How to Become a Court Reporter in Missouri

A court reporter, alternatively referred to as a court stenographer, a real-time writer, or a certified shorthand reporter (CSR), plays a pivotal role in transcribing every spoken word during legal proceedings such as trials.

This integral function within the justice system underscores the importance of court reporters.

For those aspiring to pursue a career as a court reporter in Missouri, a mandatory licensure process must be navigated.

The subsequent information outlines the necessary steps for licensure.

Pursue Your Education as a Court Reporter in Missouri

Attaining licensure necessitates the completion of an accredited training program.

Furthermore, the chosen program must be sanctioned by the Missouri Board of Court Reporting.

Eligibility requirements for program enrollment include:

• Being at least 18 years old
• Having graduated from high school or earned a GED

Training programs encompass various areas of focus, including:

• CART/Captioning
• Judicial Reporting
• Scoping/Proofreading
• Professional Transcription
• Office Assistant
• Court and Realtime Reporting

Prospective students must ensure that the curriculum aligns with the standards set by CASE (Council on Approved Student Education).

Course content should encompass subjects such as:

• Applied Writing I
• Medical Terminology
• Legal Terminology
• Civil and Criminal Law Terminology
• Realtime Reporting I
• Realtime Reporting II

These programs typically exist at the postsecondary level, although they may not confer degrees.

Certificate, diploma, associate’s, and bachelor’s degree programs are all recognized and accepted.

Several educational institutions are available for court reporting training in Missouri.

The SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

The school provides two distinct degree programs related to court reporting.

One is a 2-year undergraduate certificate program focusing on Court Reporting and Captioning, comprising 40 credit hours.

The other is a 2-year Associate of Applied Science program in Court and Realtime Reporting, spanning 64 credit hours.

Positioned as a medium-sized public university, it attracts over 3,700 undergraduate students annually.

With a faculty and staff cohort of about 400, the institution supports more than 80 programs across its academic offerings.

Attain Licensure as a Court Reporter in Missouri

Upon successfully completing the required education, passing an examination is the next step towards obtaining licensure.

The time frame for passing the exam spans 18 months from the completion of your training.

During this interval, it’s possible to secure a temporary license, although this step is optional and cannot be renewed.

Licensure can be acquired through the following certifications:

• NCRA’s Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) certification
• NVRA’s (National Verbatim Reporters Association) Certified Verbatim Reporter (CVR) certification

These two certifications enjoy national recognition.

For official licensure in Missouri, a skills exam is also mandatory.

The exam can be administered by either of the following organizations:

• NCRA
• NVRA
• ACRA

The process encompasses:

• Payment of the appropriate fees
  • $200 for the license
  • $50 for the application
• Submission of proof of training program graduation
• Completion of the application form

The ACRA exam closely mirrors both the NCRA and NVRA exams.

The NCRA skills test is available online, while the other two tests require in-person attendance.

Aspiring registered professional reporters must pay:

• $120 for non-members
• $95 for members
• $77 for student members

The NVRA exam fee is $125.

For those seeking certified verbatim reporter status, a transfer fee of $50 is applicable if they are registered professional reporters.

The Certified Court Reporter (CCR) skills exam incurs a fee of $75.

This test consists of three separate sections, each lasting five minutes.

To pass, candidates must meet word count requirements in the following areas:

• 180 wpm for literary
• 200 wpm for jury charge
• 225 wpm for testimony/Q&A

A 75-minute period is allotted for transcribing notes, and a minimum accuracy score of 95% is necessary for success in Missouri.

A written knowledge exam is also part of the registered professional reporter certification.

This exam includes 120 questions encompassing technology, professional practices, ethics, and reporting practices.

The minimum passing score is 70, and fees are as follows:

• $220 for non-members
• $195 for members
• $160 for student members

The NVRA exam carries a cost of $125.

Court Reporter License Renewal in Missouri

As with many professions, court reporters must renew their licenses periodically.

In Missouri, license renewal is mandated annually by the Board.

Naturally, a renewal fee is associated with this process, as detailed below:

• $200 for timely renewals
• $240 for renewals until September 31st
• $280 for renewals by November 30th

License holders must complete 5 hours of continuing education each year to fulfill the renewal requirements.

Excess hours can be carried over to the subsequent year.

These educational hours must be completed through NCRA, NVRA, and ACRA, as personal development courses are generally not accepted.

Court Reporter Salary in Missouri

If you’ve followed this information thus far, it’s evident that you’re interested in this profession and its potential earnings.

In the state of Missouri, the median annual salary for a court reporter averages around $58,906.

Refer to the provided table below for a breakdown of cities with the highest median salaries within this occupation.

Regional Salary in Missouri

Court Reporter by State