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Certified bill of lading translation in Panama

A bill of lading (B/L) is usually issued in English. To use it before Panama's National Customs Authority, a maritime court or an insurer, it is translated into Spanish by a Certified Public Translator (TPA) registered with MIRE, under Executive Decree 975 of 2017. It is priced by word, from $20 for the first 250 words, and arrives signed and sealed in up to 3 business days.

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From $20–70
Delivery up to 3 business days (documents up to 10 pages)
Legal basis: Executive Decree 975 of 2017

What do you need your bill of lading translated for?

How much does it cost?

A bill of lading is priced by word: $20 covers the first 250-word page and each additional word adds $0.08, with no rounding up to full pages. Panama's 7% ITBMS tax is added on top. A standard one-page B/L runs about $20–30; with clauses, attachments and manifests it can reach $45–70. For German ↔ Spanish, the page costs $25 and each additional word $0.10.

How long does it take?

Standard delivery takes up to 3 business days. Express delivers in 1 business day (+50%), and Same-day (+100%) applies only when you pay before 11:00 a.m. and a translator is available. These timelines apply to documents of up to 10 pages (2,500 words); for longer documents we prepare a special volume price and confirm the timeline on WhatsApp. You see the exact timeline in your quote before paying.

How does it work?

  1. 1Upload your document in the online quote or send it on WhatsApp.
  2. 2Get your exact quote in under 60 seconds; if your document is longer than 10 pages, we prepare a special volume price.
  3. 3Pay with Yappy from your app; confirmation is instant.
  4. 4A Certified Public Translator (TPA) registered with MIRE translates, signs and seals your document.
  5. 5Receive the signed and sealed PDF by WhatsApp or email at no cost, plus the printed original at your door: free in Panama City when your order adds up to 6 pages or more (one page = 250 words); $3 for 1 to 5 pages.

Do you need an apostille before or after the translation?

A bill of lading is a private commercial document, so it normally does not need an apostille: a certified translation by a TPA under Executive Decree 975 of 2017 is usually enough. If an authority does ask for one, it goes on the original before the translation. For a court case, the translator's signature may need authentication before a notary. Lingo does not notarize or apostille, so you do that step directly at a notary.

Frequently asked questions

Do you translate bills of lading from English into Spanish?
Yes. A bill of lading almost always comes in English, and we translate it into Spanish, or from Spanish into English, with a TPA registered with MIRE. Clauses, marks, container numbers and stamps are reproduced in full, because any discrepancy can hold up the release of your cargo at customs. A one-page B/L runs about $20–30.
Will the translation be accepted by Panama's maritime courts?
A translation signed and sealed by a TPA registered with MIRE, under Executive Decree 975 of 2017, is the format used when documentary evidence is in another language. The court sets the procedural requirements, and your lawyer confirms them. If the process requires the translator's signature to be authenticated before a notary, you do that step directly at a notary, since Lingo does not notarize.
My cargo is held in port. How fast can I get the translation?
Standard delivery takes up to 3 business days, and when cargo is waiting, Express delivers in 1 business day (+50%), bringing a 250-word B/L to $32.10 with tax. Same-day (+100%) applies only when you pay before 11:00 a.m. and a translator is available. You see the exact total and timeline in your quote before paying with Yappy.
Can you also translate the manifest, attachments and certificates?
Yes. Along with the bill of lading, we translate its attachments, cargo manifests and the certificates that support a customs clearance or a cargo claim. With clauses, attachments and manifests, a full B/L usually lands between $45 and $70. Send the whole set together on WhatsApp or through the online quote, and you get one exact price before any work starts.
We are a shipping agency with regular volume. Do you offer a business rate?
Yes. Companies with recurring volume get our business rate, with volume pricing and monthly invoicing, on terms arranged with our team. Documents over 10 pages also get a special volume price. Files are handled under Panama's Law 81 of 2019, with AES-256 encryption and automatic deletion 60 days after delivery, and only the assigned TPA accesses them.

Get a quote for your bill of lading

Send a photo or PDF on WhatsApp and see the exact price in under a minute, before you pay. English is fine.

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