Translation invoicing has its own vocabulary — source words, weighted counts, certification, language pairs — and clients range from a private individual with one certificate to an agency running a memory-tool analysis on every job. A clear invoice serves both.
Decide the pricing basis before you start
Per source word. The default. Counting the source rather than the target means the price is fixed before you translate a line, and the client can verify it. State the rate and the count: "3,200 words at €0.12".
Per target word. Sometimes used where the source is hard to count. It leaves the final price uncertain until the job is done, so flag that when you quote.
Per standard page. For scans, images, or certificates where a word count is awkward. Define the standard page on the invoice — commonly 250 words or 1,500 characters including spaces — so "page" is not ambiguous.
Add a minimum charge for very short jobs. Translating a birth certificate is fifteen minutes of typing and an hour of care, and a per-word price does not cover that.
Name the language pair and direction
Put the pair in the line item — "EN>DE", "FR>EN" — because the direction changes the rate and your records. Translating into your native language is the standard professional direction; translating out of it, if you offer that, is often priced higher and some clients want it labelled.
Separate certification from translation
Certified, sworn, or notarised translation is two deliverables: the translation itself, priced per word or per page, and the certification — a signed accuracy statement, a stamp, or a sworn declaration before a court, depending on the country. Certification is a flat fee per document. Keeping the lines separate lets a client who only needs the text for information decline the certification, and shows an authority exactly what they are paying for.
Show rush and repetition adjustments as their own lines
If the job needed a 48-hour turnaround or weekend work, add a rush line at your stated surcharge rather than inflating the word rate. If you and the client agreed a weighted rate from a CAT-tool analysis, break it out: new words, fuzzy matches, and 100% or repetition matches each at their rate, with the analysis report attached. A client who runs memory tools expects that breakdown; a private client does not need it and a single line is clearer.
Handle cross-border payment cleanly
Translation clients are often in another country. Invoice in the currency you agreed, put your IBAN and BIC or the relevant local details on the invoice, and state who covers any transfer fees. If you are dealing with an EU agency and both of you are VAT-registered, the reverse charge usually applies — invoice without VAT and add both VAT numbers plus a reverse-charge note. Confirm your own situation with an accountant. The VAT position on cross-border translation depends on the rules in both countries, so read this as general guidance and not tax advice.
Before you send
- Your name, address, and tax or VAT number
- The client or agency entity and a billing contact
- A unique invoice number and both dates
- The language pair and direction in the line item
- The basis stated: source words and rate, or standard pages with the page definition
- Certification as a separate flat-fee line where relevant
- Rush surcharge and any CAT-weighted breakdown on their own lines
- A minimum charge applied to very small jobs
- Bank details, currency, and who pays transfer fees
Set your rate and language pair above and download the PDF. A free NeatDue account stores payment details per currency, so your euro and non-euro invoices each show the right account.