Certified Translation of a Power of Attorney

In life, we may encounter various situations in which we need to deal with an official matter, either in Poland or abroad, but are not physically able to handle it in person. In such cases, various types of authorisations and powers of attorney can be used, allowing us to authorise another person to handle certain official matters on our behalf. If these matters are to be handled outside Poland, it will be necessary to obtain a certified translation of such a power of attorney, which the authorised person can take with them and present to the relevant institutions. General information on certified translations can also be found in our article on certification of a translation vs sworn translation. In this article, we will discuss such issues as: what types of powers of attorney exist, when a certified translation of a power of attorney is most commonly required – both for private individuals and companies – what the costs and completion time of such a translation are, and how to order a certified translation of a power of attorney

A “sworn translation” is, in fact, a commonly used term for what is officially referred to as a “certified translation”. It is the term “certified translation” that is formally used for this type of translation under the Regulation of the Minister of Justice governing the activities performed by sworn translators. More information about the distinction can also be found in our article on certification of a translation vs sworn translation.

Clients very often refer to a certified translation as a sworn translation because they are not familiar with terminology used in the translation industry and have simply been informed that their document must be translated by a sworn translator. From the client’s perspective – that is, from the perspective of someone outside the industry – the natural adjective used to describe such a translation is therefore “sworn”. A certified translation is a special type of official translation that can only be prepared by a person authorised to do so – in this case, a sworn translator. In order to obtain the qualifications required to prepare certified translations, a translator must pass a highly specialised state examination organised by the Ministry of Justice.

After passing the examination, the translator must then be sworn in by the Minister of Justice during an official oath-taking ceremony in Warsaw and entered on the list of sworn translators. Only after being entered on the list and receiving an official seal may the translator officially begin preparing certified translations of powers of attorney. More information about the profession itself is available in our article on the sworn translator of English and the characteristics of the profession. The form of a certified translation of a power of attorney is governed by rules laid down, among others, in the Regulation of the Ministry of Justice and in the Professional Code of the Sworn Translator prepared by the Polish Society of Sworn and Specialised Translators TEPIS.

Every certified translation consists of several standard elements. A certified translation begins with a heading containing information about the direction of the translation. This is followed by a description of the document and its security features or graphic elements, which the translator must describe. For example, in a certified translation of a power of attorney, the translator must accurately describe the official seal of the notary who certified the power of attorney and the notary’s handwritten signature, which is often accompanied by a personalised ink stamp. In the context of notarial documents, our article on a sworn translator at the notarial office – in what situations and why may also be useful.

The next element is the translation of the document itself. In the case of a certified translation of a power of attorney, this will be the content describing the activities the authorised representative is permitted to perform. At the very end of the certified translation of the power of attorney, there is a certification formula in which the sworn translator states whether the translation was prepared from the original or from another document presented to them. Below this certification, the sworn translator places their handwritten signature and official seal and indicates the repertory number under which the certified translation of the power of attorney has been registered. A document prepared in this way may be used in any official situation requiring a certified translation of a power of attorney.

Certified translation of a power of attorney – what types of powers of attorney are there and when are they required?

A power of attorney is a special type of official document in which the principal authorises another person – the attorney-in-fact – to represent them in various legal activities. As a result, the principal does not need to be personally present each time different types of transactions are carried out.

There are several types of powers of attorney that may be prepared in notarial form or in writing where failure to observe the required form may result in invalidity. These include: a general power of attorney, a generic power of attorney, a specific power of attorney and a power of attorney for legal proceedings.

The first type of power of attorney covers activities that do not exceed the scope of ordinary management, including the management of another person’s assets. The second type – a generic power of attorney – defines a specific type of activity that the principal authorises the attorney-in-fact to perform and that the attorney-in-fact may carry out repeatedly in accordance with the wording of the power of attorney. The third type, a specific power of attorney, usually concerns a specific scope of activities and powers that the attorney-in-fact may exercise on behalf of the principal. A good example would be a power of attorney to purchase or sell a specific property.

The final type, a power of attorney for legal proceedings, may be granted by both private individuals and companies. It allows the attorney-in-fact to represent the principal in various official and court matters, including participation in hearings and submission of procedural applications. Interestingly, the regulations concerning this type of power of attorney are contained in the Polish Code of Civil Procedure.

The most frequently encountered certified translations of powers of attorney are powers of attorney for legal proceedings and specific powers of attorney, i.e. powers of attorney concerning the performance of particular activities on behalf of the principal, such as the sale of real estate or shares.

Private individuals most commonly grant powers of attorney to legal advisers or lawyers who are responsible for representing them, for example, during court proceedings concerning divorce, inheritance matters or the division of custody of a minor. Such powers of attorney are also frequently granted to other members of the principal’s family, for example relatives residing in the country in which specific official proceedings are taking place.

If such proceedings take place before courts abroad, the notarised power of attorney will need to be translated by a sworn translator into the foreign language required in the relevant country. This allows the authorised person to represent the principal during foreign court hearings, mediation proceedings and other official activities.

Powers of attorney for legal proceedings are also frequently granted by companies whose decision-makers are not always able to participate personally in court hearings or other official proceedings. In such situations, by granting a power of attorney, for example to employees of the company’s legal department, the principal may delegate certain tasks to the appointed attorney-in-fact, who can handle them efficiently and in accordance with the principal’s instructions.

What are the costs and completion time of a certified translation of a power of attorney?

A very important issue that should be clarified at the outset is that the method used to calculate certified translations is determined by the Minister of Justice. Under the relevant Regulation, certified translations of powers of attorney are calculated based on the number of characters including spaces, with one page corresponding to 1,125 characters including spaces. More information on the costs of certified translations may also be useful in this context.

It is also worth noting that a power of attorney is not a standardised document such as a copy of a civil status record. It is therefore impossible to determine the exact cost of a certified translation of a power of attorney without first reviewing the source document.

Every certified translation of a power of attorney is priced individually because each document may contain a completely different scope of activities that the attorney-in-fact is authorised to perform, which results in a different number of billing pages. The MS Mostowy Sworn Translator’s Office regularly prepares certified translations of powers of attorney, and even in 2025, the number of billing pages in such certified translations ranged from 2 to as many as 9 pages.

One of the shorter powers of attorney translated by our office in June 2025 was a certified translation of a power of attorney for legal proceedings, in which the client authorised her lawyer to represent her during court hearings and to submit all required and appropriate applications and documents on her behalf. The number of billing pages for this particular certified translation of a power of attorney was only 2 pages.

Another assignment completed by our office was a certified translation of a power of attorney prepared in December 2025, which amounted to 4 pages of certified translation. This power of attorney concerned inheritance matters, including the sale of shares in real estate and the representation of the principal before all institutions required as part of inheritance proceedings, such as public authorities, courts and notarial offices.

The MS Mostowy Sworn Translator’s Office also prepared a certified translation of a similar power of attorney in March 2025. It was both a power of attorney for legal proceedings and a specific power of attorney – also concerning inheritance matters, the disposal of real estate and all related shares. The certified translation of this power of attorney amounted to 5 pages because it also specified the exact scope of activities and powers of the attorney-in-fact.

However, the record holder among our certified translations of powers of attorney remains a power of attorney translated from French in February 2025, which amounted to as many as 9 billing pages of certified translation. This power of attorney also concerned legal proceedings related to inheritance.

As we can see, the number of billing pages for each certified translation of a power of attorney was completely different from that of the previous assignment. It is therefore impossible to determine the exact cost of a certified translation of a power of attorney until the sworn translator has reviewed the source document.

Certified translations of powers of attorney are calculated based on the number of characters including spaces. Therefore, in order to receive precise information about the possible cost and completion time of such a translation, a scan of the document should be sent to our office by email. After calculating the number of characters including spaces, we will provide the client with all information concerning the cost.

In the case of powers of attorney, the usual completion time is approximately 2–3 business days from the moment the order is confirmed. Completion times are usually determined on the basis of the number of billing pages and the current workload of other assignments. Nevertheless, at the MS Mostowy Sworn Translator’s Office, we always try to adapt the proposed completion time to the client’s current needs.

How to order a certified translation of a power of attorney?

To order a certified translation of a power of attorney, the client simply needs to contact us by email and, once the notarial act has been completed, send us a scan of the notarial deed or deliver the original power of attorney to our office.

In the case of email contact, immediately after receiving a message with a scan of the document, we will prepare a quotation for the power of attorney and inform the client about the expected completion time and costs. In the case of first-time clients of the MS Mostowy Sworn Translator’s Office, we will ask the client to pay a deposit before the translation begins and to send us confirmation of payment by email. When placing an order by email, payment can be made either by traditional bank transfer or by BLIK transfer to a telephone number. Information about online certified translation in Poland may also be useful when submitting documents remotely.

If a certified translation of a power of attorney is ordered in person at our office, we also prepare a quotation for the document immediately and inform the client about the possible completion date. We then ask the client to complete an order form so that we can contact them once the order is ready for collection. At our office, the deposit may be paid in cash or by BLIK transfer to a telephone number. Information about the deposit paid is then added to the contact form completed by the client.

Once all these formalities have been completed, the certified translation of the power of attorney is accepted for processing and the MS Mostowy Sworn Translator’s Office contacts the client again when the translation is ready for collection. The client then receives a paper version of the certified translation of the power of attorney together with the return of the original document – if the client left the document at our office for the duration of the translation process.

At the client’s request, we can attach the source document to the completed certified translation of the power of attorney and also send the client a scan of the completed certified translation of the power of attorney in PDF format by email.

FAQ: Certified Translation of a Power of Attorney