How to Become a Court Reporter in New Hampshire

A court reporter is alternatively 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 pivotal responsibility places court reporters as integral components of the justice system.

Individuals aspiring to become court reporters must acquire a license, and in the following sections, I will present the necessary pathway for obtaining this licensure, so please continue reading!

Fulfilling Educational Requirements for Court Reporting in New Hampshire

The initial step towards licensure is the completion of a court reporting training program.

Moreover, this program should be sanctioned by the New Hampshire Board of Court Reporting.

However, to be eligible for enrollment in such a program, you need to:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Hold a high school diploma or a GED equivalent

Training courses are offered in several specialized areas, including:

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

Prospective students should ensure that their chosen curriculum has been approved by CASE (Council on Approved Student Education).

The curriculum should encompass subjects such as:

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

These programs are typically offered at the postsecondary level without conferring a degree.

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

Below is just one of the educational institutions offering a training program for future court reporters.

Fox Valley Technical College

Fox Valley Technical College stands as one of Wisconsin’s well-regarded public institutions.

According to the college’s official website, around 8,000 students join its ranks annually to pursue an array of degree programs.

Among its offerings, Fox Valley Technical College provides a comprehensive 2-year Associate of Applied Science degree in Court Reporting, comprising a total of 60 credit hours.

The classes can be attended online as well.

Obtaining Licensure as a Court Reporter in New Hampshire

Once your education is complete, you need to pass an exam to acquire your license.

You have an 18-month window following your training for this purpose.

During this period, you can acquire a temporary license, though this option cannot be renewed.

Two nationally recognized certifications are available:

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

To obtain the actual New Hampshire license, you must also pass a skills exam, which can be administered by either of these organizations:

• NCRA
• NVRA
• ACRA

This involves the following steps:

• Payment of the requisite fees
  • $200 for the license
  • $50 for the application
• Providing proof of completion of the training program
• Completing the application form

The ACRA test closely resembles the NCRA and NVRA exams.

While the NCRA skills test is available online, the other two exams require in-person participation.

For those aiming to become registered professional reporters, the fees are as follows:

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

The NVRA exam fee is $125.

As for becoming a certified verbatim reporter, registered professional reporters can transfer for a fee of $50.

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

This test comprises three separate sections, each lasting five minutes.

To pass, you need to meet the word count in these three areas:

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

Candidates are given 75 minutes to transcribe their notes, and the minimum passing accuracy score in New Hampshire is 95%.

Additionally, there’s a knowledge-based written exam for the registered professional reporter, consisting of 120 questions that cover topics such as technology, professional practices, ethics, and reporting practices.

The minimum passing score is 70, and the associated fees are:

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

The NVRA exam costs $125.

Renewing Your Court Reporter License in New Hampshire

Like most licenses, court reporter licenses require periodic renewal, and New Hampshire is no exception.

The Board mandates an annual license renewal by September 30th.

An email reminder is usually sent around August 1st.

There’s a grace period until November 30th, after which unrenewed licenses expire.

Naturally, a renewal fee is associated with this process:

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

Individuals must complete five hours of continuing education annually to facilitate the license renewal process.

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

Court Reporter Salary in New Hampshire

If you’ve reached this point, it reflects your interest in the profession and its potential earnings.

In New Hampshire, the average yearly salary for court reporters is $62,637.

The table below displays the cities with the highest median salaries in this occupation.

Court Reporter by State