Professional Development and Certification Pathways

The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) offers the National Interpreter Certification (NIC). The NIC exam consists of a written knowledge test covering ethics, cultural competency, and interpreting theory, followed by a performance test evaluating ASL-to-English voicing and English-to-ASL signing skills in a variety of scenarios. The Specialist Certificate: Legal (SC:L) is an advanced credential for courtroom interpreters, requiring passage of a legal knowledge test and a legal performance test. Some states also require state-level licensure or certification. Maintaining certification requires 8.0 Continuing Education Units (80 hours) per four-year certification cycle, with requirements for ethics and professional studies content.