Language Translation

Often, people with English as a second language are accustomed to using Google Chrome’s automatic translation feature, or other translation extensions for their preferred browsers. 

Web Policies

The County website uses Google Translate to communicate with non-English speaking residents. The translate section in the footer of the Baltimore County Government website offers residents the option to translate any page into any of the top five languages spoken in Baltimore County. This feature allows us to forgo the inclusion of on-page translations.

  • Spanish Flyers or Brochures—Since flyers or brochures are not examples of acceptable web PDFs (see the PDF policy), we prefer to post translated flyers or brochures as page content that users can translate using the built-in feature on the website. PDFs can be shared on social media where they're better suited.
  • Surveys and Reports—It's acceptable to post links to both an English survey and a separate Spanish survey. This should be noted as "other language survey."

Using the County Interpreter and Translation Services

Each department has its own account with Language Line Solutions, enabling you to request translation and interpretation services without needing a separate budget. Please maintain accurate records of your translation requests for best practices and future reference. For information regarding your department’s account, including account ID and access to the Language Line Solutions guide, email Yan Ma from the Immigrant Affairs team at yma@baltimorecountymd.gov. The below instructions will be made available to all County staff to ensure a streamlined process for accessing language services.

Required information

The following is a checklist for submission details:

  1. Department Contact Information—Include your department name and the main point of contact.
  2. Document Identification—Specify the type of document to be translated, such as:
    1. Word, Excel, PowerPoint
    2. Canva (with a shared editable link)
    3. Adobe InDesign (INDD) or Illustrator (AI)
    4. PDFs, PNGs (noneditable)
  3. Intended Audience—Indicate if the document is for public posting, online use, engaged customer or targeted recipients.
  4. Accessibility—Public-facing documents or those intended for online posting must meet accessibility standards before submission. Language Line will ensure translated documents maintain these standards.
  5. Languages Needed—Prioritize translations into our top five limited English proficiency (LEP) languages based on U.S. Census data 2022 (listed below). If additional languages are needed for specific projects, please specify.
    1. Spanish
    2. Russian
    3. Chinese
    4. Urdu
    5. Yoruba
  6. For Urgent Requests—Specify the exact date you need the translation if the request is time-sensitive.

how to submit your request

  1. Review and Confirm Requirements—Ensure documents meet the checklist criteria above.
  2. Submit Requests via Email—Send the translation requests to Yan Ma at yma@baltimorecountymd.gov.
  3. Immigrant Affairs Submits to Language Line—The Immigrant Affairs team will coordinate with Language Line to facilitate the translation.
  4. Receive and Review Quote—If a quote is required, Language Line will provide estimated turnaround time and costs. You can also request expedited services for urgent needs. Typical turnaround times are listed below. 
    1. Less than 1,000 words—One to three business days
    2. 1,001 to 2,500 words—Four to six business days
    3. 2,501 to 7,500 words—Six to eight business days
  5. PDF Accessibility—There will be an additional four to seven business days for accessibility remediation of PDFs.
  6. Final Delivery—Once translation is complete, Yan Ma will forward the documents to the requesting department.