NAATI, certified, notarised, legalised: which one do you need?
For documents lodged with Australian agencies, the reference point is a NAATI certified translation: produced by a translator certified by NAATI and carrying their practitioner number, stamp, signature and date. Notarisation, consular legalisation and apostilles are separate steps that authenticate the source document in its country of origin, not the translation. Reviewed July 2026.
Comparison at a glance
| Route | Who performs it | What appears on the document | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| NAATI certified translation | A translator holding current NAATI certification in that language direction | Certification statement, practitioner number, stamp, signature and date | Documents lodged with Australian government bodies, universities, skills assessing bodies and state registries |
| General certified translation | Any translation agency or translator declaring the translation accurate | Company letterhead or translator declaration, without a NAATI practitioner number | Accepted by some private organisations, but Australian agencies use NAATI as their reference point |
| Notarisation | A notary public in the document's country of origin | Notarial certificate and seal on the signature or copy | Where the receiving party needs the signature or the copy attested, not the translation itself |
| Consular legalisation | The foreign ministry and/or the destination country's embassy | Legalisation stamps applied in a fixed sequence | Required by some countries for civil or corporate documents; not part of NAATI certification |
| Apostille | The competent authority of a state party to the Hague Convention | A single apostille certificate replacing consular legalisation between member states | Used where both countries are parties; check the current status for the countries involved |
Choosing the right route
- If the document is going to an Australian government body, university or assessing body, start from a NAATI certified translation.
- Notarisation and legalisation attach to the source document, not to the translation, and are handled in the country that issued the document.
- When both are needed, complete the source-document steps first, then translate, unless the receiving body states otherwise in writing.
- Ask the receiving body which format it accepts before paying for any step you may not need.
- Keep every stamped version; later stages often ask to see the full chain.
Frequently asked questions
Is a NAATI translation the same as a certified translation?
Not necessarily. Any translator can call a translation certified by attaching a declaration. A NAATI certified translation is produced by a translator whose certification is issued and verifiable through NAATI, which is what Australian agencies look for.
Do I need notarisation as well as a NAATI translation?
Usually not for Australian lodgements. Notarisation is requested when the receiving party needs a signature or a copy attested, which is a separate process from translating the text.
Can a translation certified in my own country be used in Australia?
Some bodies accept translations done outside Australia if the translator states their full name, address, telephone number and qualifications. Requirements differ by agency, so confirm before lodging.
Does NAATI certify documents?
No. NAATI certifies practitioners. The translator applies their certification to the translation; NAATI does not stamp individual documents.
Which comes first, translation or legalisation?
In most cases the source document is finalised and, if required, legalised first, then translated, so the translation reflects every stamp on the document.
Does an apostille remove the need for translation?
No. An apostille authenticates the origin of the document; it does not make a non-English document readable to an Australian agency.
Who decides which route applies to me?
The receiving body does. We can explain the options and the usual sequence, but the requirement published by that agency governs.
Can you handle all steps for me?
We handle the NAATI certified translation and explain which additional steps your case needs and in what order, so nothing is done out of sequence.
Not sure which applies?
Tell us the receiving body and the document, and we will set out the steps and the order before you commit to anything.