In addition, some states have legislation requiring the maintenance of a list of qualified interpreters and interpreting service agencies. More states, in an effort to upgrade interpreter quality, are implementing or upgrading certification requirements. Some states require licensed interpreters to register with the state.
Below is a list of state-maintained interpreter lists, databases, and referral pages, as well as other useful resources. Every state in the United States is represented on this list.
These links are often changed. If a link is broken, please bring it to my attention.
Alabama -- The Alabama Licensure Board for Interpreters and Transliterators has lists of licensed, permitted, educational, and provisional interpreters.
Alaska -- Access Alaska has an interpreter referral service.
Arizona -- The Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing has an interpreter database.
Arkansas -- The Arkansas Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing has interpreter services. Also see Communication Plus for interpreter referral services.
California -- The California Business Leadership Network lists interpreting agencies. In addition, California's Deaf Access Program has eight service providers who are mandated to provide interpreter referral services.
Colorado -- The Colorado Department of Human Services, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation maintains an interpreter referral list. There is also a public list at ColoradoDeaf.com, a nongovernmental website.
Connecticut -- The Connecticut Commission on the Hearing impaired has an interpreter request form.
Delaware -- Delaware's Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing website states that it "provides information and resources" for finding interpreters.
District of Columbia -- Several interpreting agencies are listed in my article on the Washington, DC area deaf community.
Florida -- The Florida School for the Deaf and Blind has a page that lists deaf service centers throughout Florida. These deaf service centers provide interpreting services.
Georgia -- The Georgia Council for the Hearing Impaired has interpreter referral services.
Hawaii -- The Hawaii Interpreting Services is a privately owned organization that took over the responsibility of providing interpreting services when the Hawaii Services on Deafness closed down.
Idaho -- The Idaho Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing has a .
Illinois -- The Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission has a directory of interpreters and a list of interpreter referral services.
Indiana -- Indiana's Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services has a listing of certified interpreters.
Iowa -- The Iowa Bureau of Professional Licensure has a downloadable database of licensed sign language interpreters. On the page, look for "Public List of Active Licensees by Profession" and click on the link to the database. Select "sign language interpreter" and "translator" from the list of professions.
Kansas -- The Kansas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing has interpreter referral services.
Kentucky - The Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing has an interpreter directory.
Louisiana -- The Louisiana Commission for the Deaf has a registry of certified interpreters.
Maine -- The has a listing of legal interpreters and intepreting service agencies.
Maryland -- The Maryland Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing has a list of interpreter services. Most are in Maryland, and a few are in Washington, DC and northern Virginia.
Massachusetts -- The Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing has an interpreter request form.
Michigan -- The Michigan Division on Deaf and Hard of Hearing publishes an interpreter directory.
Minnesota -- Minnesota's Department of Human Services has a listing of interpreting service agencies.
Mississippi -- The Mississippi Office on Deaf and Hard of Hearing has a listing of deaf service agencies that offer interpreter referral.
Missouri -- The Missouri Division of Professional Registration has a searchable database. Look for "sign language interpreter" in the dropdown list under "profession name."
Montana -- Montana's Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services does not yet have a website. One of their goals is to provide an interpreter referral service. An alternative resource is the Montana Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.
Nebraska -- Nebraska's Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing has an interpreter referral service.
Nevada -- Nevada has a Deaf and Hard of Hearing Advocacy Resource Center that can help with interpreter referral. There are three resource centers.
New Hampshire -- New Hampshire has a directory of interpreters.
New Jersey -- New Jersey has an interpreter referral service and also maintains a listing of sign language interpreters. On the homepage, click "Locate a Sign Language Interpreter" to download a PDF with the listing.
New Mexico -- The New Mexico Commission for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons has an interpreter referral service.
New York -- New York's Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities has a listing of interpreter referral services and agencies.
North Carolina -- The North Carolina DHS Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing has an interpreter directory that includes separate lists of interpreter service agencies and referral agencies.
North Dakota -- The North Dakota School for the Deaf offers an interpreter referral service.
Ohio -- Ohio area community centers for the deaf offer interpreting services.
Oklahoma -- The Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services has a listing of certified interpreters in Oklahoma, plus a second list of educational interpreters. In addition, is an interpreting service agency that serves the entire state of Oklahoma.
Oregon -- Request an interpreter through the Oregon Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services' interpreter request forms.
