Written English Proficiency Exam

The Hawai‘i State Judiciary administers a Written English Proficiency exam (“Written English exam”) developed by the National Consortium for Language Access in the Courts. The Written English exam, together with the Hawai‘i Basic Ethics exam, is the second of three mandatory minimum requirements to interpret in the Hawai‘i state courts. Applicants must attend the Hawai‘i State Judiciary’s Basic Orientation Workshop prior to taking the Written English exam.

The Written English exam consists of 135 multiple-choice questions and includes sections on court interpreter ethics, legal process and terminology, English grammar, idioms, synonyms and antonyms. Interpreters must be well versed in the English language. Applicants are allowed two hours and fifteen minutes to complete the exam and must achieve a passing score of 70%. Information regarding the dates, location, registration and fee for the Written English exam may be obtained by contacting the OEAC.