interpreter, the exact price and any travel, before you book. Asking costs nothing.
Bexar County books court interpreters through central offices, and civil courts want ten days' notice for languages other than Spanish
The Civil District Courts of Bexar County, whose local rules give the Bexar County Courthouse at 100 Dolorosa as their address, reissued those rules effective July 1, 2026. Local Rule 12 says all interpreters are scheduled through the Office of the Civil District Court General Administrative Counsel, at (210) 335-2300. A party who needs an interpreter other than Spanish should, to the extent possible, call at least 10 days before the hearing or trial, and must tell the office immediately if the interpreter is no longer needed (Bexar County local rules). On the criminal side, the Criminal District Court Administration says it provides and schedules Spanish interpreters and interpreters for other languages for all of the district, county and probate courts in Bexar County (Criminal District Court Administration).
Those offices schedule interpreters for hearings and trials. Depositions, mediations and attorney meetings are arranged by the attorneys, which is where San Antonio clients book us. The immigration court is on the same street as the courthouse, at 800 Dolorosa.
Bexar County is large enough that a court-appointed Spanish interpreter must be licensed
Bexar County counted 2,127,737 residents in the Census Bureau's 2024 estimate (ACS B01003). Under Texas Government Code chapter 57, a court must appoint a licensed court interpreter for a person who can hear but does not understand or speak English when a party moves or a witness asks. In a county of 50,000 or more, the court may appoint an unlicensed spoken-language interpreter only if the language is not Spanish and it finds no licensed court interpreter within 75 miles; that person must be qualified by the court as an expert, be at least 18 and not be a party (secs. 57.002(a), (d)–(e)). The chapter defines "court proceeding" to include a deposition, mediation or court-ordered arbitration (sec. 57.001(7)).
So if the interpreter for your San Antonio deposition or mediation is to be appointed under chapter 57, ask for a Texas licensed court interpreter and tell us when you request; we confirm before you book whether we can staff it, and the interpreter's name and credentials are sent once the booking is paid. The definition does not list client meetings or USCIS interviews; at a green card interview the interpreter is provided by the applicant (USCIS Policy Manual).
Just under three in ten people in the San Antonio area speak Spanish at home, and no other language row exceeds 12,160
The San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area counts 2,594,758 residents aged five and over; 1,716,422 speak only English at home and 767,408 speak Spanish (ACS B16001). The next row is Tagalog at 12,160, then German (8,300), Arabic (8,239), Urdu (5,696), Chinese (5,498), the Census group for Swahili and other languages of Central, Eastern and Southern Africa (5,418), Hindi (5,365), Vietnamese (4,617) and Japanese (4,401). The margins are wide: Arabic is 8,239 plus or minus 4,105.
Every named language in the table except Swahili is standard-rate for us. A four-hour mediation in person is $440, and a 50-mile round trip adds $35, $475; a two-hour USCIS interview on North US Highway 281 is $220. Swahili carries the limited-availability surcharge of 25–30%, $137.50 to $143 an hour in person.
Languages spoken at home in San Antonio
The most common languages other than English, from the U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 2024 1-year, table B16001 (language spoken at home, population 5 years and over), San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX Metro Area. A language that links has its own page on what to get right when booking an interpreter for it.
| Language | People who speak it at home |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 767,408 |
| Tagalog (incl. Filipino) | 12,160 |
| German | 8,300 |
| Arabic | 8,239 |
| Urdu | 5,696 |
| Chinese (incl. Mandarin, Cantonese) | 5,498 |
| Swahili or other languages of Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa | 5,418 |
| Hindi | 5,365 |
| Vietnamese | 4,617 |
| Japanese | 4,401 |
Where interpreters are needed in San Antonio, and who provides them
Some of these places must provide the interpreter themselves, and then you should not be paying for one. Where that is so, the official page is linked.
| Place | Who provides the interpreter |
|---|---|
| San Antonio Immigration Court (EOIR), 800 Dolorosa Street, Suite 300 | The court provides the interpreter for the hearing, at government expense (ICPM 3.10). Attorneys book their own for client preparation and witness meetings. |
| USCIS San Antonio Field Office, 20760 North US Highway 281 | For a green card interview the interpreter is provided by the applicant, who shows a government-issued ID, signs an oath and privacy release, and interprets word for word. The locator returned this office for the Austin ZIP codes we tried as well. |
| Bexar County Civil District Courts, Bexar County Courthouse, 100 Dolorosa | All interpreters are scheduled through the Office of the Civil District Court General Administrative Counsel, (210) 335-2300; for languages other than Spanish, call at least 10 days ahead if possible. Depositions are arranged by the attorneys. |
| Bexar County Criminal District Court Administration | Provides and schedules Spanish interpreters and interpreters for other languages for the district, county and probate courts in Bexar County; court interpreters line (210) 335-1595. |
| University Health hospitals and clinics | Language assistance services are available at no extra cost to the patient; call 210-358-0600. |
Interpreters in cities near San Antonio
What an interpreter costs, worked out
These are the published rates multiplied out: $80 an hour by video or phone, $110 an hour in person, $0.70 a mile of travel.
| Booking | How it is worked out | Total |
|---|---|---|
| One-hour video or phone call | 1 hour × $80 | $80 |
| Two-hour video interview | 2 hours × $80 | $160 |
| Two-hour meeting in person, 20-mile round trip | 2 hours × $110 + 20 miles × $0.70 | $234 |
| Three-hour deposition or closing in person, 40-mile round trip | 3 hours × $110 + 40 miles × $0.70 | $358 |
| Full day in person (six hours), two interpreters in relay | 2 interpreters × 6 hours × $110 | $1,320 plus travel |
The quote confirms the interpreter, the exact travel figure and the total before you book; nothing is charged until you confirm.
How the travel charge works out
Travel is charged at $0.70 per mile from the interpreter's location, which means you can work it out rather than wait for a quote: a 20-mile round trip is $14, a 60-mile round trip is $42, a 150-mile round trip is $105. There is no separate call-out fee on top.
We will not pretend to know in advance where the interpreter will be coming from — that depends on the language, the date and the venue. What we do is confirm the interpreter and the exact travel figure before you book, so it is never a surprise on the invoice. Virtual assignments carry no travel charge at all, which is one reason most of what we do is virtual.
By video, by phone or in person
Virtual interpreting runs on Zoom, Google Meet or Microsoft Teams, or over the telephone. It is quicker to arrange, costs less and carries no travel charge, and it suits appointments, calls and most meetings.
In person is what venues with their own rules tend to expect, and the right choice when documents are being signed or several people are speaking at once. Tell us the platform, or the city and the venue, when you send the request.
How booking an interpreter works
- You send the request with the form below: the language, the setting, the format, the date and how long it should last.
- We confirm before you commit: the interpreter, the exact price and the travel figure if there is one. We reply within minutes, four business hours at most, and no payment is taken at this stage.
- You confirm and pay, and the interpreter is booked for your date. The interpreter's name and credentials are sent to you once the booking is paid.
What to have ready
The more of this comes in the first message, the fewer exchanges before you have a price:
- The language, the date, the start time and how long it should run.
- Virtual or in person: the platform, or the city and the venue.
- The setting and the subject matter.
- How many people need interpreting for.
- Any credential the venue requires of the interpreter. We confirm before you book whether we can staff it; the interpreter's name and credentials follow once the booking is paid.
Interpreters by language in San Antonio
- Spanish interpreters in San Antonio
- Tagalog interpreters in San Antonio
- German interpreters in San Antonio
- Arabic interpreters in San Antonio
- Urdu interpreters in San Antonio
- Mandarin interpreters in San Antonio
- Cantonese interpreters in San Antonio
- Swahili interpreters in San Antonio
- Hindi interpreters in San Antonio
- Vietnamese interpreters in San Antonio
- Japanese interpreters in San Antonio
Request an interpreter
Tell us the date, the language and the setting and we will come back with the interpreter, the exact price and the travel figure if there is one — before you commit to anything.
Thank you — we have your request
We will reply within minutes, four business hours at most, with the interpreter, the exact price and the travel figure if there is one, before you commit to anything.
Sources
What this page says about San Antonio was checked against these sources on November 3, 2026. Rules change; the source is always the authority.
- U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 2024 1-year, B16001, San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX Metro Area (read from the table-based summary file, acsdt1y2024-b16001.dat)
- U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 2024 1-year, B01003, Bexar County, Texas (total population)
- EOIR — Immigration Court List, Administrative Control (San Antonio Immigration Court)
- EOIR — Immigration Court Practice Manual, chapter 3.10, Interpreters
- USCIS — Field Office Locator (San Antonio Field Office)
- USCIS Policy Manual — Volume 7, Part A, Chapter 5, Interview Guidelines
- Texas Legislature — Government Code chapter 57, Court Interpreters (secs. 57.001, 57.002)
- Civil District Courts of Bexar County — Local Rules (updated effective July 1, 2026), Local Rule 12
- Bexar County — Criminal District Court Administration
- University Health — Language Assistance
Frequently asked questions
Does the San Antonio immigration court provide an interpreter?
Yes, for the hearing, at government expense (ICPM 3.10). EOIR asks the respondent or attorney to request one no later than 30 days before the next hearing. Preparation meetings with your attorney are not covered.
How do I get a court interpreter in a Bexar County civil district court?
Call the Office of the Civil District Court General Administrative Counsel at (210) 335-2300. For a language other than Spanish, Local Rule 12 asks you to call at least 10 days before the hearing or trial if possible, and to tell the office immediately if the interpreter is no longer needed (Bexar County local rules).
Does a deposition interpreter in San Antonio have to be licensed?
Chapter 57 counts a deposition as a court proceeding and requires a licensed court interpreter when one is appointed on a party's motion; in a county of 50,000 or more, an unlicensed interpreter is allowed only for a language other than Spanish with no licensed interpreter within 75 miles (Gov't Code 57.001–57.002). Tell us if you need one.
How much is a Spanish interpreter in San Antonio?
Spanish is a standard-rate language: $80 an hour by video with a one-hour minimum, or $110 an hour in person with a two-hour minimum plus $0.70 per mile of travel. A three-hour deposition in person with a 30-mile round trip is $330 plus $21, $351.
Is the price per person or per interpreter?
Per interpreter, per hour, billed from the scheduled start time. One interpreter covers a meeting; a full-day hearing may need two working in relay.
What if the venue provides its own interpreter?
Then you should not be paying us. Immigration court provides one, and hospitals and school districts frequently must. Ask them first.
Can I see the interpreter's credentials before I pay?
Tell us the credential the venue or the other side requires when you request, and we confirm before you book whether we can staff it. The interpreter's name and credentials are sent once the booking is paid.
How is travel charged?
$0.70 per mile from the interpreter's location — a 20-mile round trip is $14. We confirm the exact figure before you book, and virtual assignments carry none.
Need an interpreter in San Antonio?
Tell us the date, the language, the venue and how long it runs, and we will confirm the interpreter and the exact price, travel included.