Licensing
for Sign Language Interpreters in Oregon
Welcome!
On this page you can see:
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Licensure Updates,
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Information about each license type,
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Tips on the application process, and
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Answers to Frequently Asked Questions.
(Click the link to jump to each section)
We are interpreters just like you, not particular experts! 👍 If you find errors here or have suggestions for improving this page, please email us at: Legislative@orid.org.
Updates
Licensure Board &
Rules Advisory Committee
Upcoming Meetings
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Mon, July 23rd - RAC Meeting
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Thurs, Aug 7th, 9:30am - Board Meeting
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Wed, Aug 20th, 4pm - Board Meeting
Previous Meetings
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Wed, May 28th, 9:30am - RAC Meeting
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Thurs, May 8th, 9am - Board Meeting
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Previous Board and RAC Meeting recordings:
State of Oregon HLO YouTube Channel
Sign up for updates from HLO here
May 29th, 2025: Waiver Extension
At the May 28th RAC meeting, HLO staff said the waiver of enforcement will be extended beyond June 30th.
The length of the extension is still being determined. If you would like to request details about the waiver extension, please reach out to Samie at:
May 28th, 2025: Licensing Structure Updated
The governor has signed a bill into law updating the licensing structure for Sign Language Interpreters in Oregon. The new structure will become operative January 1, 2026.
This chart outlines the new license structure:
License Types & Requirements
Requirements for all SLI Licenses in Oregon:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Meet requirements of OAR Chapter 331, Division 30
- Attest to complying with the NAD-RID Code of Professional Conduct
(Reminder: The CPC Tenet 2 Guiding Principle states that interpreters accept assignments using discretion with regard to skill and consumer needs. If a licensed interpreter regularly accepts assignments for which they do not possess the professional skills and knowledge, complaints may be filed with HLO and reviewed by the Board of Sign Language Interpreter Licensing.)
- Renew every three years.
Additional requirements depend on the license type:
Training, Provisional, General, or Supervisory.
See below for details.
Required Credentials
To be determined by Board.
Restrictions
- May provide interpreting services only under the direct, on-site supervision of a fully licensed interpreter.
- Quality of services are the responsibility of the fully licensed interpreter, and any complaints to HLO will be about the supervising professional.
Cost
To be determined by Board.
Required Credentials
ONE of the following:
- EIPA: 3.5 or above
- TBEI: Basic
- TBEI: Level II or above
- ASLPI: 4 or above
- SLIPI: Advanced or above
- CASLI Knowledge Exam: passed
Restrictions
- Limited to two renewals
- Must have a supervising interpreter of record to support in discretion accepting assignments, and growing toward full licensure
- May work solo in appropriate assignments: does not need on-site, directsupervision.
Cost
- Application Fee: $75
- License Fee: $100
- Renewal Fee (every 3 years): $50
General
License
Required Credentials
ONE of the following:
- RID: CDI, NIC, CI, CT, MCS, IC, IT
- NAD: Levell III
- EIPA: Level 4 or above
Restrictions
- None
- May provide on-site, direct supervision to holders of a Training License
- May be supervising interpreter of record for holders of Provisional Licenses until July 1, 2030.
Cost
- Application Fee: 100
- License Fee: $150
- Renewal Fee (every 3 years): $50
Required Credentials
ONE of the following for at least three years:
- RID: CDI, NIC, CI, CT, MCS, IC, IT
- NAD: Levell III
- EIPA: Level 4 or above
Restrictions
- None
Cost
- Application Fee: $150
- License Fee: $200
- Renewal Fee (every 3 years): $50
Applying for a License
The application process can feel a bit daunting.
We hope this slide deck might help navigate the process a bit.
Feel free to email us with suggestions to improve it: legislative@orid.org.
Frequently
Asked
Questions
1. Do I need a score on the ASLPI or SLIP to get a license?
2. Do I need the OHA certification to work in medical settings?
3. What does the "waiver" mean?
4. Now that the Educational Specialty License will sunset, are interpreters working in K-12 settings waived from the licensure requirement?
5. I have an Educational, Medical, or Legal Specialty License from the old license structure. What happens to those licenses now?
6. If I do not have a specialty license before January 2026, what happens?
7. What if we need specialty licenses in the future?
To add a question, please email: legislative@orid.org
1. Do I need a score on the ASLPI or SLIP to get a license?
Nope. If you want your Health Care Interpreting Certification from OHA -- to be on their particular registry, then you will need a certain score on an ASL fluency assessment, but you are not required to have this for any license.
2. Do I need the OHA Certification to work in medical settings?
No. Medical providers (clinics, hospitals, etc.) must first seek interpreters on the OHA registry. If none are available, they can work with any licensed interpreter.
You do not need an ASLPI/SLIP score to be licensed.
3. What does the "waiver" mean?
HLO is the government agency in charge of administering licenses for interpreters in Oregon. They have set a "waiver of enforcement" while all of the details for our licenses solidify.
The waiver means that HLO will not apply punishment to interpreters or those hiring/contracting with interpreters for working without a license.
If complaints are brought against a licensed interpreter for violating their license (for example, violations of the CPC), HLO may investigate those complaints and enforce consequences if warranted, but not for complaints only of interpreters working without a license.
Currently the waiver is set to end June 30th, but the HLO staff has said at Board and RAC meetings that it will be extended likely 6 months to a year, so all of the details of licensure can be clarified before being enforced. If you would like confirmation of the extension date or details, please email our HLO assigned liaison, Samie: Samie.Patnode@oha.oregon.gov.
4. Now that the Educational Specialty License will sunset, are interpreters working in K-12 settings now waived from the licensure requirement?
No. Interpreters working in K-12 settings in Oregon will have to be licensed just like all interpreters in the state.
5. I have an Educational, Medical, or Legal Specialty License from the old license structure. What happens to those licenses now?
These specialty licenses obtained under ORS 676.762 (Ed), 676.765 (Med), and 676.768 (Leg) before January 1, 2026 will remain valid until January 1, 2029.
So anyone holding an Educational License issued before January 1, 2026 can continue working in Educational settings under that license until January 1, 2029. (If they want to work in other settings, they will need to get a different license.)
Once the changes to the law become operative in January 1, 2026, these specialty licenses will not be required, nor available to obtain.
6. If I did/do not get a specialty license before January 1, 2026, what happens?
Once the law updates become operative on January 1, 2026, an interpreter can work in these settings with any license — using profession discretion in accordance with the CPC Tenet 2.
The Board of Sign Language Interpreters has the authority to establish specialty licenses. They may do that in the future, but right now, you need just one license to practice in the state.
7. What if we need specialty licenses in the future?
The updates to the licensure structure removed the specialty licenses from the law, which is determined by our state legislators through a very long, complex process. The Board has the authority to create specialty licenses under rule, which is determined by experts in the field (Deaf people and interpreters), and can be done through a much more adaptable process.
If you feel that there is a specialty setting that interpreters could qualify for through a test or assessment of some kind, and that you think should require an additional license, please reach out to the licensing board or rules advisory committee with that input!