Colorado ASL Interpreter Requirements: What Employers, Schools, and Legal Teams Need to Know
Updated October 19, 20263 min read
Summary
What Colorado requires of sign language interpreters: the HB19-1069 title rule, court and legal designations, K–12 EIPA standards, and the HB26-1109 study.
Colorado does not issue a general license for sign language interpreters. It regulates the work in three other ways: who may use the title, who may interpret in courts and legal proceedings, and who may interpret in public schools. A fourth change may be coming. If you hire interpreters in Colorado, these are the rules that decide who is qualified.
1. The title: certified by RID or approved by the state
Under HB19-1069, signed in 2019, the interpreter and translator titles for sign language in Colorado are reserved for interpreters certified by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) or holding a certification approved by the state’s Commission for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind.
What it means for you: before you book, confirm the interpreter’s RID certification (for example, the National Interpreter Certification) or a state-approved credential. Someone who signs well but holds neither should not be presented as an interpreter.
2. Courts and legal proceedings: Status I or II designation
Interpreters and captioners in Colorado state courts must hold a Colorado Status I or II Court/Legal designation. The program that coordinates them, Legal Communication Access Services (LCAS), sits within SENSE Colorado, the state agency formerly known as the Colorado Division for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind. LCAS covers state court civil and criminal matters, court-ordered mediation and treatment, state agency hearings, and jury proceedings. Law enforcement and prosecutors must use the LCAS provider list for arrests and for witness and victim interviews.
What it means for you: for state court, the court arranges the interpreter. For private legal work, such as depositions, attorney–client meetings, and mediations outside the court program, the law firm or organization arranges it. Ask for interpreters with legal training and credentials, such as RID’s Specialist Certificate: Legal, and confirm they have legal experience.
3. K–12 schools: the EIPA standard
Educational interpreters in Colorado public schools need an Educational Interpreter authorization from the Colorado Department of Education. It requires a score of 3.5 or higher on the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA), along with the degree and written-test requirements CDE lists.
What it means for you: school districts should confirm a current CDE authorization before an interpreter works in the classroom. Interpreting for school events that the district hosts, such as parent meetings and board meetings, is a separate need, and community interpreters may cover it.
4. What may change: the HB26-1109 study
HB26-1109, signed in 2026, requires a study of consumer protections for sign language interpreting services in Colorado. It includes interviews with interpreters, with Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and DeafBlind consumers, and with language service companies, and a comparison with how other states regulate interpreters. The final report is due by July 1, 2028. Licensing or new standards could follow.
Who has to provide an interpreter?
Separate from Colorado’s rules, federal law decides who pays. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, employers, government agencies, healthcare providers, schools, and businesses open to the public generally must provide effective communication, including qualified interpreters or captioning, at no cost to the Deaf or hard-of-hearing person. Requirements depend on your organization, so check with your counsel or compliance team.
A quick checklist for Colorado organizations
- Ask for the interpreter’s credential and how it was verified.
- For legal work, ask about legal credentials and experience; for state court, go through the court.
- For K–12, confirm the CDE Educational Interpreter authorization.
- Book two interpreters for sessions over about an hour.
- Ask the Deaf participant how they communicate, and book to match: ASL, a Certified Deaf Interpreter team, DeafBlind interpreting, trilingual ASL–Spanish, or CART captioning.
ASL interpreters in Colorado from Translation Excellence
Translation Excellence, headquartered in Aurora, provides certified ASL interpreters, Certified Deaf Interpreters, DeafBlind and trilingual interpreting, and CART captioning across Colorado. Every interpreter passes our own skills, ethics, and background screening before the first assignment. See ASL interpreting services in Denver and Colorado.
This article is general information, not legal advice.
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