District of Columbia Board of Nursing: Translation Requirements for Documents in Another Language

Worth knowing about DC Board of Nursing

DC Board of Nursing requirements in detail

Which agency, and what it asks for the translation

For licensed nurses the board lists three agencies; for applicants never licensed abroad, only Josef Silny and IEE (Instructions for foreign educated nurse applicants: examination, 5-2023).

IEE runs a DC-specific Nursing Licensure Report for RN and LPN applicants (IEE for DC) and says it does not accept translations by the client, a notary public or an uncertified translator; translations from a university or embassy at home are generally accepted (IEE).

Josef Silny asks that translations made in the US come from ATA-certified translators (JS&A).

CGFNS, the third option for licensed nurses, requires nursing transcripts sent by the school and translated by the school, or by TruMerit for a fee (TruMerit); an outside translation is not used there.

Pitfalls specific to DC

The board will not approve an applicant to sit for the NCLEX who stopped practicing in a foreign country more than five years before applying (Instructions for foreign educated nurse applicants: examination, 5-2023).

Never-licensed graduates must have finished the degree less than five years before the date of the evaluation report, which makes timing matter: order the translation early so the agency is not waiting on it.

The board's instructions do not say whether the national police check you upload needs a translation. If it is not in English, a certified translation removes the question; confirm with the board (international applicants page).

Documents applicants usually translate

• Nursing school transcripts, for the agency
• Nursing diploma or degree certificate
• Nursing license from the country of education, for the Professional Report
• National police certificate from the country of residence
• Name-change documents when names differ

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.
• Grades, hours and credits exactly as recorded, with the grading scale the document prints. We never convert marks to a US GPA or equivalency.
• 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 DC Board of Nursing

• The translation of your education records goes to the evaluation agency, following its instructions; the evaluation report then supports your online application to the DC Board of Nursing (Instructions for foreign educated nurse applicants: examination, 5-2023).

• Documents the board asks you to upload yourself, such as the police check or, for endorsement, your copy of the evaluation report, are uploaded to the online application (exam, endorsement).

If you need a translator certified by ATA

Some offices accept only a translator who is personally certified by the American Translators Association (ATA). eVerbary assigns one on request, for the languages ATA certifies into English:

To order it, ask for a free quote and write in the notes that the translation is for DC Board of Nursing, what it is for, and that you need a translator individually certified by ATA, plus anything else the office asks for (notarization, delivery by email to the office).

We confirm the price and the translator before you pay. ATA does not certify other languages into English, so no translator anywhere holds ATA certification for them.

For those languages we provide a notarized certified translation instead, at $44.95 per page plus notarization ($34.90 per order); ask the office to confirm it accepts that, and write its answer in the quote notes.

How to order

1. Scan or photograph every page of the document, front and back, including any stamps on the reverse.
2. Upload it, choose the language and "certified", and see the price before paying.
3. 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