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In Poland, a sworn translation is a translation certified by a person authorised to perform the relevant professional activity. An ordinary translation has no such certification. The right choice depends on the document, its intended use and the receiving institution, rather than simply whether the text looks official.
The Polish Act on the Profession of Sworn Translator governs professional activities, certification and record keeping. A translator must complete the statutory steps, including the oath and entry on the list, before practising the profession. Language ability alone is not evidence of this status.
Technical, medical or financial expertise remains a separate consideration. An ordinary translation may require substantial specialist knowledge. Certification does not automatically make a translator an expert in every industry or establish that every factual statement in the source document is true.
Different authorities, universities, employers and banks may apply different rules. A requirement used by a Polish registration office should not be assumed to apply to every overseas procedure. Translation, authentication of the source and recognition of a foreign decision are separate issues.
Under Article 18, the certification must identify the basis on which the translation was made. Sending a scan for a quotation does not make that scan an original. A scanned image of a paper certification is also different from a document certified with a qualified electronic signature. Keep the complete file set supplied to you.
The Polish vehicle registration regulation, section 5 contains both translation requirements and exceptions. A registration certificate issued by a competent Member State authority is covered by an exception; where doubts arise, national information without harmonised codes may require translation. A purchase agreement or invoice is a different document and needs its own assessment.
Certain listed conformity documents are also exempt. Do not order a translation of every sheet merely because the vehicle came from abroad. Provide all pages, endorsements and the proof of purchase so that the actual scope can be assessed. A translation cannot replace missing evidence of ownership or guarantee registration.
For a private order, remuneration is agreed contractually. Compare quotations for the same complete material, target language, certification and delivery arrangements. A short certificate, a multi-page judgment and a technical manual are different assignments. Confirm the production deadline separately from delivery and the authority’s processing time.
For a vehicle, see vehicle document translation prices, US vehicle documents, German vehicle documents and submit documents for a quotation. For other documents, use the general translation service or contact the office about the required scope.
Related guidance in Polish: ordinary and sworn translations and translations for vehicle registration. Sources checked on 28 October 2026.