Sign Language Interpreters & Transliterators

Topics:

Other Professional Licensure
Online License Services

Apply Online

Create an account, apply, renew, and pay for your license online using our self-service portal.

Access the license portal

Complete the online application and payment of the $120 fee. All application fees are nonrefundable.

Examination

An applicant must request examination service and provide proof of successful completion of one of the following:

  1. The National Interpreter Certification (NIC) examination, administered by the National Association of the Deaf (NAD)/ Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) if completed after November 30, 2011;
  2. One of the following examinations administered by RID:
    1. Oral Transliteration Certificate (OTC)
    2. Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI);
  3. The Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) with a score of 3.5 or greater if completed after December 31, 1999;
  4. The Cued Language Transliterator National Certification Examination (CLTNCE) administered by The National Certifying Body for Cued Language Transliterators (NCBCLT);
  5. Currently holds one of the following NAD/RID certifications awarded through November 11, 2011, by the National Council on Interpreting (NCI):
    1. NIC
    2. NIC Advanced
    3. NIC Master;
  6. Currently holds one of the following certifications previously awarded by RID:
    1. Certificate of Interpretation (CI)
    2. Certificate of Transliteration (CT)
    3. Certificate of Interpretation and Certificate of Transliteration (CI and CT)
    4. Interpretation Certificate/Transliteration Certificate (IC/TC)
    5. Comprehensive Skills Certificate (CSC);
  7. Currently holds one of the following certifications previous awarded by NAD:
    1. NAD III (Generalist)
    2. NAD IV (Advanced)
    3. NAD V (Master); or
  8. Currently holds and advanced or master certification awarded by the Board for Evaluation of Interpreters (BEI).

Practice Agreement

Attach or email written practice agreement signed and dated by you and the licensed supervisor overseeing practice. Include the following information:

  • Your name;
  • Name of your supervisor(s);
  • Address(es); and 
  • Contact information. 

Licensure in Another State 

If applicable, applicants that have previously been licensed, registered or certified in another state must provide official verification of licensure for all states in which the applicant has received a license.

  • The license verification must include the following: 
    • License number;
    • Issue date;
    • Expiration date;
    • Status of license including a reference to any pending or past disciplinary action.

The verification may be printed from another state licensing board’s website if it contains all of the information noted above. If an online verification is not available, the verification must be sent directly from the licensing board(s) to the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing.

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Requirements for Temporary Licensure

Complete the online application and payment of the $120 fee. All application fees are nonrefundable.

Examination

An applicant who has not successfully completed one of the board-approved examinations or does not hold an approved certification required for permanent licensure, the applicant must request examination service and provide proof of successful completion of one of the following:

  1. The written portion of the RID examination;
  2. The written portion of the BEI examination;
  3. The written portion of the EIPA examination;
  4. The EIPA pre-hire examination at the highest recommended level;
  5. An associate degree or higher from a formal interpreter training program (ITP) with a regionally-accredited college, verified with an official transcript;
  6. The American Sign Language Proficiency Interview (ASLPI) at the 2+ level or higher; or
  7. The Sign Language Proficiency Interview (SLPI) at the intermediate level or higher.

The passing score must be transmitted directly from the exam site and sent to plpublic@idph.iowa.gov 

Practice Agreement

Attach or email written practice agreement signed and dated by you and the licensed supervisor overseeing practice. Include the following information:

  • Your name;
  • Name of your supervisor(s);
  • Address(es); and 
  • Contact information. 

Documentation Required for Licensure

Documentation may be submitted electronically to the department at plpublic@idph.iowa.gov or faxed to 515.281.7969.

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Renewal

Licensees may renew your license 60 days before the current expiration date. Multiple renewal notifications will be sent if the license has not yet been renewed. Licensees are encouraged to renew early to avoid a late fee or lapse in licensure.

All continuing education requirements must be completed prior to submitting your application for renewal.

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Laws & Rules

Below are the statutes and administrative rules that pertain directly to the practice of sign language interpretation and transliteration in Iowa.

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Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. (RID)
National Testing System Assistant
703.838.0030, Ext. 215
703.838.4059 (teletypewriter)

Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment
EIPA Diagnostic Center
Boys Town National Research Hospital
555 N. 30th St
Omaha, NE 68131
402.452.5033

Deaf Services
Iowa Department of Human Rights
Lucas State Office Building, 2nd Floor
Des Moines, IA 50319
515.598.7326
888.221.3724 (teletypewriter)

The Iowa Practitioner Program (IPP) is available to licensees across multiple licensing boards in Iowa. The Iowa Practitioner Review Committee (IPRC) reviews self-reports made by licensees to determine eligibility for participation. 

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