ISO 9001 
ISO 17100 
ISO 18587 LinguaVox provides contract translation services for companies, law firms, procurement teams, HR departments, notaries and private clients who need agreements translated for negotiation, review, signature or official use. Contracts are not ordinary business texts. Definitions, obligations, dates, figures, cross-references, annexes and limitation clauses have to remain consistent throughout, because small wording changes can affect how the document is read and applied.
We work with Spanish, English and multilingual contract files for use in Spain, Europe and other jurisdictions. The workflow depends on the purpose of the translation. A draft contract for internal review does not require the same treatment as a signed agreement filed with a court, notary, public authority or tender body. Before quoting, we ask where the translation will be used and whether a sworn, certified or professional legal translation is required.
Contracts we translate
Typical projects include commercial agreements, distribution contracts, employment contracts, NDAs, framework agreements, purchase and supply contracts, lease agreements, shareholder agreements, service agreements, general terms and conditions, data processing agreements, loan agreements and tender-related contracts. We also translate contract annexes, schedules, appendices, tables, signature pages, stamps and supporting documents.
Many contracts arrive as scans, signed PDFs or bilingual drafts. We check legibility, page order, repeated sections, handwritten notes, missing annexes and formatting requirements before confirming the quote. Where a contract includes technical specifications, financial tables or regulatory clauses, the translator is selected not only for legal language experience but also for the relevant subject matter.
Sworn, certified or legal translation
A contract may require sworn translation when it is submitted in Spain to a court, notary, registry office, public authority or administrative body. In other countries, the receiving institution may request a certified translation, notarised translation or another format. For negotiation, internal review, due diligence or commercial analysis, a professional legal translation is often sufficient.
LinguaVox can advise on the likely format after reviewing the destination and intended use, but final acceptance always depends on the receiving body. If a law firm, notary, court, bank or authority has issued instructions, send them with the contract so the translation can be prepared accordingly.
Legal accuracy and terminology
Contract translation requires stable terminology. The same party name, defined term, clause heading or legal concept must not shift from one section to another. We check defined terms, numbering, dates, amounts, references to annexes, governing law clauses, signatures and tables. For recurring clients, we can maintain glossaries and translation memories so that future contracts follow the same terminology.
Where the project is contracted under an ISO 17100 workflow, bilingual revision by a second qualified linguist is included. For high-risk agreements, this additional review is advisable. For urgent or internal documents, a lighter workflow may be discussed if the intended use allows it.
Formats and confidentiality
Contracts are often supplied as Word files, editable PDFs, scanned PDFs, Excel schedules or bilingual comparison tables. We preserve the structure as far as possible and quote any layout reconstruction separately when the source is non-editable or heavily formatted.
Confidentiality is central to legal translation. Contracts may contain prices, commercial strategy, personal data, technical know-how or settlement terms. Access is limited to the project team assigned to the file, and we work under specific non-disclosure agreements where required.
How to request a quote
Send the contract, language pair, deadline, destination country and intended use. State whether the translation is for negotiation, signature, internal review, a tender, a notary, a court or another authority. If you have approved terminology, previous translations or bilingual contract templates, include them so the wording stays consistent.
Practical checks before delivery
For contract files, we also verify whether the translation should follow the same clause numbering and whether agreed bilingual terminology already exists within the client's organisation. Where a contract is part of a transaction, tender or litigation file, related documents should be sent together where possible, because definitions in one document often affect wording in another. If the source contains track changes, comments or bilingual columns, the preferred treatment of those elements should be agreed before translation begins.
We also confirm whether signatures, stamps, handwritten notes and annexes must be translated or described. These elements are easy to overlook in a contract but often matter when the translation is reviewed by a lawyer, counterparty, notary or compliance team. Clear instructions at the start make the final file more useful and reduce avoidable queries during review.
Frequently asked questions
Do contract translations need to be sworn?
Not always. A sworn translation may be required if the contract will be submitted to a Spanish authority, court, notary or registry. For negotiation, internal review or commercial use, a professional legal translation may be sufficient. The receiving body decides the required format.
Can you translate signed PDF contracts?
Yes. We translate signed PDFs and scanned contracts, provided the text is legible. If the document is non-editable, layout reconstruction or formatting work may be quoted separately. Clear scans reduce queries and avoid errors in names, figures and signatures.
Do you translate contract annexes and schedules?
Yes. Annexes, schedules, tables, appendices and exhibits are normally translated with the main contract when they form part of the agreement. Send the complete set of files so the quote covers the whole document and internal references stay consistent.
Can you keep defined terms consistent across a long agreement?
Yes. We check definitions, party names, clause headings, amounts, dates and cross-references. For recurring legal work, we can maintain a glossary and translation memory so later contracts follow the same approved wording.
Can you review a contract translation prepared elsewhere?
Yes. We can provide bilingual revision against the source, monolingual legal editing or a formatting check. To quote accurately, send both the original and the translation, and explain whether the review is for internal use, signature or official submission.
