What do you need to plan for simultaneous interpretation?
Plan for the equipment and the people. Simultaneous interpretation needs more than interpreters: ask the company what equipment they bring, how many interpreters they assign to each language for the length of your event, and what the venue has to provide.
Which conference interpretation companies are highly rated in DC?
Translation Boulevard
What they do: Washington DC language services company offering translation, interpreting (consecutive, simultaneous, conference and Zoom), subtitling and voice over.
Best for: Conference and simultaneous interpreting alongside translation
Where: Washington, DC area
Rating: 5.0 on Google, 370 reviews (checked Nov 2026).
Global YNS
What they do: Washington DC translation and interpretation company offering in-person and remote interpreting, interpretation equipment for conferences and events, and ASL.
Best for: Conference interpreting with equipment, and nonprofit language access
Where: Washington, DC area
Rating: 5.0 on Google, 164 reviews (checked Nov 2026).
JR Language Translation Services, Inc.
What they do: Translation and interpretation company with a Washington DC office on H St NW.
Best for: Simultaneous and consecutive interpreting for meetings and conferences
Where: Washington, DC
Rating: 4.8 on Google, 61 reviews (checked Nov 2026).
HIS Sign
What they do: Woman-owned sign language interpreting agency founded in 2009 offering ASL interpreting and other communication access services.
Best for: ASL interpreters for business, government, medical and school settings
Where: Ashburn, VA
Rating: 4.6 on Google, 10 reviews (fewer reviews) (checked Nov 2026).
Arab American Translators LLC
What they do: Certified translation and document services in Arabic, English, French and Spanish, with notary and immigration document support.
Best for: Certified Arabic translation and document services
Where: Alexandria, VA
Rating: 4.7 on Google, 73 reviews (checked Nov 2026).
Interpreter DC
What they do: Translation and interpreting company in Washington DC offering certified conference, legal, technical and medical interpreters.
Best for: Simultaneous and consecutive conference interpreting
Where: Washington, DC
Rating: 5.0 on Google, 151 reviews (checked Nov 2026).
Aslan Language Services
What they do: Interpreting and translation company with telephone, on-site, video remote, conference and court interpreting plus ASL.
Best for: On-site and conference interpreting
Rating: 4.9 on Google, 30 reviews (checked Nov 2026).
What questions should you ask before you book?
- How many interpreters per language do you recommend for the length of my event?
- Do you bring the booth, the headsets and the technician, or only the interpreters?
- What do you need from the venue for power, space and sound?
- What materials should I send the interpreters before the event?
- How are interpreters qualified, and can I see their credentials?
Where can you check the details?
These are the official or association pages worth bookmarking.
- AIIC, International Association of Conference Interpreters: The professional association for conference interpreters.
- Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID): Certification and directory for sign language interpreters.
- ADA.gov: Effective Communication: Federal guidance on interpreters and other auxiliary aids at events.
- National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT): Association for legal interpreters and translators.
How does it show up in your event photos?
An interpretation booth takes space and sometimes blocks sight lines. I’d ask where it goes and where the headsets are handed out, so the photographer knows the room before the program starts.
Should you double-check this?
Many of these firms do translation too, so their ratings don’t only reflect interpreting. Ask each one for conference references and check their credentials.
Planning the photos?
See conference photography in DC and association event photography. For the venue side, see Downtown DC event venues.
