SES Professions in Deafness
Licensure
North Carolina Interpreter Transliterating License:
Much like other professions, sign language interpreters wishing to work in community settings in the state of North Carolina are required to have a professional license. The purpose of licensure is "to ensure minimum standards of competency and to provide the public with safe and accurate manual or oral interpreting or transliterating services." To achieve this purpose, the North Carolina Interpreting Transliterating Licensure Board is authorized to determine the fitness of applicants for licensure and to issue, renew, deny, suspend, and revoke licenses according to the North Carolina General Statue § 90D-6.
The Interpreter and Transliterator Licensing Board was created by North Carolina Session Law 2002-182 (the "Act"), as amended by North Carolina Session Law 2003-56. The Board was created "to provide for the regulation of persons offering manual or oral interpreting or transliterating services to individuals who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or dependent on the use of manual modes of communication in the state of North Carolina." North Carolina General Statute § 90D-2.
Students wishing to get a license in order to provide interpreting services in community settings in North Carolina may apply for a provisional license upon completion of the program, graduation, and a cleared national criminal background check. The cost for obtaining a provisional license could range from $300 to $400 and require criminal background checks, and proof of education via official transcripts. There are annual fees and earning of continuing educational units in order to maintain the license. Applicants who have a previous felony on their record will be denied a license. The provisional license is valid for three years with annual renewal and completion and passing of the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf interpreting exam in which full professional licensure is issued.
Students wishing to interpret in educational and religious settings are not required by law to have a North Carolina Interpreter Transliterator license but will need to have other credentials in order to work in those settings.
Students looking to work in other states will need to investigate the licensure requirements for providing interpreting services in those states.
Please see the following site for requirements and costs or fees associated with obtaining
an interpreting license in the state of North Carolina.
http://www.ncitlb.org/