Sworn, notarised or apostilled translation: which level each office accepts
Three expressions are used loosely and mean different things: a sworn translation (yeminli tercüme) carries the stamp of a translator who has taken an oath before a notary; a notarised translation (noter onaylı tercüme) is that translation certified by the notary where the translator is sworn; an apostilled translation is a notarised translation whose notarial certification has then been apostilled for use abroad. Each level adds a step and a cost. This guide tells you which level each institution in Türkiye actually asks for, and why.
Level one: sworn translation
Under the Noterlik Kanunu Yönetmeliği art. 96, a translator who proves competence in a language takes an oath before a specific notary and is entered in that notary's register. From then on the translator may stamp and sign translations as sworn. The oath is to one notary: a translator sworn at the 5th İstanbul notary cannot have translations certified at the 12th. A sworn translation alone, without the notary's certification, is accepted by many private institutions: schools, employers, landlords, some insurers, and foreign consulates that do their own checking.
Level two: notarised translation
The notary certifies that the translation was made by a translator sworn in that office and that the translator's signature is genuine; the notary does not vouch for the content. The certification is the document Turkish public bodies ask for: the Directorate of Migration Management, the trade registry, land registries, courts, universities for enrolment, banks for account opening and most ministries. It is paid at the 2026 tariff by you to the notary against a receipt: certification ₺667.67 plus writing fee ₺80.68 per page plus the tercüme suret harcı of ₺104.00, ≈ ₺884 per notarised page. The receiving office keeps the notarised set, so order one per institution.
For the per-page figures and a worked example, see our notarised translation cost guide.
State fees and notarial tariffs are paid by you directly to the state or to the notary; they never pass through us and we receive nothing from any notary. The figures above are the official 2026 tariff, last checked 24.10.2026.
Last verified: 24.10.2026 · source: 2026 Noterlik Ücret Tarifesi art. 4, RG 30.12.2025 — adalet.gov.tr; Harçlar Kanunu (2) sayılı tarife 2026 — gib.gov.tr; Noterlik Kanunu Yönetmeliği art. 96 — mevzuat.gov.trLevel three: apostilled translation
When a Turkish document and its translation go abroad, the receiving country usually wants the notary's certification apostilled, so that its authorities can verify the Turkish notary. The apostille is placed on the notarial certification by the kaymakamlık or valilik, free of charge, usually the same or next day. The order is therefore: original → sworn translation → notarial certification → apostille. A translation apostilled before notarisation is not possible, and an apostille on the original alone leaves the translation unverified abroad. See our apostille guide.
Which office accepts which level
| Receiving institution | Level usually required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Directorate of Migration Management (ikamet) | Notarised | Foreign civil documents also need an apostille on the original |
| Trade registry, MERSİS | Notarised | Passport translation; foreign company documents apostilled first |
| Land registry (tapu) | Notarised + sworn interpreter at signing | Passport translation; interpreter mandatory if buyer does not speak Turkish |
| Courts and enforcement offices | Notarised | Often apostille on foreign originals as well |
| Universities (enrolment, YÖK recognition) | Notarised | Diplomas apostilled in the issuing country |
| Banks | Notarised for KYC; sworn sometimes enough for supporting papers | Varies by bank |
| Private schools, employers, landlords | Sworn | Some ask for notarised anyway |
| Foreign authorities (document leaving Türkiye) | Notarised + apostille | Or consular legalisation outside the Hague Convention |
Three practical consequences
- A translation made abroad cannot be notarised here. The Turkish notary certifies only translators sworn in that office. A foreign translation, even a certified one, is redone by a sworn translator in Türkiye or certified at a Turkish consulate abroad.
- The notary and the translator come as a pair. "Any notary" is not an option; the certification happens where the translator is sworn. This is why our notary coordination names the office.
- Pages are counted on the Turkish text as the notary counts them, not on the original. Ask for the page count before you pay anyone.
Sources
- mevzuat.gov.tr — Noterlik Kanunu Yönetmeliği art. 96 (sworn translators); Noterlik Kanunu art. 103
- adalet.gov.tr — Ministry of Justice: 2026 notarial tariff; apostille authorities
- resmigazete.gov.tr — Official Gazette: 2026 Noterlik Ücret Tarifesi
- goc.gov.tr — document requirements for residence permit applications
Questions
Is a sworn translator the same as a certified translator abroad?
Roughly, but the oath is Turkish and local: the translator is sworn before one notary and registered there. A translator certified by a foreign body is not sworn in Türkiye, and Turkish offices will not accept their stamp.
Can one notarised set be used for several offices?
Each office keeps the notarised set it receives, so you order one per institution. The translation itself is done once; additional notarised copies (suret) are issued by the same notary at a lower per-page item on the tariff.
Do I need the apostille on the original, the translation, or both?
For a foreign document coming into Türkiye: apostille on the original, obtained abroad, then sworn translation and notarisation here. For a Turkish document going abroad: notarisation of the translation, then apostille on the notarial certification; some countries also want the original apostilled. Ask the receiving authority before paying for two apostilles.