Guide to Buying Interpreting Services, Part IV: ´¡°Õ´¡â€™s Credentialed Interpreter (CI) Designation
´¡°Õ´¡â€™s Language Services Directory has a Credentialed Interpreter (CI) designation to indicate ATA members who are also credentialed interpreters. This designation is discussed in more detail below. To find out more about interpreting, refer to the ÇéÂÂ×ÔÅÄ’s Guide to Buying Interpreting Services, a resource to help clients identify, select and work with interpreters.
Credentialed Interpreter (CI) Designation
The Credentialed Interpreter (CI) designation shown in ´¡°Õ´¡â€™s Language Services Directory recognizes interpreters who are credentialed by certain ATA-approved entities in fields such as medical, legal and conference interpreting.

Proven Competency
ATA members who hold a CI designation have demonstrated linguistic competence, oral proficiency and a commitment to continuous professional development.
Approved Entities
The CI designation is not a certification. Rather, the credentialed interpreter designation in ´¡°Õ´¡â€™s Language Services Directory acknowledges interpreters who are recognized by certain ATA-approved entities in fields such as medical legal conference interpreting.
Easy to Identify
ATA Credentialed Interpreters are clearly identified in the Language Services Directory.
Requirements for the CI Designation
- Proficiency
Interpreters must demonstrate proficiency by:
- passing an oral exam that tests performance skills in two or more modes of interpreting, with published assessment instruments, research methods, development and validation procedures and eligibility requirements, or
- for conference interpreting, undergoing exacting peer review or testing through one of the organizations approved by ATA for the CI designation, or
- passing a monolingual oral exam that tests performance skills in two or more modes of interpreting, with requirements similar to the above as well as a prerequisite minimum language proficiency requirement for the untested language.
- The credential must be granted by:
- A government agency, or
- A non-profit professional association, or
- A non-profit certification board or governing committee that meets specific criteria.
Additional ATA Resources
This is the fourth article in a series of articles introducing the ÇéÂÂ×ÔÅÄ’s Guide to Buying Interpreting Services,Ìýwhich was created to help those in need of interpreting services find the best provider for their project and work efficiently with the chosen interpreting provider. For the full guide, clickÌýhere.
About the Authors
Eve Bodeux is an ATA-certified French to English translator specialized in tech marketing, commercial communications, marketing research and official documents. She is the Secretary of the ÇéÂÂ×ÔÅÄ and serves on the ATA Public Relations Committee.
Jamie Hartz is an ATA-certified Spanish to English translator and transcriber specialized in legal and commercial translations. She currently serves as the Chair of the ATA Public Relations Committee.
Language Services Directory
Subscribe to The ATA Compass
Connect with The ATA Compass
Recent Posts
Find a Translator or Interpreter Near You
Searching for a Nearby Translator or Interpreter? Whether you require accurate document translations, real-time interpreting for an event, or specialized industry expertise, finding the right professional near you has never…
Read More about Find a Translator or Interpreter Near YouBuying Language Services
Guide to Buying Translation Services Translators help power the global economy, working with businesses, governments, non-profits and individuals. Translators work with the written word. The ATA Guide to Buying Translation…
Read More about Buying Language ServicesWhy You Should Use a Certified Translator or Interpreter
Choosing a Certified Professional is the Smart Choice A certified translator or interpreter ensures effective, accurate, and culturally sensitive communication that truly bridges the gap between languages and cultures. Accuracy…
Read More about Why You Should Use a Certified Translator or InterpreterTranslator vs. Interpreter
Watch a Day in the Life of Translators and Interpreters See how translators and interpreters work in this short animated video. Translators do the writing Translators work with the written…
Read More about Translator vs. InterpreterMachine Translation
What is machine translation? Machine translation (MT) is the use of automated software that translates text without human involvement. Adaptive MT is a technology that learns and adjusts in real-time…
Read More about Machine TranslationKnow Your Rights to Language Access
Is English Not Your Primary Language? If you have a limited ability to read, write, speak, or understand English, you are considered to be Limited English Proficient (LEP). As an…
Read More about Know Your Rights to Language Access
