The National Interpreter Certification (NIC) from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf is the generalist credential for hearing sign language interpreters aged 18 or older. This page has free practice sets grouped by topic and worked explanations of sample questions. It also lists the fees, formats, retake waits and renewal rules for both CASLI exams, each one checked against CASLI and RID pages.

NIC Exam at a Glance

What the NIC is and how it works

According to Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, “The CASLI Generalist Knowledge Exam is a computer-based exam composed of two (2) parts, the Fundamentals of Interpreting, a 120 multiple-choice question test, and the Ethical Decision Making and Cultural Responsiveness Exam, an exam comprised of eight (8) multi-step case studies.”^[1]

To earn the NIC you pass the CASLI knowledge exam and the CASLI performance exam, and you meet RID's educational requirement.

Knowledge exam (CASLI Generalist Knowledge Exam). This is a computer-based exam run by Meazure Learning. The Fundamentals of Interpreting portion has 120 multiple-choice questions. The Ethical Decision Making and Cultural Responsiveness portion is built on 8 case studies. The fee is $500, or $400 for RID members, and it covers both portions.

Performance exam (CASLI Generalist Performance Exam: NIC). You take it at a CASLI test site (LTA), and it has 6 interpreting scenarios. It is scored pass/fail, and you pass by reaching at least a minimum combined score. The fee is $550, or $500 for RID members. Neither exam can be taken at home.

Eligibility and timing. You must be at least 18, and you need a bachelor's degree before you sit the performance exam. Testing happens within a 5-year window. Once an exam is assigned to your CASLI account, you have 30 days to buy it. After you buy it, you must take it within 1 year or before your testing cycle ends, whichever comes first.

Retakes. If you fail the knowledge exam, you wait 3 months from your test date and retake only the portion you failed, at $200 per portion. If you fail the performance exam, the wait is 6 months.

Fees and policies can change, so check casli.org and rid.org before you pay.

Worked examples: how to reason through NIC questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: Which approach is MOST important for NIC professionals when applying technical procedures?

1. Following personal shortcuts developed through experience
2. Adhering to established protocols while adapting to specific conditions
3. Using the fastest method available regardless of standards
4. Applying the same technique in every situation without variation

Answer: B. Adhering to established protocols while adapting to specific conditions

Explanation:

B is correct. Established protocols give your work a consistent base that others can check, such as the standards of your profession and the practices of the setting you work in. Professional judgment then lets you adjust to the people, setting and content in front of you. A is wrong because personal shortcuts drift away from shared standards, and a team interpreter or consumer cannot easily check them. C is wrong because choosing speed over standards gives up accuracy and accountability for convenience. D is wrong because using one technique everywhere ignores differences in register, setting and consumer needs. The rule to remember: start from the standard, adapt it on purpose, and be ready to explain why you adapted it.

Example 2

Question: What is the MOST effective approach to quality assurance in National Interpreter Certification?

1. Inspecting finished work only at the final stage
2. Integrating quality checks throughout the entire process from planning to completion
3. Assigning quality responsibility to a single person
4. Conducting quality reviews only when complaints are received

Answer: B. Integrating quality checks throughout the entire process from planning to completion

Explanation:

B is correct. Quality is best protected when you check it at every stage. In interpreting, that means preparing before the assignment, monitoring your own output while you work, and reviewing afterward, so errors are caught while they can still be fixed. A is wrong because checking only at the end lets early mistakes carry through the whole message. C is wrong because quality is a shared duty, and in team interpreting both interpreters monitor and support accuracy. D is wrong because waiting for complaints is reactive, and many errors are never reported by consumers who could not detect them. The rule to remember: monitoring is continuous, built into the process, and shared.

Example 3

Question: In simultaneous interpreting, 'chunking' refers to:

1. Grouping words into meaningful units for efficient processing
2. Breaking an assignment into timed segments
3. Splitting technical terms into syllables for clarity
4. Dividing a session between two interpreters

Answer: A. Grouping words into meaningful units for efficient processing

Explanation:

A is correct. Chunking means grouping incoming language into units of meaning, such as phrases or ideas, rather than handling it word by word. This lowers cognitive load, supports your lag time, and helps you build a target message that follows the grammar of the target language instead of the source word order. B is wrong because splitting an assignment into timed segments is about scheduling or turn-taking, not processing language. C is wrong because breaking terms into syllables is about articulation or fingerspelling clarity, not meaning. D is wrong because dividing a session between interpreters describes team interpreting. The rule to remember: interpret meaning units, not individual words.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official material. Read CASLI's candidate preparation pages for NIC and RID's Code of Professional Conduct so you know what each exam expects and how ethical decisions are framed.

For the Fundamentals of Interpreting portion, work through Interpreting & Transliterating Skills, Translation Techniques & Methods, Consecutive Interpreting, Simultaneous Interpreting and Terminology & Specialized Vocabulary. Then take the setting sets for medical, legal, educational and mental health work.

For the case studies portion, use Ethical Decision-Making & Professional Conduct, Ethics & Professional Standards, Deaf Culture and Cultural & Linguistic Competency. For every miss, write one sentence on why the right answer fits the Code better.

Our multiple-choice sets cannot rehearse the performance exam. For that, record yourself interpreting varied source material, watch it back, and ask a working interpreter for feedback. Plan your dates as well: you must buy an assigned exam within 30 days and take it within 1 year of purchase.

Sources & last verified

1. casli.org — number of questions, passing score, retake policy (official source). “The CASLI Generalist Knowledge Exam is a computer-based exam composed of two (2) parts, the Fundamentals of Interpreting, a 120 multiple-choice question test, and the…” Verified Oct 23, 2026 · source checked Oct 23, 2026.
2. casli.org — number of questions (official source). “The performance exam for the NIC certification is a constructed response exam that is a “performance” assessment consisting of of six scenarios.” Verified Oct 23, 2026 · source checked Oct 23, 2026.
3. casli.org — exam fee, retake fee, testing window (official source). “Exam for National Interpreter Certification (NIC) (hearing individuals) Regular Rate RID Member Rate CASLI Generalist Knowledge Exam (CGKE) (consists of both Fundamental of Interpreting &…” Verified Oct 23, 2026 · source checked Oct 23, 2026.
4. Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf — validity, renewal (official source). “Certification cycles end December 31 of the fourth year from the start date of a certified members certification cycle.” Verified Oct 22, 2026 · source checked Oct 22, 2026.
5. casli.org — delivery, score release, registration deadline (official source). “For the CASLI Generalist Knowledge Exam (both Fundamental of Interpreting and Case Study – Ethical Decision-Making Process & Cultural Competency), these exams are administered by…” Verified Oct 23, 2026 · source checked Oct 23, 2026.
6. Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf — eligibility (official source). “Candidates are eligible for CASLI’s examinations if they are at least 18 years old. To successfully obtain the certification, candidates must have passed all the…” Verified Oct 22, 2026 · source checked Oct 22, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.