Every genuine NAATI-certified translator holds a practitioner credential with a unique number (CPN), shown on the translator’s stamp on your translation.
You can verify the number free in NAATI’s official online directory: search the practitioner by name or number and confirm the credential type, language direction and current status.
If a service cannot tell you the translator’s NAATI number before you order, treat that as a warning sign.
What a NAATI credential looks like
NAATI is Australia’s national accreditation authority for translators and interpreters. A certified translator’s stamp on your translation shows their name and practitioner number. Older “Level 3” wording belongs to the pre-2018 system; current credentials are shown by type (for example Certified Translator) and language direction.
How to check in the NAATI directory (2 steps)
Step 1: Go to the NAATI online directory and search by practitioner name or number.
Step 2: Confirm three things: the credential is current (not expired), the language direction matches your document (for example Chinese into English), and the credential type is a translator credential for written translation work.
Why this matters before you pay
Australian government bodies (Home Affairs, Passport Office, state registries) rely on the NAATI number to assess translations. A translation stamped with an expired, wrong-direction or fabricated number can be rejected after you have paid and lodged.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “NAATI Level 3” still valid?
It is an older system name. What matters is the practitioner’s current credential status in the NAATI directory, not the historic level label.
Can a translation company translate under someone else’s number?
The number belongs to the individual translator who did and stamped the work. Reputable services name the credential behind your translation; verify it in the directory.
Do your translations show a verifiable NAATI number?
Yes. Every translation we deliver is completed and stamped by a NAATI-certified translator with their practitioner number on the document, so you can verify it the same way. See our NAATI-certified birth certificate translation from $39 service page.
Get your birth certificate translated →
Source: NAATI — online practitioner directory.
Author: Fiona He
Owner & content lead, 澳洲ABC翻译（ABC Translation）
Last updated: 2026-08-06