To become a certified sign language interpreter in Texas, you need to meet the Board for Evaluation of Interpreters’ education and age requirements, pass a written Test of English Proficiency, and then pass the BEI Basic performance exam. That first certificate puts you in the field; Advanced, Master, and specialty credentials come after. The certification is issued by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) through its Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, and anyone paid to interpret in Texas must hold a valid BEI certificate.1Texas Health and Human Services. Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Plan on this taking years, not months. The paperwork is straightforward; building the ASL fluency the performance exam demands is the real work.
Step 1: Confirm You Meet the Eligibility Requirements
BEI eligibility comes in two tiers, because the written test and the performance test have different thresholds.
For the Test of English Proficiency (TEP), the entry-level written exam, you need to be at least 18 and hold a high school diploma or equivalent.2Texas HHS Board for the Evaluation of Interpreters. HHS BEI Testing Requirements 2018 Summary
For the performance exam, the bar is higher: an associate degree or at least 60 semester credit hours from an accredited college or university, with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.2Texas HHS Board for the Evaluation of Interpreters. HHS BEI Testing Requirements 2018 Summary The degree can be in any field. There is no requirement that it be in interpreting or deaf studies, though many candidates work through interpreter training programs to build their ASL skills.
Formal education by itself will not get you through the performance exam. You need deep fluency in both American Sign Language and English, including cultural context, regional signing variations, and complex grammar in both languages. Most people who pass have spent years immersed in the Deaf community alongside their coursework. Treating the 60-credit-hour requirement as the main hurdle is a common mistake. The language proficiency gap is where candidates actually stall.
Step 2: Pass the Test of English Proficiency
Every new BEI candidate starts with the TEP. It is a written exam measuring English grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension through 80 multiple-choice questions, and it is available year-round upon request.3Texas Health and Human Services. BEI Testing
The Texas Education Agency offers a free online practice course targeted to the specific English skills on the TEP; it is worth completing before you pay the exam fee.4Texas Education Agency. Test of English Proficiency (TEP) Practice Course The TEP fee is $95.5Cornell Law Institute. Texas Administrative Code 26-360.231 – Schedule of Fees
Fail it, and you wait six months before you can retake it. You will also submit a new application and a new fee each time.3Texas Health and Human Services. BEI Testing Passing the TEP makes you eligible to apply for a performance exam.
Step 3: Apply For and Pass the Basic Performance Exam
If you have never held a BEI certificate, you must start at the Basic level. The performance exam tests three interpretation modes used in Texas: interpreting between ASL and spoken English, transliterating (following English word order while using signs), and sight translation (reading a written document and signing it in real time).3Texas Health and Human Services. BEI Testing
The application is Form 3909, available on the HHSC website.6Texas Health and Human Services. Form 3909, Interpreter Performance Test Application Along with the completed form, submit:
- Official college transcripts sent directly from your institution, confirming the 60-credit-hour or associate degree requirement and a 2.0 GPA or higher.
- A copy of a government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license or passport.
- A criminal background check through a state-approved fingerprinting vendor.
- The exam fee by money order, cashier’s check, or personal check made payable to HHSC.
If you are not submitting online, mail everything to HHSC BEI, P.O. Box 12306, Austin, TX 78711.7Texas Health and Human Services. BEI Frequently Asked Questions Use a tracked mailing method. If the packet goes missing, you reassemble the whole thing.
One timing rule catches candidates off guard. Once the BEI approves your performance exam application, you have a 90-day window to schedule and take the exam at your designated testing site. Miss the window and you forfeit the fee.3Texas Health and Human Services. BEI Testing Fail the exam itself and you wait six months, then start a new application.
Choosing a Certification Level
Your certificate level decides where you can legally accept work, so think about where you want to practice before you start climbing.
- Basic meets the minimum competency standard for interpreting in K-12 and post-secondary educational settings.
- Advanced qualifies you for more complex environments, with the performance test emphasizing routine medical, public forum, government workforce, mental health, and social service scenarios.
- Master qualifies you for the most complex and critical settings, including those involving complex medical and mental health language.
If your goal is hospital or mental health work, Basic will not get you there. You will keep testing until you reach Advanced or Master, each one a separate exam at increasing difficulty.3Texas Health and Human Services. BEI Testing
Adding Court Interpreter Certification
Legal interpreting in Texas courtrooms is a separate credential, the BEI Court Interpreter Certification (CIC), and you cannot apply for it as a new interpreter. The prerequisite is that you already hold at least a BEI Advanced or Master certificate, or certain RID certifications. From there you must pass an additional written test on courtroom procedures and legal terminology, followed by a separate court performance exam.9Texas Health and Human Services. Chapter 4, Court Interpreter Certification
Deaf applicants follow a parallel path that includes 120 hours of HHSC-approved instruction and mentoring in courtroom interpretation skills before the written test.9Texas Health and Human Services. Chapter 4, Court Interpreter Certification The court written test carries a $50 administrative fee to HHSC plus a $50 registration and proctoring fee to the Office of Court Administration. The court performance test is $185.5Cornell Law Institute. Texas Administrative Code 26-360.231 – Schedule of Fees
What the Exams Cost
Texas sets BEI exam fees by regulation under Texas Administrative Code Title 26, Chapter 360:
- Test of English Proficiency (TEP): $95
- Basic Performance Test: $145
- Advanced Performance Test: $170
- Master Performance Test: $195
- Medical Performance Test: $185
- Court Interpreter Performance Test: $185
Failing any exam and retaking it means paying the full fee again, so the real cost of certification usually runs higher than one clean pass through the schedule.
Keeping Your Certificate Active
A BEI certificate comes with an expiration date. Texas requires renewal before the certificate lapses, with a renewal fee paid to the Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services. The renewal cycle length and continuing education requirements are set by HHSC administrative rules, and the current forms and fee amounts live on the BEI section of the HHSC website.10Texas Health and Human Services. BEI Forms Letting the certificate lapse can mean losing the right to practice in Texas, so track the renewal date from the day your certificate is issued.
If You Want to Work Outside Texas
The BEI certificate is a Texas credential. For broader portability, the main national option is the National Interpreter Certification (NIC) through the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. The NIC requires a bachelor’s degree in any major, plus passing both a knowledge exam and a performance exam within a five-year window.11Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. Available Certifications That bachelor’s requirement is a higher bar than the BEI’s 60 credit hours.
Your Texas credential does carry some weight across state lines. California recognizes the BEI Court Interpreter Certification for ASL court interpreters seeking reciprocity, letting holders in good standing apply for placement on California’s Master List of Certified Court and Registered Interpreters.12Judicial Branch of California. Reciprocity Reciprocity between states remains limited overall. If mobility matters, holding both BEI and NIC gives you the most options.