Directed and reviewed by a family medicine physician & certified medical interpreter
In the United States, two national bodies certify Spanish medical interpreters: the Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI), which awards the CHI, and the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (NBCMI), which awards the CMI. Both require you to meet prerequisites first and then pass exams. This guide lays out the steps in order, based on what each body published on its official site in October 2026.
Requirements, fees and testing options change. Use this as a roadmap, then confirm every detail in the official candidate handbook before you pay or register.
Step 1: Know what you are aiming for
Being bilingual is not the same as being a qualified interpreter, and a training certificate is not the same as a national credential. A course shows that you completed training. The CHI and CMI are earned by meeting prerequisites and passing exams. If you are unsure where bilingual skills end and interpreting skills begin, read Can a bilingual nurse interpret?.
Step 2: Check the basic prerequisites
Both bodies list the same core requirements for Spanish.
- Age: at least 18.
- Education: a high school diploma or GED (CCHI also accepts an equivalent from another country). NBCMI asks for at least a high school level and lists accepted proof, including a diploma, GED or higher-education degree.
- Training: at least 40 hours of healthcare or medical interpreter training. CCHI accepts academic or non-academic programs. NBCMI accepts a certificate from an accepted course of 40 or more hours, or a transcript showing at least 3 credit hours of medical interpreting, and says this requirement cannot be waived, even for candidates with other training or experience, including physicians.
- Language proficiency: documented ability in English and Spanish.
Step 3: Complete your 40 hours of training
Training is the step people most often underestimate, because it must be finished before you can register. Confirm with CCHI or NBCMI that your course is accepted before you enroll. Our study materials do not count toward these hours.
Step 4: Document your language proficiency
CCHI asks you to show proficiency in English and Spanish, and says documents issued in another language must include an English translation in the same file.
NBCMI lists several routes for each language, and you need only one for each. For Spanish, examples include a degree or high school diploma from a Spanish-speaking country, 24 or more semester credit hours of Spanish, or an ACTFL Advanced Mid result on the OPI or OPIc. For English, examples include a degree or diploma from an English-speaking country, or a qualifying test score such as TOEFL or IELTS. NBCMI states that the list can change.
Step 5: Choose CCHI or NBCMI
| CCHI: CHI (Spanish) | NBCMI: CMI (Spanish) | |
|---|---|---|
| Exams | CoreCHI knowledge exam, then a bilingual CHI performance exam | Written exam (earns Hub-CMI), then a Spanish oral exam |
| Timing | Pass the CHI within 12 months of passing CoreCHI | Complete the oral exam within 2 years of Hub-CMI |
| Written or knowledge exam | 100 questions (15 unscored), 2 hours | 51 scored questions plus 5 to 10 unscored, 75 minutes, 75% to pass |
| Performance exam | 60 minutes at a proctored test center in the U.S.; passing score 450 on a 300 to 600 scale | Recorded role-play; 70% to pass for Spanish |
| Results | About 6 to 8 weeks after the testing window closes | About 6 to 8 weeks for the oral exam |
For a deeper comparison, including score weights, see CCHI vs NBCMI: Spanish medical interpreter exams compared.
Timing note for CCHI: CCHI says it stops awarding the standalone CoreCHI certification on January 1, 2027. Its exam-preparation page still lists passing the CoreCHI exam as required for the CHI, and the sunsetting notice does not say whether that changes for Spanish CHI candidates. If you plan to test with CCHI, read the current handbook for how the change applies to you.
Step 6: Budget for the published fees
| Fee | Listed amount |
|---|---|
| CCHI initial CoreCHI (includes $40 non-refundable application fee) | $231 |
| CCHI CHI performance exam | $302 |
| NBCMI registration (non-refundable, valid for one year) | $40 |
| NBCMI written exam | $190 |
| NBCMI oral exam | $300 |
Both organizations say fees can change. Also budget for your training course, any retakes, and the possibility that an unused exam fee expires. CCHI states that an exam fee expires after one year if the exam has not been taken. NBCMI states that you must wait 3 months before retaking the written or oral exam, and it allows only one online attempt at the written exam.
Step 7: Prepare for the exams
Both credentials test medical terminology in two directions, the code of ethics and role boundaries, and the interpreting modes. Practice each deliberately:
- Consecutive interpreting: short role plays, with note-taking.
- Sight translation: see Sight translation practice for the exam.
- Ethics and role: see Medical interpreter ethics scenarios.
- Structure: our 6-week study plan gives you a weekly schedule.
If you want one study set, our Interpreter Study Guide includes a 693-term English-Spanish glossary, ethics scenarios, sight translation passages and consecutive role plays, designed by a family medicine physician & certified medical interpreter. It is an independent study aid. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by CCHI or NBCMI, it does not guarantee a passing result, and it does not count toward required training hours. The interpreters page has more information, including a waitlist for a planned practice simulator.
Step 8: Register, test and read the handbook again
Register with your chosen body, schedule your exam, and re-read the handbook the week before you test. Rules for test centers, online proctoring and scheduling differ by exam and can change, so check which apply to each attempt.
Official sources
- CCHI: cchicertification.org (eligibility, fees, CHI exam, CoreCHI sunsetting notice)
- NBCMI: certifiedmedicalinterpreters.org (prerequisites, written exam, oral exam, candidate handbook)
Related guides
- Compare the exams side by side: CCHI vs NBCMI
- Practice the hardest mode: Sight translation practice
- Learn the role: Medical interpreter ethics scenarios
Study aids support learning and do not replace training, certification, or qualified interpreters in clinical care. This article summarizes publicly available information and is not legal or career advice. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by CCHI or NBCMI.