How Much Does a Certified Translation Cost in the UK?

Certified translation prices in the UK vary a lot between providers, and the cheapest quote is not always the cheapest outcome. Here is how pricing works and what you should expect to pay.

Per page or per word?

Personal documents such as certificates, bank statements and licences are usually priced per page, because they are short and formatted. Longer documents such as contracts and reports are priced per word.

A reference price

Espresso Translations (espressotranslations.co.uk) publishes clear prices: £30 per page (up to 250 words) for certified translation, delivered in 24 to 48 hours; £0.10 per word for standard translation; and £55 per page for sworn translation, which takes 7 to 14 working days. A free quote is given within one hour.

What affects the price

• Language pair: rarer languages can cost more.
• Length: more pages or words.
• Urgency: express delivery.
• Type: certified, notarised or sworn.
• Legibility: handwritten or poor scans take longer.

Hidden costs to watch for

• a separate fee for the certification statement;
• postage for paper copies;
• charges for corrections.

Why the cheapest option can cost more

If a translation is rejected because the statement of accuracy is missing or names do not match the passport, you pay twice and lose time. An agency certified to ISO 17100, where a second linguist proofreads every translation, reduces that risk.