Guide · Certified translations
Which certified translations do I need for medical licensing in Germany?
Medical licensing requires a coherent set of qualifications, supporting records and translations. Your profession, training country and competent authority determine the requirements.
Reviewed on 27 October 2026
The short answer
Use the current checklist from your medical licensing authority. Foreign-language qualification records may require German translations; training outside the EEA and Switzerland may also require a detailed curriculum. Translating the diploma alone therefore does not automatically cover the whole application.
Separate the qualification, licence and training content
Match each checklist item to an actual file: award certificate, professional licence, transcript or curriculum. Mark missing records and those already available in an official German version.
For Bavaria, the published FAQ requires translations by publicly appointed or sworn translators in Germany. Existing foreign translations can be supplied for checking and subsequent certification. Also check the required copies; for other German states, use the competent authority’s own checklist.
Read more: Government of Upper Bavaria: professional licensing documents and translations
Define the assignment before commissioning
Study records can contain many attachments. Send complete files together with the authority’s request so that scope, legibility and language direction can be discussed against the same records.
Do not independently cut a curriculum down to subjects you consider important. If only an extract is required, obtain confirmation of the scope and include that instruction with your enquiry.
Keep the final records identifiable
Store each source alongside its translation. Consistent qualification names, dates and requested name spellings help identification; resolve discrepancies by checking the documents.
Translation turnaround and the authority’s processing time are separate periods. Obtain missing evidence in parallel and keep a separate list of additional records requested.
Your next steps
Identify the competent licensing authority and current checklist.
Match every requirement to a complete file.
Specify the translation scope and certification requirements.
Organise sources, translations and additional requests for submission.
More questions
Is translating my diploma enough?
Only if that satisfies your actual checklist. Check other training and professional licensing records separately.
Does a translation replace a knowledge examination?
Translation renders your evidence in another language. The competent authority decides professional requirements and examinations.
Can I enquire before all pages are available?
Yes. Identify the available records and missing attachments so the provisional scope is clear.
Sources and further reading
The receiving organisation’s current instructions matter for your assignment. Send them to us with your documents.
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