Oregon Registry of
Interpreters for the Deaf

No. 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.

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.

The law (ORS 676.750-789) says that anyone providing sign language interpreting services in Oregon needs to be licensed. (There are only a few exceptions.)

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HLO is the government agency in charge of licenses for sign language interpreters in Oregon.

HLO recognized that they need more time to establish all the rules (details) of the law, and stakeholders need time to implement these into their business models. (See their announcement here: HLO News.)

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In recognition of this transition period, HLO used the strongest tool under their authority to provide the needed time: a "waiver of enforcement."

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The waiver means that HLO will not apply punishment to interpreters or those hiring/contracting with interpreters for working without a license. It is actually illegal, but the agency with authority to enforce that law will not enforced it until July 1, 2026. 

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Keep in mind, this waiver of enforcement only applies to being licensed or not. If a licensed interpreter is violating terms of that 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. ​

No. Interpreters working in K-12 settings in Oregon will have to be licensed just like all interpreters in the state.

Any specialty licenses obtained before January 1, 2026 under ORS 676.762 (Ed), 676.765 (Med), and 676.768 (Leg) will remain valid until January 1, 2029. (See Section 11 on page 5 here: Updates to SLI Licensure.)

That means that 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 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 get new (only the "grandfathered-in" ones will exist).

Once the law updates become operative on January 1, 2026, an interpreter can work in these settings with any active license (Training, Provisional, General, or Supervisory) — 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 only need one license to practice in the state.
 

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! 

In the past, ODE has required interpreters working under their employment to take a certain number of hours of professional development every year. That requirement has changed in the past and can change again. Please contact ODE about their requirements. (And note that if ODE does not require it, your school district or other level of authority may require them.)

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The Board and Rules Advisory Committee have been discussing a requirement for CEUs, but currently that is not a requirement for licensure.

When a law is updated by the state legislature (SB950), there is a lag time, or "processing" time, for the changes to go into effect.

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That means you may be reading about changes that will occur, but the HLO automated system still is sending letters based on the way the original law was written, without the updates that will go into effect in 2026.

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Many interpreters, employers, and consumers are feeling understandable frustration during this transition time.

We hope you will hang in there, and we will try to give as many updates as we can as details are solidified and finalized by the Board.

Please check out our Licensure Updates for important upcoming dates and ways you can share your input on the structure and cost of licensure.

Interpreters who hold a Training License are not allowed to interpret alone. They must have a fully licensed (Gen or Sup) interpreter with them, on-site, making sure that the interpreting services are providing access and ready to jump in if needed. (This license is great for interns or people in rural settings being mentored into the field.)

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Interpreters who hold a Provisional License are allowed to work solo in settings that are appropriate for their knowledge and skill level. They must have a supervising interpreter of record who helps them identify which jobs they are ready for, might help them prepare, debrief afterwards, and mentor as needed to work towards full licensure. 

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The term "Supervision" is from other professions like therapists and doctors. Therapists often have a "supervising therapist" and doctors in their residency have a "supervising physician." The supervising practitioner is not right there with them during the day, but they are available to discuss cases and get guidance for next steps.