What translation does the California DMV accept
The California DMV names a translation in its list of documents for the secondary review of a driver's license application. A marriage license, a divorce decree or a foreign driver's license in another language comes with a certified translation or an affidavit of translation into English. We found no other translation rules on the DMV pages we checked.
What the DMV requires
The rule is on the DMV page about the driver’s license secondary review (opens in a new tab). A secondary review happens when a DMV office needs to look more closely at the identity or residency documents you brought with a driver’s license application. It is part of the AB 60 process: a driver’s license for applicants who don’t have proof of legal presence in the US. The page lists documents that can prove identity, and three of them come with a translation if they are in a language other than English:
- a marriage license;
- a divorce decree;
- a foreign driver’s license.
Each of them comes with a certified translation or an affidavit of translation into English. The same list is in the DMV guide to document options for a driver’s license under AB 60 (opens in a new tab).
What the translation must include
The DMV names two kinds: a certified translation or an affidavit of translation, both into English. The pages we checked don’t say what exactly either one must contain, and they don’t mention a notary.
Other DMV applications
We found no rule about translations on the REAL ID checklist (opens in a new tab) or the driver’s license page (opens in a new tab). If a DMV office asks you for a translation, check with the office which kind it accepts.
How we do it
- Full translation
every stamp, signature and handwritten line
- Certificate of accuracy
signed by the translator, with name, address and phone
- A PDF, ready to file
original, translation and certificate, pages numbered
- Price
$30 per document up to 250 words, then $20 per 250 words. From 5 documents the price per document is lower.
- Turnaround
1–4 documents: within 24 hours after payment. For 5 or more, we give you the date with the quote. Same day costs +50%, and we confirm it before we start.
This is a summary of what the agency publishes, not legal advice.