How to Become a Court Reporter in Idaho

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

Their role involves transcribing every spoken word during legal proceedings, such as trials.

This positions court reporters as essential contributors to the justice system.

If you’re considering a career as a court reporter in Idaho, you’ll need a license. In this article, I’ll guide you through the necessary steps to obtain licensure.

Complete Your Education as a Court Reporter in Idaho

Before obtaining a license, completing a certified training course is a requirement.

It’s imperative that the chosen program is approved by the Idaho Board of Court Reporting.

Eligibility criteria for program enrollment include:

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

Training programs may specialize in areas like CART/Captioning, Judicial Reporting, Scoping/Proofreading, Professional Transcription, Office Assistant, or Court and Realtime Reporting.

Prospective students should ensure that their chosen curriculum has gained approval from the Council on Approved Student Education (CASE).

The curriculum should encompass subjects like:

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

These training programs are typically at the postsecondary non-degree level, offering options such as certificates, diplomas, associate’s, and bachelor’s degrees.

Consider the following schools for your training.

Boise State University

Offers a comprehensive online class covering court reporting, closed captioning, and CART.

No specific prerequisites are required for enrollment.

The program aims to develop writing skills up to 225 words per minute.

The program fee is $6,104, and an additional fee of $7,899 applies to students needing a steno machine.

Students will have access to the CAT program during enrollment, but purchasing it for their future careers is recommended.

College of Eastern Idaho

This college offers an Associate in Applied Science degree in Court Reporting Technology.

Enrollment is limited to the fall semester, and graduation requirements include achieving a minimum of “C” grades in all Court Reporting courses and any other courses mandated by NCRA’s Council.

A minimum accuracy of 96% is required in tests involving different speeds and styles.

An internship of 50 hours is mandatory, with at least 40 hours dedicated to writing.

Become Licensed as a Court Reporter in Idaho

After completing your education, passing an exam is vital to earning your license.

You have 18 months from the completion of your training to fulfill this requirement.

During this period, obtaining a temporary license is possible; however, this option cannot be renewed.

You can obtain either of the following nationally recognized certifications:

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

To acquire your official Idaho court reporter license, you must successfully pass a skills exam, administered by organizations like NCRA, NVRA, or ACRA.

This means you have to do the following:

• Payment of required fees: $200 for the license and $50 for the application
• Providing proof of graduation from the training program
• Completing the designated application form

The ACRA test closely aligns with both the NCRA and NVRA exams. While the NCRA skills test can be taken online, the other two exams necessitate in-person attendance.

To become a registered professional reporter, the fee is:

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

The NVRA exam fee is $125.

Becoming a certified verbatim reporter requires a $50 transfer fee if you are already a registered professional reporter.

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

The exam comprises three sections, each lasting five minutes, focusing on literary, jury charge, and testimony/Q&A segments.

Candidates have 75 minutes to transcribe their notes, and a minimum passing score of 95% accuracy is required in Idaho.

Additionally, a written knowledge exam for the registered professional reporter consists of 120 questions covering technology, professional practices, ethics, and reporting practices.

The minimum passing score is 70, with fee structures as follows:

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

The NVRA exam costs $125.

Renewing Your Court Reporter License in Idaho

Similar to most licenses, periodic renewal is required for court reporters in Idaho.

Renewal is mandated annually by September 30th, with a reminder email sent around August 1st.

A grace period extends until November 30th, beyond which unrenewed licenses expire.

Renewal fees are as follows:

• $200 for on-time renewals
• $240 for renewals until September 31st
• $280 for renewals by November 30th

Continuing education is essential for license renewal, requiring completion of five hours annually.

Extra hours can be carried over to the following year.

These education hours must be completed through accredited organizations like NCRA, NVRA, and ACRA, with personal development classes generally not accepted.

Court Reporter Salaries in Idaho

If you’ve followed along this far, you’re likely interested in court reporter salaries.

In Idaho, court reporters can expect a median annual salary of approximately $57,398

For insight into cities with the highest median salaries for court reporters, refer to the table below.

Court Reporter by State