In short: Certified document translation in Singapore is usually priced per page, and business content per word. The courts charge S$45 per page for their limited service, one provider advertises from S$45 a page for selected languages, and notarised documents add a S$87.20 Singapore Academy of Law fee plus the notary's charge.
Translation in Singapore is usually priced per page for certified documents and per source word for business content. Published per-page prices for certified translation start at around S$45 to S$60 a page, depending on the language pair, and notarised translations add an official authentication fee of S$87.20 plus the notary’s own charge. Longer business projects, such as contracts, websites and manuals, are quoted per word, with the rate depending on the language pair, subject matter and deadline.
Few Singapore translation providers publish a full rate card. Most ask for the document and quote. This guide sets out the prices we could verify on official and provider websites in October 2026, then explains what moves a quote up or down.
Published translation prices
| Service | Published price | Source and basis |
|---|---|---|
| Certified translation by a court interpreter | S$45 per translated page | An official fee from the Singapore courts; GST basis not stated |
| Certified translation, selected languages | From S$45 per page, up to 350 words a page | One provider’s published price; GST basis not stated |
| French and English translation | From S$60 per page | One provider’s published price; subject to GST |
| Notarial authentication | S$87.20 per authentication | An official fee from the Singapore Academy of Law, including GST |
Some points behind these figures:
- The courts’ fee is narrow. The courts translate only Chinese, Malay and Tamil documents into English, only for documents filed or used in court proceedings, and confirm the total once the translation is done. They ask for requests at least four weeks ahead, may decline, and say parties should then use a private translation service.
- “From” prices apply to some languages. The S$45 provider price is for selected languages only, within 350 words per page. Less common language pairs cost more.
- Extras are often separate. The S$60 provider lists express service and embassy legalisation as requests that incur additional costs, and says prices vary with the document’s complexity and turnaround.
- Notarisation has two parts. The Singapore Academy of Law lists an authentication fee of S$87.20, including GST, paid at the notary public’s office, and the notary charges a separate notarisation fee.
We did not find a Singapore provider publishing a current per-word rate card that we could verify, so we have not given a per-word range. Ask each provider for a per-word rate and a total for your actual files.
What drives the cost
Language pair
English with Chinese, Malay or Tamil is widely available in Singapore. Regional and less common pairs, such as English with Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese or Korean, or pairs that do not involve English, usually cost more and may take longer.
Subject matter
Legal, medical, financial and technical documents need translators who know the terminology, and often a second linguist to review. Marketing material may need transcreation, where the message is adapted rather than translated word for word, which is priced differently.
Volume
Larger projects often get a lower rate per word. Small jobs, such as a single certificate, may carry a minimum charge.
Turnaround
Rush work usually costs extra. Give as much notice as you can, especially if notarisation or embassy legalisation is also needed.
Certification, notarisation and legalisation
A certified translation includes the provider’s signed statement that it is accurate. A notarised translation adds a notary public and the Singapore Academy of Law authentication fee. Documents for use overseas may also need legalisation by an embassy. Each step adds cost and time.
Format
Scanned PDFs, design files, spreadsheets and website exports take longer to prepare and lay out than editable Word files. Ask whether desktop publishing is included.
Hidden costs to check
- Page definition. Ask how a page is counted. One provider we checked caps a page at 350 words.
- Minimum charges on short documents.
- Proofreading or second review, which some providers include and others price separately.
- Notary and legalisation fees, which are usually added to the translation price.
- Courier or collection for hard-copy certified documents.
- Updates. Website and product content changes over time, so ask how updates are priced.
- GST. GST in Singapore is 9%. Check whether each quote includes it, or use our GST calculator to compare.
Ways to keep the cost down
- Send editable files. Word or other editable formats are quicker to work with than scans or images.
- Finalise the source text first. Changes after translation starts are charged again.
- Translate only what is needed. Agencies may need only certain pages, and some documents only need a summary.
- Group work together. One larger order often gets a better per-word rate than several small ones, and avoids repeated minimum charges.
- Supply a glossary. Agreed terms for products, job titles and company names reduce queries and revisions.
- Check whether machine translation with human review is acceptable for internal or low-risk content, and never for documents that must be certified.
Per-word or per-page: which suits your job
Per-page pricing is simplest for short, standard documents such as certificates, transcripts and letters, where the page count is known and certification is usually needed. Per-word pricing suits longer or varied content, such as contracts, policies, websites and product information, where page layout says little about the work involved. For a mixed project, ask the provider to quote certified documents per page and everything else per word, so you can see where the money goes.
Check what the receiving agency accepts first
The cheapest translation is the one that is accepted the first time. Before ordering, check what the receiving agency, court or overseas authority requires. For immigration and citizenship matters, ICA asks for official translations of documents not in English, and accepts translations by the issuing country’s embassy, translations by a notary public, and private translations attested by the embassy or notarised by a notary public. ICA states that it does not endorse any private translation company. For work pass applications, MOM’s document checklist says non-English documents need an English translation, which can be done by a translation service provider. Our translation matching page links to both.
How to get comparable quotes
Translation quotes are only comparable when each provider sees the same files and requirements. Send each one:
- The actual documents, or a representative sample, in their original format.
- The source and target languages.
- What the translation is for, and who will receive it.
- Whether you need certification, notarisation or legalisation.
- Any glossary, previous translations or style preferences.
- Your deadline and how you want the files delivered.
Ask for the translation, review, formatting, certification and notarisation as separate lines, with the per-word or per-page rate and how pages or words are counted. For ongoing work, ask whether the provider keeps a translation memory that lowers the cost of repeated text.
If the translated content is for a website or video, see our guides to website costs and video production costs, since localisation often adds design and editing work.
Where to look next
Browse the translation services directory for Singapore translation providers with their location and Google ratings. Our translation matching page covers certified and notarised translations, ICA and MOM rules, and questions to ask.
If you would rather not chase quotes yourself, describe your documents and languages and a concierge will confirm your requirements, then introduce one to five translation providers who will quote on the same files. It is free for businesses.
Frequently asked questions
How much does certified translation cost per page in Singapore?
Published prices we checked in October 2026 start from S$45 per page at one provider, for selected languages and up to 350 words per page, and from S$60 per page at another for French and English. The courts charge S$45 per page, but only for Chinese, Malay or Tamil into English for court proceedings.
How much does notarisation add?
The Singapore Academy of Law lists an authentication fee of S$87.20, including GST, payable at the notary public's office. The notary's own notarisation fee is charged separately, and providers usually bill notarisation on top of the translation itself.
Is translation priced per word or per page?
Both are common. Certified documents such as certificates and transcripts are usually priced per page, while business content such as contracts, websites and marketing is usually priced per source word. Ask how a 'page' is defined, since some providers cap it by word count.
Can the courts translate our business documents?
Only in narrow cases. The courts translate Chinese, Malay and Tamil documents into English, for documents filed or used in court proceedings, and may decline requests. For other documents, the courts say parties should approach a private translation service.