For a deeper dive into certifications and credentials please visit RID Certifications or NWASLA Interpreter Certifications

NIC (National Interpreter Certification)

• RID certification currently available through CASLI.
• This certification shows professional knowledge and skills that meet or exceed the minimum professional standards necessary to perform in a broad range of interpretation and transliteration assignments. 

CDI (Certified Deaf Interpreter)

• RID certification currently available through CASLI. 
• This certificate is for deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals in a broad range of assignments where the use of an individual that has deep knowledge of Deaf culture, American Sign Language, and communication nuances would be beneficial.  
• CDIs have completed at least eight hours of training on the NAD-RID Code of Professional Conduct; eight hours of training on the role and function of an interpreter who is deaf or hard-of-hearing; and have passed a comprehensive combination of written and performance tests. 
  

EIPA (Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment)

• Assessment currently available through Boys Town 
  
• More information can be found at http://www.classroominterpreting.org/eipa/.

SIGN-1234

• Idaho sign language interpreter licenses begin with SIGN and end with either 4 or 7 numbers.
• There are many states that require professional interpreters to be licensed or take and pass a state quality assurance evaluation in order to become a licensed interpreter.
• In order to determine which state has such a requirements, contact your local Commission for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing for details. You may also find information at the following link: https://rid.org/advocacy-overview/state-information-and-advocacy/
  

Certifications Under Moratorium

Ed:K-12 (Educational Certificate: K-12)

• This 3rd generation RID certification is currently under moratorium.
• Shows the ability to interpret or transliterate classroom content and discourse. Individuals demonstrated EIPA Level 4 skills using spoken English and at least one of the following: American Sign Language (ASL), Manually Coded English (MCE), Contact Signing (aka: Pidgin Signed English (PSE) or English-like Signing), or Cued American English (CAE) (aka: Cued Speech).

CLIP-R (Conditional Legal Interpreting Permit-Relay)

• This 2nd generation RID certification is currently under moratorium.
• Shows completion of an RID-recognized training program designed for interpreters and transliterators who worked in legal settings, and whom were also deaf or hard-or-hearing.

OTC (Oral Transliteration Certificate)

• This 2nd generation RID certification is currently under moratorium.
• This certificate was for those who demonstrated, using silent oral techniques and natural gestures, the ability to transliterate a spoken message from a person who hears to a person who is deaf or hard-of-hearing. They have also demonstrated the ability to understand and repeat the message and intent of the speech and mouth movements of the person who is deaf or hard-of-hearing. 

SC:L (Specialist Certificate: Legal)

• This 2nd generation RID certification is currently under moratorium since January 1, 2016.
  
• For individuals with knowledge of legal settings and the language used in the legal system. 
• The SC:L and specialist testing in general, have committees working to bring them back. 

Previous Generations of Certifications

NIC Advanced (National Interpreter Certification at the Advanced Level)

• This 3rd generation RID certification is no longer offered.
• Shows an individual scored within the standard range of a professional interpreter on the ethical portion of the exam and scored within the high range on the performance portion of the exam. 
  

NIC Master (National Interpreter Certification at the Master Level)

• This 3rd generation RID certification is no longer offered.
• Shows an individual scored within the high range of a professional interpreter on both the ethical and performance portions of the test. 
  

CI (Certificate of Interpretation)

• This 2nd generation RID certification is no longer offered.
• Shows an individual is qualified to interpret between American Sign Language (ASL) and spoken English. The interpreter’s ability to transliterate was not considered in this certification.

CT (Certificate of Transliteration)

• This 2nd generation RID certification is no longer offered.
• Shows an individual is qualified to transliterate between English-based sign language and spoken English. The transliterator's ability to interpret was not considered in this certification. 
  

CI and CT (Certificate of Interpretation and Certificate of Transliteration)

• This 2nd generation RID certification is no longer offered.
• Shows the individual is qualified in both interpretation and transliteration assignments. 
  

OIC:C (Oral Interpreting Certificate: Comprehensive)

• This 2nd generation RID certification is no longer offered.
• Shows an individual demonstrated both the ability to transliterate a spoken message from a person who hears to a person who is deaf or hard-of-hearing and the ability to understand and repeat the message and intent of the speech and mouth movements of the person who is deaf or hard-of-hearing. 

OIC:S/V (Oral Interpreting Certificate: Spoken to Visible)

• This 2nd generation RID certification is no longer offered.
• This certificate was for individuals that did not qualify for the OIC:C certification but demonstrated the ability to transliterate a spoken message from a person who hears to a person who is deaf or hard-of-hearing. 

OIC:V/S (Oral Interpreting Certificate: Visible to Spoken)

• This RID certification is no longer offered.
• This certificate was for individuals that did not qualify for the OIC:C certification but demonstrated the ability to understand the speech and silent mouth movements of a person who is deaf or hard-of-hearing and to repeat the message for a hearing person. 

CSC (Comprehensive Skills Certificate)

• This 1st generation RID certification is no longer offered.
• Showed an individual is qualified for a broad range of interpreting and transliterating assignments. 

MCSC (Master Comprehensive Skills Certificate)

• This 1st generation RID certification is no longer offered.
• Showed a higher standard of performance compared to the CSC.

RSC (Reverse Skills Certificate)

• This 1st generation RID certification is no longer offered.
• For deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals in a broad range of assignments where the use of an individual that has deep knowledge of Deaf culture, American Sign Language, and communication nuances would be beneficial. 

IC/TC (Interpretation Certificate/Transliteration Certificate)

• This 1st generation RID certification is no longer offered.
  
• For individuals that received scores on the CSC examination that did not qualify for the full CSC certification. 

IC (Interpretation Certificate)

• This 1st generation RID certification is no longer offered.
• For individuals that received scores on the CSC examination that did not qualify for the full CSC certification or partial IC/TC certification but demonstrated ability to interpret between ASL and spoken English. Also known as the Expressive Interpreting Certificate (EIC).

TC (Transliteration Certificate)

• This 1st generation RID certification is no longer offered.
• For individuals that received scores on the CSC examination that did not qualify for the full CSC certification or partial IC/TC certification but demonstrated ability to transliterate between spoken English and a signed code for English. Also known as the Expressive Transliterating Certificate (ETC).
  

NAD III (Generalist) – Average Performance 

• National Association of the Deaf no longer offers certification exams.
• Shows minimum competence needed to meet generally accepted interpreter standards

NAD IV (Advanced) – Above Average Performance

• National Association of the Deaf no longer offers certification exams.
• Shows above average skill in any given area.

NAD V (Master) – Superior Performance

• National Association of the Deaf no longer offers certification exams.
• Shows excellent to outstanding ability in any given area

ACCI (The American Consortium of Certified Interpreters)

• The ACCI test is the same test that carried the NAD label for a number of years.  
• The ACCI is no longer an active organization.
• An agreement was reached to give the option for those who passed the ACCI test at levels III, IV or V to convert their certification to NAD certification and to allow them the opportunity to join RID under the same type of program that NAD interpreters were offered.