The New Norms in ASL Interpreting (2025): What Buyers Should Expect & Budget For
Summary:
To protect interpreter health, preserve accuracy, and keep fill‑rates high in an extremely tight labor market, several business practices have become more and more common across the U.S. Below are the norms you should plan for in scopes of work, purchase orders, and event plans—plus quick “what to do” guidance and sources.
1) Team interpreting is now the default beyond ~1 hour
The days of scheduling one interpreter for two straight hours are largely over in most professional settings. Occupational health research also documents elevated musculoskeletal risk among sign language interpreters, underscoring the safety case for teaming (systematic review, MDPI 2022 study). Complex or longer assignments now typically require a two‑interpreter team rotating roughly every 20–30 minutes to reduce fatigue and maintain accuracy (NAJIT position paper, Rhode Island CDHH guide, NIWAP best practice).
What to do: In your SOW or request planning, set team interpreting as the default for anything over 60 minutes or any high‑intensity context, even if only 60 minutes.
2) Paid early arrival / setup time
Production realities—security/badging, sound/lighting checks, positioning, and briefings—often require interpreters to arrive early, and in many contexts this time is billable (example for live events: “time on premises” billed in full in this company’s published rates) (DSU price list & event notes). Best‑practice guides also recommend planning 10–15 minutes early for standard meetings (NAETISL event best practices). Some institutions apply additional on‑site fees recognizing the added coordination for in‑person work (UIUC DRES on‑site fee & staffing note).
What to do: Budget for and explicitly authorize paid setup/arrival where your site or production requires it. Spell out what counts as billable setup vs. courtesy lead time.
3) Minimums: movement from 2 hours toward 3 hours for on‑site ASL
Two‑hour minimums remain in some situations, but many providers and contracts now use 3‑hour minimums, especially for on‑site ASL, particularly when travel/setup or teaming is expected (Global Arena 2025 rate sheet—ASL 3‑hour minimum, UMD Accessibility Services—agency use may trigger 3‑hour minimum, USC event guide—notes 2‑ vs 3‑hour provider minimums).
What to do: For short in‑person appointments, plan for a 3‑hour minimum in many markets, even if the direct contact time is brief.
4) On‑site premiums vs. remote (supply & logistics)
On‑site assignments typically price higher than remote because of travel, setup, and the ongoing shortage of qualified on‑site ASL interpreters. Guidance for contracting acknowledges that remote often costs less due to reduced time required since no travel is involved (National Deaf Center contracting guide), and many institutions explicitly add on‑site surcharges to cover the additional overhead (UIUC DRES—on‑site fee & automatic teaming note). Multiple sources and news reports highlight regional shortages affecting on‑site coverage (NDC overview, Civil Beat on Hawaii shortage).
What to do: Expect on‑site rates/premiums to be higher than remote. Where appropriate, use hybrid staffing (on‑site + remote) to ensure coverage and reduce cost.
5) Rush / short‑notice premiums
Last‑minute sourcing in a tight market carries additional costs to locate available interpreters at the last minute. Many vendors now apply rush premiums—often for requests within < five business days, with even higher surcharges for < 24 hours (City & County of San Francisco MOD vendor info—late fee for same‑/next‑day, DSU—urgent fee for <10 business days, DFS Interpreting—<24‑hour urgent premium).
What to do: For predictable events, submit requests 10–15 business days ahead. Build a rush tier (e.g., < 5 days, < 24 hours) into your contract language.
6) Cancellations: two business days (or more) is typical
A two‑business‑day cancellation period—billing the full originally scheduled time if missed—is common; some providers use three business days for longer blocks to ensure they can release the interpreters in time (ASL Interpreter Pros terms—full bill <2 business days, UIUC DRES—2 business days, full billing for day‑before/day‑of, ISLE policy—2 business days for ≤4 hrs; 3 business days for >4 hrs).
What to do: Define “business days” (exclude weekends/holidays) and automate reminders to cancel early.
7) National certification is the baseline; licensure exists in many states
For general community work, national certification through RID is widely treated as the qualification baseline, with state licensure/credentials required in many jurisdictions. (RID certification overview, RID NIC/CDI pages, RID state‑by‑state regulations, Texas BEI program).
What to do: Require a valid RID certification and any applicable state licensure in the SOW or request and verify status.
Copy‑ready SOW language (drop‑in)
- Staffing & fatigue: “For assignments over 60 minutes or high‑intensity content, vendor shall provide two qualified interpreters rotating approximately every 20–30 minutes.”
- Setup: “Where security/production checks are required, paid setup/arrival time is authorized and billable.”
- Minimums: “For on‑site ASL, 3‑hour minimum may apply; remote may be lower.”
- Rush tiers: “Requests with < 5 business days’ notice may incur a rush premium; < 24 hours’ notice may incur an additional urgent premium.”
- Cancellations: “> 2 business days to avoid charges; late cancellations (or early dismissals) are billed for the full originally scheduled time.”
- Qualifications: “Interpreters must hold a valid RID certification and meet any state licensure requirements.”