How to Become a Court Reporter in Georgia

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

Their responsibility entails transcribing every spoken word during trials or other legal proceedings.

As such, a court reporter plays a crucial role within the realm of the justice system.

For individuals aspiring to embark on a career as a court reporter, obtaining a license is a requisite.

In the following sections, I will outline the essential pathway to licensure, so continue reading for valuable insights!

Complete Your Education as a Court Reporter in Georgia

First of all, you should know that you need to attend a training program before you can get licensed.

This program should also be accredited by a recognized entity in the state.

Of course, you need to meet some requirements in order to enroll.

These requirements are:

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

The training programs will cover subjects as:

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

Some other topics you need to know about are:

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

The program typically falls under the postsecondary non-degree category.

Various options, such as certificate and diploma programs, as well as associate’s and bachelor’s degrees, are available and accepted.

Numerous technical institutions and community colleges are present in Florida, presenting a diverse array of certificate and associate’s degree programs related to court reporting.

Your chosen route, whether a certificate program of shorter duration or a longer associate’s degree track, will determine your educational journey, which can span from 28 months to three years.

When it comes to training, this state offers a few schools you might be interested in.

Jeff Justice Seminars For Court Reporters

This school allows you to study at your own pace as the course is online.

This means you can also be employed or do other activities while attending the program.

The institution is NCRA/NVRA and state accredited, so you can get your court reporter certification after finishing the program.

Become Licensed as a Court Reporter in Georgia

Upon the successful culmination of your education, the essential next step in securing your license is the successful completion of an examination.

Following the conclusion of your training, you have an 18-month timeframe within which to fulfill this examination requirement.

Within this period, the possibility of obtaining a temporary license exists, albeit this option is not subject to renewal.

You have the opportunity to attain either of the two esteemed certifications:

• The Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) certification by NCRA (National Court Reporters Association).
• The Certified Verbatim Reporter (CVR) certification. offered by NVRA (National Verbatim Reporters Association)

Both of these certifications hold nationwide recognition and standing.

To secure your official court reporter license in Georgia, you must also successfully pass a skills examination, which can be administered by The Florida Court Reporters Association.

This process involves the following steps:

• Payment of necessary fees:
  • $200 for the license
  • $50 for the application
• Submission of documented proof confirming your graduation from the training program
• Completion of the designated application form

Please note that confirmation of your graduation from a court-reporting school is a mandatory prerequisite for certification.

For the purpose of examination registration and access to forthcoming examination dates and locations, the FCRA website serves as a valuable resource.

Additionally, a series of written subjects must also be successfully passed.

These include:

• Communications/language and writing
• Word processing
• Medical terminology
• Foundations of law
• Court reporting transcript preparation
• Court reporting procedures
• Vocabulary and usage
• Captioning

A minimum passing score of 80 is mandated, along with the corresponding fee structure:

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

Court Reporter License Renewal in Georgia

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

In Georgia, the Board mandates license renewal every 3 years.

Similar to the necessity of maintaining your NCRA or NVRA certifications, the upkeep of your Georgia court reporter license is needed.

This involves an annual process of renewal, which necessitates fulfillment before the close of business on April 1st each year.

The renewal procedure mandates the following steps:

• Accumulation of 10 hours of continuing education credits
• Submission of the completed renewal form
• Payment of a $125 renewal fee

Court Reporter Salary in Georgia

Curious about court reporter salaries in Georgia once you’ve obtained your license?

First of all, you should know that your salary can vary based on several factors, including your location and place of employment.

Generally, urban areas tend to offer more lucrative compensation.

In Georgia, a court reporter earns on average, around $59,987 per year.

To gain a better understanding of court reporter earnings within the state, refer to the table provided below as it has the cities with the highest median salaries in this state.

Regional Salary in Georgia

Court Reporter by State