ASL Interpreting: States Requiring ASL Interpreter Licensure

Jul 25, 2024 | Interpreter Education

by: Lisa Hendrickson, CI; and Susan Swancey, EIPA 3.6 – NIR Coordinators

While there is not a national requirement for licensure for American Sign Language Interpreters practicing in the United States, many individual states have the requirement for licensure, and/or other unique provisions. Please see the list below for the requirements for each state, and a link to access more information.

Since State laws/requirements surrounding the practice of ASL Interpreting are ever-evolving, please check the link(s) for the state you intend to work in, to ensure that the information below is currently accurate.

STATE

LICENSURE REQUIRED? (YES/NO)

LINK TO STATE LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS, INSTRUCTIONS FOR OBTAINING LICENSURE

Alabama

Yes (or permit)

https://albit.alabama.gov/PDF/2023Rules/488-X-1-04Licensure-PermitLimitations

Alaska

No (Permanent or Provisional Credential required)

https://naiedu.org/alaska/

Arizona

Yes

https://www.acdhh.org/interpreters/licensure-applications/

Arkansas

Yes

https://arkansasrid.org/resources/certifications/certification-and-licensure/

California

https://rid.org/california/

Connecticut

No (yearly registration required

https://portal.ct.gov/aginganddisability/content-pages/programs/deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-interpreter-registry

Colorado

https://coloradorid.org/

Delaware

https://gacec.delaware.gov

District of Columbia

https://www.pcrid.org/about

Florida

https://www.fridcentral.org/

Georgia

Yes (license requirement for K-12 educational interpreters only)

https://www.gapsc.com

https://garid.wildapricot.org/

Hawaii

https://hawaiirid.square.site/

Idaho

Yes

https://dopl.idaho.gov/shs/

Illinois

Yes

https://idhhc.illinois.gov/sign-language-interpreters/interpreter-for-the-deaf-licensure-act/license-applications

Indiana

https://www.in.gov/fssa/ddrs/files/INSignLanguageInterpretingReq

Iowa

Yes

https://dial.iowa.gov/i-need/licenses/other-professional-licensure/sign-language

Kansas

https://www.kai-rid.org/

Kentucky

Yes

https://www.kcdhh.ky.gov/

Louisiana

https://www.lrid.org/

Maine

Yes

http://www.maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions/american-sign-language-interpreters/licensing

Maryland

Yes, starting 1/1/2025

https://www.pcrid.org/Maryland-Interpreter-Licensing

Massachusetts

https://rid.org/massachusetts/

Michigan

No (Michigan certification card required)

https://www.michigan.gov/mdcr/divisions/doddbhh/interpreters/working-in-mich

Minnesota

https://www.mrid.org/

Mississippi

https://msrid.wildapricot.org/

Missouri

Yes

https://mcdhh.mo.gov/interpreter-info/

https://wp3.mo.gov/mcdhh/interpreters/

Montana

https://www.montanarid.org

Nebraska

Yes

https://ncdhh.nebraska.gov/licensing

Nevada

No (registration required)

https://adsd.nv.gov/Programs/Physical/ComAccessSvc/Interpreter_Registry/Interpreter_Registry

New Hampshire

Yes

https://www.education.nh.gov/who-we-are/deputy-commissioner/bureau-vocational-rehabilitation/programs-and-services/program-individuals-who-are-deaf-or-hard-hearing/interpreter

New Jersey

http://nj-rid.org/

http://www.deafnjad.org/

New Mexico

Yes

https://www.cdhh.nm.gov/interpreter-information/licensure

New York

https://rid.org/new-york/

North Carolina

Yes

https://ncitlb.org/

North Dakota

No (RID certification required)

https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t43c52.pdf?20150311104828

Ohio

https://www.ocrid.org/

Oklahoma

https://www.okrid.org/

Oregon

Yes

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ph/hlo/pages/board-sign-language-interpreters-standard-license.aspx

Pennsylvania

No (registration required)

https://www.dli.pa.gov/Individuals/Disability-Services/odhh/interpreters/Pages/Sign-Language-Interpreter-Registration.aspx

Rhode Island

Yes

https://health.ri.gov/interpreters-deaf
https://cdhh.ri.gov/interpreter-and-cart-services/asl-services/sign-language-interpreters.php

South Carolina

https://www.southcarolinarid.org/

South Dakota

Yes

https://dhs.sd.gov/rehabilitation-services/interpreters-for-people-who-are-deaf-or-hard-of-hearing

Tennessee

Yes (license requirement for K-12 educational interpreters only)

https://naiedu.org/tennessee/

https://dopl.idaho.gov/shs/

Texas

No (BEI or RID Certification required)

https://tea.texas.gov/academics/special-student-populations/special-education/programs-and-services/state-guidance/interpreter-certification-guidance

https://www.texasdeafed.org/apps/pages/interpreting

Utah

No (RID certification required)

https://jobs.utah.gov/usor/uip

Vermont

https://vermontrid.org/

Virginia

https://vrid.wildapricot.org/

Washington

https://wsrid.com/

https://wsad.org/

West Virginia

https://dhhr.wv.gov/cdhh/interpreters

Wisconsin

Yes

https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/odhh/interpreting/index.htm

Wyoming

No (permit required for K-12 educational interpreters only)

http://ptsb.state.wy.us/EducationalSignLanguageInterpreterPermit/tabid/247/Default.aspx

References

“State-by-State Regulations”. https://rid.org/programs/gap/state-by-state-regulations/. RID, Inc., 2024,

If you are an interpreter in the Southeast Florida area, interested in freelance work and have availability days, nights, or weekends, we have a variety of assignments throughout the community (medical appointments, evening/overnight hospital shifts, day/evening college classes, school districts, legal, etc.). Please visit our website and submit our New Interpreter Questionnaire:

https://interpreterresource.com/freelance-interpreters/new-interpreter-questionnaire/