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Test Site Procedures

Currently, RID offers four certification examinations:

• NAD-RID National Interpreter Certification (NIC) Examination
• Oral Transliteration Certificate (OTC) Examination
• Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) Examination
• Specialist Certificate: Legal (SC:L) Examination

Registering for an exam

• Apply and pay for the exam, submitting any and all necessary documentation fulfilling specific exam requirements. Register online >>
   
• To receive the RID member rate, you MUST already be a Certified, Associate, or Student member in good standing. Learn more about membership>>

Notification

Depending upon which exam you have applied for, one of the following will occur:

• NIC Knowledge Examination: Candidate will receive an e-mail from CASTLE Worldwide, Inc. with further instructions on how to schedule an exam.
• All Other Examinations: After exam payment has been processed and any eligibility requirements have been verified, the candidate's Authorization to Test (ATT) Letter will be activated and available in their RID account under "Track Test." Once the candidate has access to the ATT letter, he/she may contact the RID Test Site of his/her choice to schedule an exam. When you contact the RID Test Site, the test administrator will work directly with the candidate to confirm the appointment date and time, and provide information on reaching the testing location.

Inclement Weather Conditions

RID Test Sites may be closed or may experience delays during severe weather, natural disasters, or other emergencies. Exam appointments that the RID Test Site cancels under such circumstances may be rescheduled at no cost. Contact the test administrator at the RID Test Site for rescheduling information. If the RID Test Site is open and you do not arrive on time for your appointment, it will be considered a missed appointment and forfeit your exam and all related fees.  You would then be required to register and pay for the exam again in order to sit for it in the future.

Cancelations and Missed Appointments

Candidates who miss their scheduled exam appointment or need to cancel their exam appointment after the deadline due to an excusable emergency situation should notify the RID Test Site immediately and then must contact the Certification and Education Department at certification@rid.org or (703) 838-0030 with notification within 3 business days following the documented emergency (or the first available opportunity if the nature of the emergency prevents them from contacting us) to be considered for a cost-free rescheduled exam appointment.

Excusable emergency situations include:

• The death of an immediate family member
• Accident, illness, or hospitalization of self or an immediate family member (verified by a doctor)
• A natural disaster

 
Documentation of the emergency must be submitted by the candidate to the RID Certification and Education Department by postal mail to: RID, Attn: Cert & Ed Dept, 333 Commerce Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. If RID verifies that the emergency qualifies, the candidate may reschedule an exam appointment, cost-free, within one year of the approval.
 
If the candidate cancels the scheduled exam appointment after the deadline or misses the scheduled exam appointment for any reason other than an excusable emergency situation that is approved by RID, it will be considered a missed appointment and forfeit the exam and all related fees.  The candidate would then be required to register and pay for the exam again in order to sit for it in the future.

Refunds

If you have paid for but have not yet scheduled an appointment for an RID exam and decide you no longer wish to take the exam, RID will be happy to either refund your payment or credit the exam fee to your RID account, minus the $40 non-refundable application processing fee, within 2 years of the paid date. After 2 years, the exam fee cannot be refunded but can be credited to your account (minus the $40 non-refundable application processing fee) so it can be applied to other RID products and services. Please submit your request in writing by email to certification@rid.org or by postal mail to: RID, Attn: Cert & Ed Dept, 333 Commerce Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.
 

Late Arrivals

The ability to test candidates arriving late for their scheduled exam appointment will be at the discretion of the Test Administrator with the following guidelines: 

If the candidate is the only person or the last person to be tested that day, it will be at the discretion of the Test Administrator or the availability of the testing facility whether the tester will have his/her regular allotted time for testing.

If the candidate does not show up or contact the test site, the Test Administrator is required to remain at the test site until the start time of the scheduled examination. At that time, the Test Administrator is free to leave, but must notify the RID Certification and Education Department on the first business day following the scheduled test. The candidate will forfeit all fees in regard to the missed test unless the circumstances are deemed to be an emergency. The candidate must notify Certification and Education Department staff within three business days following the missed examination. Test Administrators will be paid for candidates who fail to show for examinations.

Test Administration

• Candidates should arrive in professional attire, which is appropriately color-contrasted to skin tone.
• Candidates should not wear whites or reds, as these colors cause problems for color video equipment.
• Candidates will be asked to sign forms indicating agreement to maintain confidentiality in regard to testing materials and show a valid photo I.D. This form also allows RID to use the test tape as a rater monitoring device (92.32). 
   

Hand-scoring of Knowledge Exams

Knowledge exam candidates may file a written request for hand-scoring of their test within 30 days of the date-of-notification of results. Written requests must be sent via certified mail to the RID Certification and Education Department. (RID will not be held responsible for letters sent to RID Headquarters unless sent via certified mail.)

Requests for hand-scoring must be accompanied by a $15 hand-scoring fee. RID reviews the request for hand-scoring, re-scores the examination and reports findings to the applicant within 30 days of receipt of request.
 
Test Complaints and Concerns (Appeals Process)

The RID Certification and Professional Development Department will review appeals related to exam administration only, such as, RID testing policy or procedure violations, testing equipment or materials malfunction or environmental problems. Exam appeals will not be considered on the basis of rater judgment (Motion 96.03). Appeals can be considered on the basis of: 

• Misinformation regarding testing arrangements (test taker given wrong location, time, etc.)
• Test Administrator error (misinformation given to test taker, changing site information without informing test taker, unprofessional conduct, failure to follow guidelines in the Test Administrator Manual, etc.)
• Equipment malfunction (equipment failure, inappropriate equipment, etc.)
• Environmental factors (air conditioning breakdown resulting in an excessive temperature in test room, distracting loud noises, power outage, etc.)
• Damaged exam materials 
• Unavoidable catastrophic events (death of an immediate family member, doctor’s verification of accident, illness or hospitalization, etc.)
• Natural disaster (earthquake, fire, snowstorm, etc.)

Exam appeals must be sent by postal mail to: RID, Attn: Director of Certification, 333 Commerce Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 or by e-mail to certification@rid.org. You are eligible to submit an appeal once your exam results have been released. Appeals must be submitted within 90 days from the Results Sent date. 

Outcome results will be sent by postal mail. Appeals can take up to 120 days for processing. 

If an appeal is approved, the exam retake must be completed within one year of the date of notification (Motion 94.47). If the exam retake is not completed within the year, the candidates will be responsible for the reapplication process and fees.