Frequently Asked Questions

Kaplan Interpreting Services provides a full range of language solutions: in-person interpretation for depositions, hearings, medical appointments, and corporate events; virtual/video remote interpretation (VRI) via Zoom, Teams, or any platform; over-the-phone interpretation (OPI) for on-demand needs; simultaneous interpretation with professional equipment for conferences and large proceedings; consecutive interpretation for courtrooms, mediations, and clinical settings; American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation; and certified document translation for legal filings, medical records, contracts, and more.

You can request an interpreter three ways: call us at (833) 547-7770 to speak directly with our team, email [email protected] with your assignment details, or submit an online quote request through our website. Once we receive your request, we confirm interpreter availability within 4 hours and provide a detailed assignment confirmation with interpreter credentials, logistics, and pricing.

We cover 200+ languages and dialects, including Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Arabic, Russian, Tagalog, Farsi, Portuguese, French, Japanese, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Armenian, Khmer, Thai, Somali, Haitian Creole, American Sign Language (ASL), and many more. If you need a language not listed here, contact us, our network of 7,000+ interpreters covers virtually every spoken and signed language encountered in U.S. legal, healthcare, and business settings.

Yes. We only work with interpreters who hold recognized professional certifications. Our network includes court-certified interpreters (state and federal), NBCMI-certified medical interpreters, CCHI-certified healthcare interpreters, and Judicial Council-certified professionals. Every interpreter is vetted for credentials, experience, subject-matter expertise, and professional conduct before being approved for assignments. We verify certifications directly and maintain current records. A quick distinction: a qualified interpreter has the language proficiency to interpret; a certified interpreter has additionally passed a recognized state, federal, or industry examination. For depositions, court proceedings, and medical appointments where the record matters, certified is the standard we recommend.

We serve legal (courts, depositions, law firms, arbitration), healthcare (hospitals, clinics, mental health, forensic evaluations), corporate (conferences, board meetings, M&A negotiations, training), immigration (USCIS interviews, asylum hearings, removal proceedings), government (federal agencies, state courts, public meetings), sports & international events (World Games, press conferences, competitions), travel & VIP (executive travel, delegations, destination events), education (schools, universities, IEP conferences), finance, and technology sectors. If your industry requires certified interpretation, we can help.

We recommend confirming at least 48 hours in advance for standard assignments to allow optimal interpreter matching. However, we understand that urgent needs arise. We offer rapid interpreter placement for most languages with a 98% match rate on urgent requests. A rush fee may apply for last-minute needs. For large-scale events or rare language combinations, we recommend 1-2 weeks of lead time to coordinate equipment, multiple interpreters, and logistics.

Yes. All of our medical and healthcare interpreters are trained in HIPAA compliance and sign confidentiality agreements before every assignment. Kaplan Interpreting Services maintains organizational HIPAA compliance protocols, and we can provide documentation of interpreter training and compliance certifications upon request. Our interpreters understand the sensitivity of protected health information and follow strict data-handling procedures.

We require 48 hours' notice for cancellations. Assignments cancelled within the 48-hour window incur the full assignment charge, as the interpreter has already reserved the time and declined other work. We understand that schedules change. If you need to reschedule rather than cancel, we will work with you to find an alternative date at no additional cost, subject to interpreter availability.

Absolutely. We have extensive experience managing multi-language, large-scale events, including Fortune 500 conferences, international summits, and corporate town halls. We have coordinated 12+ simultaneous language channels at a single event, complete with professional simultaneous interpretation equipment, interpreter teams, and on-site technical support. Our team handles all logistics, from equipment rental and soundproofing to interpreter scheduling and real-time quality monitoring.

Three things define Kaplan: reliability, precision, and accountability. Our track record speaks for itself. 99.7% on-time rate across 18,978+ assignments and zero missed assignments in 17 years. Every interpreter is hand-selected for the specific demands of each assignment, not pulled from a rotating queue. You get a dedicated point of contact who knows your name, your preferences, and your standards. We provide proactive communication. You know the status before you ask. And our founder, Alexandra Kaplan, is herself a California court certified and medical interpreter, so the agency is built from an interpreter's perspective.

Before you book, ask for written proof of interpreter certifications, a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) for HIPAA assignments, an NDA template, a named point of contact, and references in your industry. Red flags: agencies that quote without confirming the language pair, vendors that refuse to name the interpreter before the assignment, on-demand platforms with no vetting layer, and any agency that cannot provide a sample assignment confirmation. The cost difference between a vetted partner and an on-demand platform is small. The cost when interpretation goes wrong is significant.

Yes. While we are headquartered in La Palma, California, our network of 7,000+ vetted interpreters spans the entire United States. We provide in-person interpretation in every major metropolitan area and can deploy interpreters to rural and underserved regions. For locations without nearby interpreter availability, we offer video remote and telephone interpretation to provide coverage anywhere in the country.

Simultaneous interpreting is when the interpreter renders the message in the target language at the same time as the speaker is talking, typically using headsets and a soundproof booth. It is used for conferences, large meetings, and multilingual events where real-time delivery is essential. Consecutive interpreting is when the speaker pauses after a few sentences and the interpreter then delivers the message in the target language. It is the standard mode for courtroom proceedings, depositions, medical appointments, and one-on-one meetings. Both modes require specialized training, and our interpreters are certified in the modes appropriate to their assignments.

Choose in-person interpretation for high-stakes proceedings where presence and nuance matter: depositions, mediations, jury trials, IME exams, and corporate negotiations. Choose video remote interpretation (VRI) for standard medical appointments, follow-up consultations, and meetings outside major metro areas where in-person travel adds cost without value. Choose over-the-phone interpretation (OPI) for short, urgent intake calls or simple scheduling exchanges. We help you match the modality to the assignment during scoping.

Translation deals with written text, documents, contracts, medical records, and legal filings are translated from one language to another by a professional linguist. Interpretation deals with spoken or signed language in real time. An interpreter listens and renders the message verbally during conversations, proceedings, or events. Both require subject-matter expertise, but they are distinct disciplines with different certifications and skill sets. Kaplan provides both certified document translation and interpretation services.

We strongly advise against it. A bilingual employee is not a certified interpreter. In legal settings, using an uncertified interpreter can compromise attorney-client privilege, introduce errors into the record, and expose your firm to challenges on appeal. In medical settings, it violates HIPAA requirements and puts patient safety at risk. Certified interpreters are trained in accuracy, impartiality, confidentiality, and the specific terminology of your industry. The cost of a certified interpreter is a fraction of what a mistranslation can cost.

No. Using a family member as an interpreter in a medical setting violates HIPAA and compromises patient confidentiality. Family members lack training in medical terminology, may filter or editorialize information, and cannot maintain the impartiality required for accurate interpretation. Federal and state regulations, including Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require healthcare providers to offer qualified interpreters, not family members or minors.

Yes, in many cases. Dialect differences between regional varieties of the same language can cause serious misunderstandings, especially in legal and medical contexts. A term that means one thing in Mexican Spanish may mean something entirely different in Cuban, Puerto Rican, or Central American Spanish. Kaplan provides dialect-matched interpreters so the interpreter speaks the specific regional variety your assignment requires.

A court-certified interpreter has passed rigorous state or federal examinations demonstrating fluency, accuracy, and knowledge of legal terminology and courtroom protocol. A court-registered interpreter is listed with the court system but has not completed the full certification process. In California, court-certified interpreters have passed the Judicial Council certification exam. For high-stakes legal proceedings, we recommend, and primarily staff, fully certified interpreters.

The right interpreter depends on the stakes, the language and dialect, and the modality. For USCIS interviews, federal court, and depositions, you need a court-certified interpreter with experience in that specific proceeding type. For medical appointments, you need an NBCMI- or CCHI-certified medical interpreter trained in HIPAA. For specialty assignments like forensic evaluations or expert witness testimony, you need prior experience in that exact context. Tell us the assignment and we match an interpreter to the demands of the case.

Pricing varies based on several factors: language pair, type of assignment (legal, medical, corporate), location, duration, and whether the assignment is in-person or virtual. We provide detailed, transparent quotes after understanding your specific requirements. Request a quote or call us at (833) 547-7770 and we will respond within 4 hours.

Yes. We provide RID-certified ASL interpreters for legal proceedings, medical appointments, corporate events, and ADA-compliant settings. Our sign language interpreters are experienced in high-stakes environments and understand both the linguistic and cultural dimensions of Deaf communication. Learn more about our ASL services.

Yes. Kaplan Interpreting Services provides Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) and Confidentiality Agreements as standard practice for all assignments. Every interpreter is bound by professional codes of ethics that include strict confidentiality obligations. For medical assignments, all interpreters sign HIPAA-specific confidentiality agreements.