How to Become a Court Reporter in Delaware

A court reporter is alternatively referred to as a court stenographer, a real-time writer, or a certified shorthand reporter (CSR).

Their role encompasses the transcription of every spoken word during legal proceedings, including trials.

This underscores the substantial role that a court reporter plays within the justice system.

For those aspiring to pursue a career as a court reporter in Delaware, securing a license is a pivotal step.

In the subsequent sections, I will outline the essential pathway toward licensure, so continue reading to gain valuable insights!

Fulfill Your Education Requirements as a Court Reporter in Delaware

Obtaining a license necessitates the successful completion of an accredited training program.

Moreover, the chosen program must gain approval from the Delaware Board of Court Reporting.

To enroll in such a program, certain prerequisites must be met:

• Being at least 18 years old
• Possession of a high school diploma or equivalent GED

The training courses encompass various specializations, including:

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

Prospective students must ensure that the curriculum has been endorsed by CASE (Council on Approved Student Education).

The program is typically offered at the postsecondary non-degree level.

Options range from certificate and diploma programs to associate’s and bachelor’s degrees, all of which are recognized and accepted.

The primary objective is to enhance your writing speed to up to 225 words per minute.

Unfortunately, there are no schools in Delaware that provide such training.

Instead, you can consider a program from another state.

Auburn University

This course covers these areas:

• Court Reporting
• Closed captioning
• CART

You have the flexibility to engage in online classes, progressing at your preferred speed.

Enrollment prerequisites for this course are absent.

The class aims to enhance your writing speed to a target of 225 words per minute.

For those who don’t require a steno machine, the program fee amounts to $6,104. However, students in need of the machine will incur a cost of $7,899.

While enrolled, students can access the CAT program, which they can choose to purchase for their future careers.

Obtain Your Court Reporter License in Delaware

Upon successful completion of your education, passing an examination is a crucial requirement for obtaining your license.

You have an 18-month window following the completion of your training to fulfill this requirement.

During this period, the option to obtain a temporary license is available, although this option cannot be renewed.

You can pursue either of the following certifications:

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

Both of these certifications hold national recognition.

To obtain the official license in Delaware, you are also required to pass a skills examination, which can be administered by any of the following organizations:

• NCRA
• NVRA
• ACRA

This involves the next steps:

• Pay the following fees:
  • $200 for the license
  • $50 for the application
• Presentation of evidence confirming graduation from the training program
• Completion of the application form

The ACRA test closely mirrors the NCRA and NVRA exams in terms of structure.

The NCRA skills test is available for online completion, while the NVRA and ACRA exams necessitate in-person attendance.

For those aspiring to attain the Registered Professional Reporter designation, the associated fees are as follows:

• $120 for individuals without membership
• $95 for members
• $77 for student members

The NVRA examination incurs a fee of $125.

To achieve the certified verbatim reporter title, a transfer fee of $50 can be paid if you are already a registered professional reporter.

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

This exam comprises three distinct sections, each lasting five minutes.

To pass, you must meet the word count requirements in these three domains:

• Literary transcription at 180 words per minute
• Jury charge transcription at 200 words per minute
• Testimony/Q&A transcription at 225 words per minute

Candidates are granted a 75-minute timeframe to transcribe their notes, with a minimum passing accuracy score of 95% in Delaware.

An additional written knowledge exam is required for those pursuing the registered professional reporter certification.

This comprehensive assessment encompasses 120 questions spanning topics such as technology, professional practices, ethics, and reporting methodologies.

A minimum passing score of 70 is required, accompanied by the following fee structure:

• $220 for individuals without membership
• $195 for members
• $160 for student members

The NVRA exam carries a fee of $125.

Renewal of Court Reporter License in Delaware

As is common with most licenses, the court reporter license also requires periodic renewal.

In Delaware, the Board mandates license renewal annually on September 30th.

A reminder email is typically sent around August 1st to notify individuals of the upcoming renewal deadline.

There is a grace period available until the end of November 30th, following which unrenewed licenses will expire.

As expected, a renewal fee is associated with the process, with the following fee structure:

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

Individuals are required to complete 5 hours of continuing education each year as part of the license renewal procedure.

Excess hours can be carried over to the following year.

These education hours must be completed through NCRA, NVRA, and ACRA.

Keep in mind that personal development courses are generally not accepted for this license renewal.

Court Reporter Salary in Delaware

Having come this far, your interest likely extends to the earning potential of a court reporter.

In Delaware, the median annual salary for a court reporter is approximately $63,150.

The table below provides an overview of cities with the highest median salaries within this profession.

Court Reporter by State