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Registered Professional Reporter (RPR)

Anyone is eligible to sit for the RPR. To become an RPR, you must have the knowledge, skills, and ability to produce a high-quality verbatim record. The Written Knowledge Test, or WKT, is a 105*-question, multiple-choice test that focuses on four areas:

Reporting (48%)
Transcript Production (44%)
Operating Practices (4%)
Professional Issues and Continuing Education (4%)

You get 90 minutes to complete this section of the exam. You must pass with a scaled score** of 70 or better. Scaled scoring is a means of assuring fairness and consistency in the difficulty level from one test administration to the next, achieved by applying two widely accepted standard-setting methods to each individual test question. This evaluation, recommended by NCRA's testing consultant and done by the Test Advisory Committee in conjunction with the Certification Standard Setting Task Force, has been in use since November 2003 and ensures that NCRA's program continues to meet testing industry standards.

To earn your RPR, you'll also have to pass three sections of a skills test that evaluates you in three areas:

Literary at 180 wpm
Jury Charge at 200 wpm
Testimony/Q&A at 225 wpm


After dictation, you have 75 minutes to transcribe your notes from each leg. You must have 95% accuracy on each leg to pass.

You do not have to pass all the sections of the exam in one sitting. There is no time limit for earning the RPR.

For more detailed information about the RPR, visit NCRA's website: Registered Professional Reporter (RPR).

Registered Merit Reporter (RMR)

To apply for the RMR skills test you must be a member of NCRA and an RPR.

To apply for the RMR written knowledge test a member must be an RPR and have three (3) years of current and continuous membership commencing with Participating or Registered member status.

The RMR Exam consists of a 105*-question Written Knowledge Test (WKT) that focuses on four areas of knowledge:

  • Reporting (47%)
  • Transcript Production (41%)
  • Administration (6%)
  • Professional Issues and Continuing Education (6%)

Your scaled score** must be a minimum of 70 to pass the WKT. Scaled scoring is a means of assuring fairness and consistency in the difficulty level from one test administration to the next, achieved by applying two widely accepted standard-setting methods to each individual test question. This evaluation, recommended by NCRA's testing consultant and done by the Test Advisory Committee in conjunction with the Certification Standard Setting Task Force, has been in use since November 2003 and ensures that NCRA's program continues to meet testing industry standards.

To earn your RMR, you'll also have to pass three sections of a skills test that evaluates you in three areas--Literary at 200 wpm, Jury Charge at 240 wpm, and Testimony/Q&A at 260 wpm. After dictation, you have 75 minutes to transcribe your notes from each leg. You must have 95% accuracy on each leg to pass.

You do not have to pass all sections of the exam at one sitting. As long as you maintain your NCRA membership, you will retain credit for the sections passed. There is no time limit for earning the RMR.

For more detailed information about the RMR, visit NCRA's website: Registered Merit Reporter (RMR).

Registered Diplomate Reporter (RDR)

To sit for the RDR exam, a candidate must be an RMR and have six (6) current and continuous years of membership commencing with Participating or Registered member status.

The RDR Exam consists of a 105*-question, multiple-choice Written Knowledge Test (WKT) that focuses on six areas:

  • Reporting (35%)
  • Transcript Production (27%)
  • Management (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Marketing (8%)
  • Professional Issues (9%)

You must receive a scaled score** of 70 or better to pass the exam. Scaled scoring is a means of assuring fairness and consistency in the difficulty level from one test administration to the next, achieved by applying two widely accepted standard-setting methods to each individual test question. This evaluation, recommended by NCRA's testing consultant and done by the Test Advisory Committee in conjunction with the Certification Standard Setting Task Force, has been in use since November 2003 and ensures that NCRA's program continues to meet testing industry standards.

The exam is designed to test your knowledge and experience. There is a study guide available; however, NCRA recommends you also be familiar with new reporting technology, NCRA policies and guidelines, and articles published in the Journal of Court Reporting to prepare for the exam.

For more detailed information about the RDR, visit NCRA's website: Registered Diplomate Reporter (RDR).

Certified Realtime Reporter (CRR)

You must be a member in good standing of NCRA and a current RPR to register for the CRR.

The Certified Realtime Reporter (CRR) skills test will be a two-voice question-and-answer (Q&A) at 200 wpm at 96% accuracy. As both freelance and official reporters primarily write question-and-answer (Q&A) material, the NCRA Board of Directors, along with NCRA testing committees, have determined that a Q&A test at a slightly faster speed would be the most relevant test content for judicial reporters. The Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) will remain a mandatory prerequisite for the CRR, while the Certified Broadcast Captioner (CRC) and Certified CART Provider (CRC) skills tests will remain straight matter at 180 wpm at 96% accuracy.

The CRR Exam consists of three steps:

  • Setting up and operating your equipment
  • Accurately writing realtime for five minutes at 96% accuracy from professionally recorded two-voice question-and-answer (Q&A) material at the speed of 200 words per minute.
  • Converting your file to an ASCII text file. You are only graded on your final submitted text file.

For more detailed information about the CRR, visit NCRA's website: Certified Realtime Reporter (CRR).

The CRC Skills Test consists of three steps:

  1. Setting up and operating your equipment
  2. Accurately writing realtime for five minutes at 96% accuracy from professionally recorded literary material at the speed of 180 words per minute.
  3. Converting your file to an ASCII text file. You are only graded on your final submitted text file.

For more detailed information about the CRC, visit NCRA's website: Certified Realtime Captioner (CRC).

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NCRA Membership

National Court Reporters Association
   
Particpating Membership Available to Stenographic Court Reporters, Broadcast Captioners, and CART Providers
   
Student Membership For those presently enrolled in a formal stenographic court reporting program/school or a scoping program/school.
   
Associate Membership Available to instructors, school officials, agency owners, scopists, vendors, attorneys, paralegals, Certified Legal Video Specialists, as well as other selected professions.

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