The California Interpreter Written Examination (CIW) has 135 multiple-choice questions and a 2-hour 25-minute limit under the July 2026 guide. It tests English vocabulary, court-related terms, ethics and professional conduct;80 percent is required to pass. It is required for both certified and registered spoken-language paths. Prepare the ten published question types, then check the current registration and retake rules.
What the written exam tests
The CIW tests your knowledge of the English language, court-related terms and usage, ethics, and professional conduct. It has 135 multiple-choice questions, runs 2 hours and 25 minutes, and requires a score of 80% or higher to pass.
The ten sections include five general-vocabulary types: sentence completion, synonyms in context, synonyms, antonyms and idioms. The other five cover court-related knowledge and professional conduct through sentence completion, court-related questions, sequencing, professional-conduct questions and scenarios.
This means your preparation splits into two distinct workloads. The vocabulary sections reward broad, precise English at many registers — formal legal language and everyday idiom alike. The conduct sections reward familiarity with how interpreters are expected to behave in California courts, which is why the ethics publication discussed below belongs on your reading list, not just vocabulary flashcards.
- General vocabulary: sentence completion, synonyms in context, synonyms, antonyms, idioms
- Ethics and professional conduct: sentence completion
- Court-related questions
- Sequence
- Professional conduct questions
- Scenarios
Official sources: Certified Spoken Language Interpreter | Language Access Services, Judicial Council of California — How to Become a Certified Spoken Language Court Interpreter; Guide for the California Interpreter Written Examination (CIW) and the Bilingual Interpreting Examination (BIE), De La Mora Institute information guide, effective July 2026
Certified and registered paths: where the written exam fits
The CIW is required for both spoken-language paths. Certified-language candidates pass it before the BIE. Registered-language candidates may take the written exam and English OPE in either order.
California certifies interpreters in twelve spoken languages: Arabic, Eastern Armenian, Cantonese, Farsi (Persian), Filipino (Tagalog), Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Punjabi (India), Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese. For these languages, the sequence is the written exam followed by the BIE, a four-part oral exam you must pass in one seating with 70% or higher in each part. The official pages note that the certified language list can change, so confirm your language before you plan around it.
For non-certified languages, the registered route requires the written exam and an English Oral Proficiency Examination, which the Judicial Council says may be taken in either order. A target-language OPE is also required when available. The published passing level is Advanced High or higher in each required OPE. Complete enrollment after the required examinations.
The Judicial Council encourages formal coursework and preparation in both languages. Its guide says court interpreters must be at least 18 and able to work legally in the United States; U.S. citizenship is not required. Check the applicable route before registering.
| Path | Languages | Required oral assessment | Oral passing standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certified | 12 spoken languages, including Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Arabic, Russian, and Vietnamese | Bilingual Interpreting Exam (BIE), four parts in one seating | 70% or higher in each of the four parts |
| Registered | Languages without an available BIE | English OPE and target-language OPE when available | Advanced High or higher on the ACTFL scale in both |
Official sources: Frequently Asked Questions | Language Access Services, Judicial Council of California — Become a Court Interpreter FAQs; Certified Spoken Language Interpreter | Language Access Services, Judicial Council of California — How to Become a Certified Spoken Language Court Interpreter; Guide for the California Interpreter Written Examination (CIW) and the Bilingual Interpreting Examination (BIE), De La Mora Institute information guide, effective July 2026; Registered Interpreter | Language Access Services — https://languageaccess.courts.ca.gov/court-interpreters-resources/become-court-interpreter/registered-interpreter
Fees, registration, scores, and retakes
The written exam fee is $150.00, subject to change. Effective July 1, 2026, De La Mora Institute administers the CIW, and passing scores from the previous vendor remain valid.
Plan your attempts around the retake rules. You may test up to two times within a 365-day period, with at least 90 days between attempts. If you score below 80%, you cannot simply rebook the next week, so treat your first attempt as one you prepared for, not a rehearsal.
Scores arrive quickly — approximately 48 hours after the exam. A passing CIW score stays valid for six years, or until you have made four BIE attempts, whichever comes first, and scores from prior administrations transfer to the new vendor system. Because of the vendor transition, the previous administrator can no longer issue past scores; the Judicial Council can confirm them if you email CourtInterpreters@jud.ca.gov.
Two practical registration notes: candidates can request ADA accommodations during registration, and anyone with an approved accommodation from the previous administrator must resubmit the request, a process that takes about 30 business days. Testing seats are not guaranteed, and the official FAQ notes that more testing opportunities are expected to be announced in early 2027, so watch the Current Interpreter Testing Opportunities page rather than assuming a seat will be open.
- Fee: $150.00 (subject to change)
- Score timing: approximately 48 hours
- Retakes: two attempts per 365 days, at least 90 days apart
- Validity: six years, or up to four BIE attempts
- ADA accommodations: request at registration; prior approvals must be resubmitted
Official sources: Frequently Asked Questions | Language Access Services, Judicial Council of California — Become a Court Interpreter FAQs; Certified Spoken Language Interpreter | Language Access Services, Judicial Council of California — How to Become a Certified Spoken Language Court Interpreter; Guide for the California Interpreter Written Examination (CIW) and the Bilingual Interpreting Examination (BIE), De La Mora Institute information guide, effective July 2026
How to prepare for each tested area
Build vocabulary through your own glossaries, study California's legal system and courtroom procedures, and read the California Professional Standards and Ethics publication, which the official preparation guidance specifically recommends for the conduct sections.
For the five general vocabulary sections, the official guidance points to sustained, self-directed work: create glossaries of terms and look up new words, and read widely in legal and other publications. The exam draws on a wide range of registers, so a single word list will not cover it. Working through idioms and synonyms in context matters more than memorizing isolated definitions.
For the court-related and sequencing sections, learn how California courts and proceedings are structured and how cases move through them. The credentialing pages suggest learning the judicial system directly, including visiting your local court and observing legal interpretations — firsthand observation ties the terminology to real proceedings.
For ethics and professional conduct, the candidate guide recommends California’s Professional Standards and Ethics publication. Study its duties and conditions directly, then use the Judicial Council’s self-assessment and practice resources to identify what needs more work.
- Create and maintain your own glossaries; look up every new term
- Review National Center for State Courts interpreter resources
- Study California's legal system and court procedures
- Read the California Professional Standards and Ethics publication
- Read varied legal and general publications to widen your register range
- Complete the official self-assessment tests and practice exercises
Official sources: Frequently Asked Questions | Language Access Services, Judicial Council of California — Become a Court Interpreter FAQs; Certified Spoken Language Interpreter | Language Access Services, Judicial Council of California — How to Become a Certified Spoken Language Court Interpreter; Guide for the California Interpreter Written Examination (CIW) and the Bilingual Interpreting Examination (BIE), De La Mora Institute information guide, effective July 2026; Registered Interpreter | Language Access Services — https://languageaccess.courts.ca.gov/court-interpreters-resources/become-court-interpreter/registered-interpreter
Practise choosing meaning in context
Read the instruction first: a synonym, antonym or sentence completion requires a different choice. Then use the whole sentence to test each answer.
The following original item practises vocabulary in context, one of the published written-exam types. It does not reproduce an official question.
Practice exercise
Original practice: “The witness gave a candid account of the conversation.” Which option is closest in meaning to candid? A. Frank. B. Secret. C. Rehearsed. D. Brief.
Check your answer
A. Frank.
Candid describes openness or frankness. It does not establish secrecy, rehearsal or length. A plausible description of an account is not necessarily a synonym for the word the question asks about.
After you pass the written exam
After passing the CIW, complete the remaining examinations for your language and enroll with the Judicial Council. The written pass alone does not make you a credentialed interpreter.
Know the oral-stage limits before you celebrate. For certified languages, you have four BIE attempts after passing the written exam, with a six-month waiting period between attempts; if you exhaust them, you must retake the CIW. For registered languages, OPE attempts require a three-month waiting period between tries.
After you pass all required exams, the Court Interpreters Program emails you an enrollment packet, and after processing you are added to the Master List and receive your identification badge. Most California court interpreter work is freelance or per diem, paid by the whole or half day and often involving travel between courts, though some trial courts have permanent staff positions. Keep records of every exam score yourself — the official FAQ is explicit that candidates are responsible for their own records, and the Judicial Council can confirm past scores only on request during the vendor transition.
- Certified languages: up to four BIE attempts, six months between attempts
- Registered languages: OPE retakes require a three-month wait
- Enroll with the Judicial Council after passing to join the Master List
- Keep copies of all exam scores and correspondence
Official sources: Frequently Asked Questions | Language Access Services, Judicial Council of California — Become a Court Interpreter FAQs; Certified Spoken Language Interpreter | Language Access Services, Judicial Council of California — How to Become a Certified Spoken Language Court Interpreter; Guide for the California Interpreter Written Examination (CIW) and the Bilingual Interpreting Examination (BIE), De La Mora Institute information guide, effective July 2026; Registered Interpreter | Language Access Services — https://languageaccess.courts.ca.gov/court-interpreters-resources/become-court-interpreter/registered-interpreter
Official sources
Key facts checked against official Judicial Council and vendor documents:
- Frequently Asked Questions | Language Access Services, Judicial Council of California
- Certified Spoken Language Interpreter | Language Access Services, Judicial Council of California
- Guide for the California Interpreter Written Examination (CIW) and the Bilingual Interpreting Examination (BIE), De La Mora Institute information guide, effective July 2026
- Registered Interpreter | Language Access Services