Certified Translation for the Florida FLHSMV

Florida Translation Requirements for Motor Vehicle Documents

According to the Florida Administrative Code (FAC) 15C-1.013 – Translation of Foreign Documents, documents submitted to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles that are written in a language other than English must be accompanied by a written English translation.

This requirement applies to documents submitted when registering or titling:

• Motor vehicles

• Mobile homes

• Vessels (boats)

This may include documents used as proof of ownership, such as foreign vehicle titles or registration papers.

Source:
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles – Procedure TL-10
https://www.flhsmv.gov/pdf/proc/tl/tl-10.pdf

Certification and Notarisation Requirements

Under Florida regulations, translations submitted to the FLHSMV must meet several requirements.

The translation must:

• Be accompanied by a written English translation

• Be certified by the translator as a true and accurate translation

• Be signed by the translator before a notary public

• State that the translator has knowledge of both languages or is fluent in them

• Confirm that the translator translates documents as part of their normal course of business

The translation must also confirm that the translator has no ownership interest in the motor vehicle, mobile home, or vessel referenced in the document.

These requirements are intended to ensure that the translation is accurate and provided by an independent professional.

Certified Translations with Certling

Certling provides certified translations suitable for many official purposes in the United States, including documents used in administrative procedures with state authorities.

While Certling does not partner with a specific notary in Florida, many clients obtain notarisation locally after receiving their translation.

In practice, this means that clients may:

1. Order a certified translation from Certling

2. Take the translation to a local Florida notary public

3. Have the translator’s certification notarised if required. The notary might request a video meeting with a Certling representative.

Many Certling clients have successfully used this approach when submitting translated documents to authorities in Florida.

Documents Commonly Translated for the Florida FLHSMV

Documents that may require translation include:

• Foreign vehicle titles

• Vehicle registration documents

• Bills of sale

• Import documentation

• Driver’s licences issued outside the United States

If any of these documents are written in a language other than English, a certified translation may be required before they can be accepted by the Florida FLHSMV.

Get a Certified Translation for Florida

Certling provides fast and transparent certified translations for official use.

Our system allows you to upload your document and receive a translation prepared by professional translators experienced in official documentation.

Unlike many providers that charge per page, Certling analyses your document and charges only for the words that actually need translating, helping keep costs fair and transparent.