Short answer: before you hire a certified translation provider in Malaysia, check five things: who signs the translation and with what accreditation, whether the office receiving it accepts that translator, whether the provider can take the document through notarisation, Wisma Putra and the embassy, how your documents are kept confidential, and what happens if an authority rejects the translation. Independent client reviews are the sixth check. Malaysia has no sworn-translator register, so these checks are what separates a translation that is accepted from one that is sent back.
MYLegalTrans meets every check below. Our team includes translators certified by ITBM, DBP and the Malaysian Translators Association (MTA), NAATI-certified translators and Kuala Lumpur and Sarawak High Court interpreters. Send your document on WhatsApp (+60 17-227 9378) and we will tell you what it needs.
Last reviewed: October 2026.
1. Who signs the translation, and with what accreditation?
A certified translation is a complete rendering of the document, stamps, seals and handwritten notes included, signed and stamped by a named translator who states their credentials. Ask the provider who will sign yours. A provider that cannot name the translator, or that only offers an unsigned "company translation", is the first warning sign.
Malaysia has no single register of sworn translators, so "certified" depends on who receives the document. See Who can certify a translation in Malaysia? for the full rules. The accreditations worth asking about:
Institut Terjemahan & Buku Malaysia (ITBM) and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP): national bodies named in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation guidelines.
Malaysian Translators Association (MTA, Persatuan Penterjemah Malaysia): also named in those guidelines. Ask for the membership or accreditation number.
Malaysian court translators and High Court interpreters: accepted for Wisma Putra attestation and used to legal documents.
NAATI: the certification Australian authorities look for. NAATI-certified translators can be checked in NAATI's online directory.
A translator appointed by a foreign embassy in Malaysia, where that embassy keeps its own list.
Ask for copies of the certificates. A reliable provider sends them on request. Ours are available on request too; see About MYLegalTrans.
2. Does the office receiving it accept that translator?
The receiving office decides, not the translator. Check before you order:
Wisma Putra (Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation) accepts translations by a Malaysian court translator, DBP or the MTA, ITBM, or a translator appointed or certified by a foreign embassy or high commission in Malaysia. Translations by anyone else can be refused at the counter.
JPN (National Registration Department) expects documents for marriage registration to be translated in Malaysia, signed and stamped with the translator's original stamp; translations made abroad must be verified by the relevant embassy or Wisma Putra.
Embassies and foreign ministries often keep their own list of accepted translators, or ask for the translation to be legalised with the original. Singapore's ICA, for example, does not endorse private translation companies and wants translations attested by the issuing country's embassy or notarised.
Courts and other ministries may set their own language and format rules. Ask the office, or ask us to check for you.
A good provider asks where the translation is going before it quotes, because that decides the format, the certification wording and the steps after translation.
3. Can the provider take the document through the whole chain?
Malaysia is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so a Malaysian document for use abroad usually goes through three steps after translation:
Notarisation by a Notary Public, where the destination or the document type requires it (powers of attorney, affidavits and statutory declarations for use abroad).
Wisma Putra attestation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Putrajaya, which confirms the signature and stamp on the document.
Embassy or high commission legalisation by the destination country's mission in Kuala Lumpur.
One provider that handles all three avoids a translation that has to be redone because the notary or the embassy wanted a different format. We arrange notarisation (in one business day), lodge the Wisma Putra step under your authorisation letter and handle the embassy step. The full process is in our document legalisation guide.
4. How are your documents kept confidential?
Passports, birth certificates, court papers and company documents carry personal and commercial data. Before you send anything, ask how the provider keeps it confidential and whether it signs a non-disclosure agreement. Check that it covers documents sent only for a quotation, that names are never published, and that your files are returned or deleted on request.
Our Client NDA is already signed and covers every document you send, even for a quotation only. Personal data is handled under the Personal Data Protection Act 2010, and on your written request we return or delete your information within 14 days.
5. What happens if an authority rejects the translation?
Ask for the answer in writing before you pay. Vague promises such as "guaranteed acceptance" are a warning sign: no provider controls an authority's decision. What a provider can control is putting its own work right.
Our wording is simple: if an authority rejects a certified translation we prepared within 30 days of delivery, we re-do it free. When MOHE, the Ministry of Education or Wisma Putra asks for amendments, we make them and resubmit as part of the service. The full terms are on our Guarantees page.
6. What do independent reviews say?
Reviews on a provider's own website are chosen by the provider. Look at independent platforms where clients post directly, and read the most recent reviews, not only the rating. Look for reviews that mention the document type and the office you are dealing with.
Warning signs
No named translator, and no accreditation you can check.
A promise that every authority will accept the translation, whatever the destination.
No question about where the translation will be used.
A suggestion that you translate the document yourself and have it "stamped".
No written quotation before you pay, or extra charges added after the work starts.
No answer on confidentiality, or a request to send documents through personal accounts.
Quick checklist
Named translator with ITBM, DBP, MTA, NAATI or court accreditation, certificates on request.
Accepted by the office that receives the translation (Wisma Putra, JPN, the embassy, the court).
Notarisation, Wisma Putra and embassy steps handled in one place.
Signed NDA covering documents sent for a quotation.
Written terms for a rejected translation.
Recent independent reviews on Google and directories such as GoodFirms.
Common questions
Is there an official list of certified translators in Malaysia?
No. Malaysia has no sworn-translator register. Wisma Putra names the translators it accepts (court translators, DBP or the MTA, ITBM and embassy-appointed translators), and other offices and foreign governments set their own rules.
Is a translation agency's company stamp enough?
Not on its own. Offices look for a translator they accept, who signs and stamps the translation and states their credentials. A company stamp without a named, accredited translator can be refused.
How can I check a translator's accreditation?
Ask for the translator's name and a copy of the certificate or membership card, with its number. NAATI-certified translators are listed in NAATI's online directory. When in doubt, ask the receiving office which translators it accepts.
Can MYLegalTrans check what my document needs before I order?
Yes. Send the document on WhatsApp and tell us where it will be used. We tell you which translation, certification and legalisation steps it needs, and you get a fixed quotation before you pay.
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