Have a contract translated into German
Contracts that carry the same legal effect in the target language – translated by legal professional translators, certified on request for courts and authorities.
In the target language, a contract is only as reliable as the translation of its clauses
Whether a purchase, corporate or employment contract: we render rights, obligations and deadlines so that they have the same effect in the target law – and supply on request the certified version that courts and authorities recognise.
For law firms, legal departments and courts: reliable down to every clause
Whether a purchase contract, lease, employment contract, shareholders', licence or works contract: we translate every type of contract through legal professional translators – with consistent terminology across all clauses, annexes and follow-up contracts.
Does the terminology stay consistent across an entire set of contracts?
The framework agreement, annexes and later amendments must carry the same terms – otherwise room for interpretation arises. We create a glossary for your mandate and secure the reviewed wording in the translation memory, so that definitions, party designations and clauses stay identical across all documents and language versions.
Is the translation admissible as evidence in court?
If a party in civil proceedings submits a foreign-language document, the court may under Section 142(3) ZPO require the translation to be produced by a translator authorised or sworn in Germany; in criminal proceedings, publicly appointed and sworn translators translate. We provide it with a certification note – traceable and court-proof.
How do you protect confidential contracts, NDAs and M and A documents?
Licence, settlement and transaction documents leave the office only under control. On request we work under your or our confidentiality agreement, limit access to a fixed team and transfer files exclusively via secured channels.
What happens if a legal term has no equivalent?
Legal terms rarely have an exact equivalent – a GmbH is not a Ltd., a priority notice is not a caveat. Our legal professional translators work with functional equivalents and, where necessary, with explanatory notes, so that the legal effect is preserved, not merely the word.
For landlords, employers and companies: clear, legally sound and fast
International tenants, skilled professionals and business partners sign only what they understand – and what holds up under the target jurisdiction. We render the contract so that it meets both, on request as a bilingual version.
Tenancy agreement for international tenants – clear and legally sound?
We translate residential and commercial lease agreements including deposit, service charges, house rules and termination clauses so that the tenant understands every obligation and the version holds up in a dispute – on request bilingual with a prevailing-language clause specifying the authoritative language.
Employment contracts for international experts – compliant and fast to onboarding?
We render employment contracts, works agreements and supplementary agreements on time for the start date, with correct details on remuneration, working hours and notice periods; salary and terms data we treat as strictly confidential.
Do I get a bilingual version with a prevailing-language clause?
Yes. With bilingual contracts we ensure the exact correspondence of paragraphs, definitions and references and align the versions with the agreed prevailing language, so that both carry the same legal effect.
For NGOs, associations and cross-border use: recognised and donor-compliant
Where contracts across borders and funding are decisive, recognition, on-time delivery and many languages at once all count – on a tight budget.
Do you translate grant, funding and partnership agreements for NGOs?
Yes. We translate grant agreements, cooperation and consortium agreements, MoUs and tender documents in a donor-compliant way (EU, UN, BMZ) and across several target languages in parallel – with consistent terminology, a fixed delivery date and one fixed price for the entire package.
When is the certified translation necessary – and do I need an apostille?
Authorities, registers and notaries' offices often accept foreign-language contracts only with a certification note from a translator authorised or sworn in Germany. For use abroad, for notarised or court contracts the destination state additionally requires an apostille – this is issued by the President of the competent Regional Court (Landgericht), not by the translation agency. We advise on the sequence.
How are signatures, stamps and annexes represented?
The authorised translator notes the signatures, stamps and seals of the original in square brackets and reproduces all attachments in full – so the translation remains formally identical to the contract document.
How your certified contract translation works
Document and upload
Send us your contract as a PDF, photo or scan – we check legibility, stamps and intended use.
Fixed price in 120 minutes
You receive a binding fixed-price quote with a delivery date, clearly calculated in advance.
Professional translators and revision
Assignment to a subject-matter translator; independent revision under the four-eyes principle per DIN EN ISO 17100.
Delivered certified
Digital advance version and, on request, the certified copy by post – officially recognised.
Translate a contract: German, English, French, Turkish, Spanish and over 60 languages
Whether for an authority, court, employer or university at home or abroad: we produce translations of contracts in German, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Turkish, Arabic and over 60 further languages. Translation is carried out exclusively by native-speaker translators with the relevant background; every version is revised under the four-eyes principle in accordance with DIN EN ISO 17100 and certified on request – recognised by authorities and courts.
How your fixed price for the contract translation is calculated
We bill transparently by standard line (55 characters including spaces) from €0.95. The binding fixed price depends on volume, language combination, certification and the desired quality level – with no hidden costs and usually within about two hours.
Translate a contract – frequently asked questions
Do you translate in a legally sound and terminologically consistent way?
Yes – we work with legal professional translators and terminology lists so that terms such as liability, warranty or default stay consistent throughout the entire contract.
Is a certified translation possible?
Yes – for the court, notary or authority we deliver the certified translation; for internal purposes the professional translation is often sufficient.
How do you handle confidentiality?
Strictly confidential, on request with an NDA and access restriction; processing is GDPR-compliant.
What does it cost?
From €0.95 per standard line; for extensive contracts you receive a binding fixed price in advance, with TM discounts for repetitions.
Must a contract be translated as a certified translation for court proceedings?
If a party submits a foreign-language contract deed, the civil court may, under Section 142(3) ZPO, require a translation by a translator authorised in Germany. We supply it with a certification note, so that the contract together with its annexes can be used as evidence in the proceedings; for purely internal purposes the plain professional translation is often sufficient.
What should be considered with bilingual contracts that have a prevailing-language clause?
If a bilingual contract contains a clause on which language version prevails in a dispute, the translation must match the prevailing version exactly in substance in order to avoid contradictions. We ensure a clean correspondence of paragraphs, definitions and references, so that both versions carry the same legal effect.
Does my contract translation need an apostille for use abroad?
The apostille confirms the authenticity of the signature or of the notarial certification on the contract deed; it is issued not by us but by the competent authority – for notarially certified or court contracts by the President of the competent Regional Court (Landgericht). We tell you which authority is responsible for your type of contract and supply the certified translation needed for it.
How are signatures, stamps and annexes represented in the certified translation?
The authorised translator notes the signatures, stamps and seals of the original in square brackets and reproduces all attachments in full – so the translation remains formally identical to the contract document.
Legally sound translation of legal documents
With legal texts, the robustness of every formulation is decisive: definitions, references and party roles must remain unambiguous in the target language. Whether a purchase contract, lease agreement, employment contract or shareholder agreement – we translate every type of contract true to the document and, on request, provide certified translations for authorities and courts. For related documents we also translate Powers of attorney, General terms and conditions and Commercial register extracts. More on this in the practice area Legal translation.