No. Though unlikely, an interpreter who is not certified might be a "qualified interpreter." The Department of Justice explains in the technical assistance manual: The key question in determining whether effective communication will result is whether the interpreter is "qualified," not whether he or she has been actually certified by an official licensing body. A qualified interpreter is one "who is able to interpret effectively, accurately and impartially, both receptively and expressively, using any necessary specialized vocabulary." An individual does not have to be certified in order to meet this standard. A certified interpreter may not meet this standard in all situations, e.g., where the interpreter is not familiar with the specialized vocabulary involved in the communication at issue. Of course, a lack of certification may be considered evidence that an interpreter is not "qualified."