Eligibility for Examination

The eligibility requirements are as follows (Section 8020, Business & Professions Code):

  • (1) Over 18 years of age;
  • (2) high school education or its equivalent;
  • (3) has not committed any acts or crimes constituting grounds for denial of licensure and
  • (4) the applicant must submit satisfactory evidence that he or she has originally obtained one of the following:

(a) 12 months of full-time work experience in making verbatim records of hearings, or judicial or related proceedings by means of machine shorthand writing and transcribing such records. Only records of multiple-voice proceedings, such as court and deposition proceedings, will be considered in calculating the required hours. Time spent in transcribing taped recordings or in reporting lectures, etc., will not be considered. A letter from an employer, on their business letterhead, signed by the official in charge, is required when submitting your application as proof of your experience. If you are a freelance reporter or have owned your own business, three letters from clients you have worked for will be required. Letters should list date of employment, whether it was full-time or part-time, your duties, and what percentage of time was spent in each of those duties. In addition, job/work sheets documenting at least 1400 hours will be required. Each job sheet or work sheet should indicate the kind of job reported and the number of hours actually spent reporting.

(b) A verified certificate of satisfactory completion of a prescribed course of study from a CALIFORNIA RECOGNIZED COURT REPORTING SCHOOL, or certification from such school evidencing equivalent proficiency, and of the ability to make a verbatim record of material dictated in accordance with regulations adopted by the board contained in Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations.

(c) A National Court Reporters Association RPR Certificate or Certificate of Merit or National Verbatim Reporters Association CVR Certificate stating the original issuance date of the certificate.

IMPORTANT PLEASE NOTE:

SPECIAL ATTENTION MUST BE GIVEN TO INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING QUALIFYING DOCUMENTS AS THESE ARE VITAL IN DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY. SIGNATURES VERIFYING EMPLOYMENT, SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A COURSE OF STUDY, OR ANY OTHER QUALIFYING METHOD MUST BE AN ORIGINAL.

Incomplete documents will be returned. All documents must be submitted to the Board no later than the announced final filing date. For purposes of determining the date upon which an application is deemed filed, the date of postmark affixed by the United States Postal Service (not a postage meter), or the date certified by a bona fide private courier service on the envelope containing the application shall prevail.

DON'T PROCRASTINATE!

Mail your application early. Don't you be the one person applying for this exam that is denied because the application is postmarked one day too late.

DENIAL OF A LICENSE

Applicants, who have been convicted of a crime other than minor traffic citations, must disclose the matter, in detail, as requested on the application form, for consideration by the Board. Matters sealed or expunged under California penal Code Section 1203.4 are not exempt; they must be listed. For each offense, the Board requires certified copies from the court or other appropriate agency of all the following:

  • (1) Court sentencing order showing final charge and penalties and/or sanctions, and
  • (2) Court document showing that all sentences, sanctions, fines, etc., have been satisfied.

If the applicant is still on probation, a letter from the probation office stating the applicant's status and progress may be substituted for item 2 above if no other sanctions were imposed.