Use the CPN on the translator’s stamp to verify the person before you order.
Enter the 9-character Certified Practitioner Number (CPN) in NAATI’s official Check a NAATI certification tool. Match the practitioner’s name, Translator credential, language direction and certification status.
The public directory helps you find practitioners who choose to be listed. It is not the credential-verification step for a known CPN.
Check a NAATI certification number in four steps
- Get the CPN. Ask the translator or language service provider for the number shown on the stamp. A current CPN has 9 characters and begins with CPN.
- Use the official certification tool. Enter the complete CPN at Check a NAATI certification.
- Match the work. Confirm the result names the practitioner, shows a written Translator credential and covers the required language direction, such as Chinese into English.
- Check the date and status. Before ordering new work, confirm the relevant credential is current. For an existing translation, compare the translation date with the period when the credential was active.
Online Directory and certification check are different
| NAATI tool | Use it for | Important boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Online Directory | Finding and contacting practitioners | Practitioners can choose not to display a directory profile. |
| Check a NAATI certification | Verifying the CPN and certification details of a known practitioner | NAATI says certified practitioners cannot opt out of the verification tool. |
Searching by name alone can match the wrong person or miss someone who is not publicly listed. NAATI’s Online Directory FAQ directs consumers to ask for the CPN and use the certification tool.
Physical, digital and pre-2018 stamps
- Physical stamp: read the CPN, credential, language direction and translation date printed on the translation.
- Digital stamp: scan its unique QR code to verify the stamp and the practitioner’s credential. A result marked invalid needs to be checked with NAATI before use.
- Pre-2018 accreditation: an older stamp can show a purely numeric practitioner number rather than a current CPN. NAATI says former accreditation is verified by emailing NAATI.
See NAATI’s practitioner identification guide for the current stamp formats, digital verification and former accreditation system.
What an expired credential means
For new work, engage a practitioner whose required credential is current. An expired credential does not automatically invalidate an older translation: NAATI states that a translation completed while the translator held active certification remains valid indefinitely.
Record these facts before you pay
- document type and issuing country;
- source language and required translation direction;
- receiving institution and intended use;
- required pages, PDF or paper format and deadline;
- the translator’s CPN and current credential result.
For broader service selection, see our NAATI Certified Translator service and ordering guide. If the document is a birth certificate, see the NAATI-certified birth certificate translation from $39 service page.
Related birth certificate requirements
- Birth certificate translation for an Australian passport application
- Birth certificate translation requirements for an Australian visa
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “NAATI Level 3” still valid?
It is an older system name. Check the practitioner’s CPN in NAATI’s official certification tool. If the stamp has a pre-2018 purely numeric practitioner number, contact NAATI to verify the former accreditation.
Can a translation company translate under someone else’s number?
The number belongs to the individual translator who did and stamped the work. Ask the service for that practitioner’s CPN and verify it in NAATI’s official certification tool; a public directory listing is not required.
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 →
Official sources: Check a NAATI certification; practitioner identification; Online Directory FAQ.
Author: Fiona He
Owner & content lead, 澳洲ABC翻译（ABC Translation Australia）
Last updated: 2026-08-07