DIN ISO 17100 Standard

ISO 17100 Standard: Guaranteed Quality in Translation Services

When a company needs accurate and certified technical translations, compliance with international standards makes all the difference.

The ISO 17100 standard defines the global requirements for professional translation services, guaranteeing transparent, traceable and auditable processes.

At Dokutech Translations we fully comply with the requirements of this standard. All our projects are managed, translated and proofread by qualified and certified professionals.

This certification confirms that we follow standardised processes for technical translation, linguistic revision and quality control, ensuring terminological accuracy and compliance with international standards.

100% Quality seal signed next to the pen — ISO 17100 quality assurance in professional translation.

In order to achieve this goal, the standard defines the following requirements:

Competence of translators

Translators must possess language proficiency, specialized knowledge in the subject matter being translated, and be familiar with translation tools.

Translation project management

translation companies must have a reliable project management system that includes defining objectives, deadlines, responsibilities, and resources.

Translation process

The standard establishes directives for the translation process, including the use of linguistic resources, verification of the translation's accuracy and consistency, and revision of the work.

Quality control

The standard mandates the implementation of a quality control system by translation companies to ensure the delivery of high-quality final work to the client.

Revision and editing

The standard provides guidelines for the revision and editing of translation work, including the identification of errors, the use of glossaries, and the verification of compliance with the client's requirements.

Delivery and storage

The standard establishes guidelines for the delivery of translation works to the client and for the secure and confidential storage of client and project information.

What is DIN ISO 17100 Standard?

ISO 17100:2015 is an international reference standard for translation service providers. Recognised worldwide, it establishes clear requirements that guarantee quality and reliability throughout the translation process:

  • Competence of translators and proofreaders – only professionals with specific training and proven experience can work on certified projects;
  • Complete project management and traceability – from reception to delivery, each stage is documented and auditable;
  • Mandatory technical and linguistic review – all translations undergo independent verification by a second qualified linguist;
  • Confidentiality and information security – processes that protect sensitive client data;
  • Quality control and certified delivery – final checks that ensure compliance before delivery.

Unlike non-certified translations, each project that follows ISO 17100 includes independent human review, guaranteeing a final result with proven and audited quality.

How important is ISO 17100 certification?

Working with an ISO 17100-certified company offers concrete guarantees that go beyond simply delivering a translated text:

  • Compliance with recognised international standards – your translation follows the same rules applied in markets such as Germany, the UK or Japan;
  • Strict selection of qualified translators – only professionals with a degree in translation or specific technical areas work on your projects;
  • Auditable and transparent processes – you know exactly who translated, who proofread and when each stage was completed;
  • Greater trust and credibility with international clients and partners – certification is often required in regulated sectors such as industry, health or law.

At Dokutech Translations, we are regularly audited by independent organisations, ensuring that all our services fully comply with the requirements of the standard. This external audit ensures that we don’t just claim to follow ISO 17100 – we prove that we do.

Relationship between ISO 17100 and ISO 18587

ISO 18587:2017 complements ISO 17100 by defining specific requirements for machine translation human post-editing (MTPE). While ISO 17100 focuses on traditional human translation, ISO 18587 ensures that when machine translation tools are used, the end result maintains the same level of quality. At Dokutech, we apply both standards in an integrated manner, guaranteed:

  • Certified human translation for projects requiring maximum technical precision or cultural sensitivity;
  • Machine translation with certified post-editing for large volumes of content with tight deadlines;
  • Full linguistic revision after using machine translation (MT) systems, ensuring correctness and terminological adequacy;
  • Localisation of technical content that respects the specific cultural and technical contexts of each market.

This combination allows us to offer efficiency without compromising the linguistic quality or human precision that your projects require.

How we apply the standard at Dokutech Translations

Our certified translation process fully follows the workflow defined by ISO 17100. Each project goes through the following mandatory stages:

Project preparation and analysis.

We analyse the technical requirements, identify specific terminology and assign the most suitable translator for the type of content and sector of activity.

Translation by a qualified professional.

The work is carried out by a translator with a degree in translation, languages or the specific technical area of the project (engineering, medicine, law, etc.).

Independent linguistic revision.

A second qualified translator fully reviews the work, checking for terminological accuracy, fluency and compliance with the client’s guidelines.

Final quality control and safe delivery.

Before delivery, we carry out final checks on formatting, consistency and completeness. Files are delivered via secure channels, with full traceability.

All our translators and proofreaders have the qualifications required by the standard: higher education in languages, translation or specific technical areas, ensuring that they master not only the languages, but also the specialised context of each project.

Frequently asked questions about ISO 17100

It means that the work has been carried out and reviewed by qualified professionals, following standardised and externally audited processes. Certification guarantees complete traceability, mandatory independent review and compliance with international quality standards.

No – on the contrary. The standard mandatorily requires that all translations be reviewed by a second qualified translator, independent of the original translator. This double human verification is one of the pillars of certification.

Yes. We apply ISO 18587 in projects where machine translation is appropriate, always guaranteeing certified human post-editing. This allows us to combine efficiency with proven linguistic quality.

Because it guarantees proven linguistic quality, transparent and audited processes, and security at every stage. In regulated sectors or for demanding international clients, certification is often a minimum requirement.

Not necessarily. Certification is essential for technical, legal, medical or industrial translations where accuracy is critical. For other types of content, we can adapt the level of service to your needs and budget.

Do you need ISO 17100 certified translations?

At Dokutech Translations, we guarantee certified quality on every project. If you’re looking for accurate technical translations, with audited processes and international compliance, talk to us.

Request a no-obligation quote or find out more about our Technical Translation Services.

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