How to Become a Court Reporter in Rhode Island

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

They transcribe every spoken word during a trial or other legal proceedings.

This role makes a court reporter an integral part of the justice system.

Individuals interested in pursuing a career as a court reporter in Rhode Island need to obtain a license.

In this article, I will outline the necessary steps to achieve licensure, so please read on!

Complete Your Education as a Court Reporter in Rhode Island

Becoming licensed as a court reporter in Rhode Island requires the completion of a certified training program.

It’s important to note that the program you choose must be approved by the Rhode Island Board of Court Reporting.

To enroll in an approved program, you must meet the following criteria:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Have a high school diploma or GED.

These training programs typically cover a range of areas, including:

• CART/Captioning
• Judicial Reporting
• Scoping/Proofreading
• Professional Transcription
• Office Assistance
• Court and Real-time Reporting

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

The coursework usually includes subjects like:

• Applied Writing I
• Medical Terminology
• Legal Terminology
• Civil and Criminal Law Terminology
• Real-time Reporting I
• Real-time Reporting II

Training programs in Rhode Island are typically at the postsecondary but non-degree level.

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

Here are some schools you can consider for your court reporter training in Rhode Island.

Rhode Island University

Rhode Island University offers a comprehensive program covering court reporting, closed captioning, and CART services.

This program is available online, allowing you to study at your own pace.

No specific prerequisites are required for enrollment.

The primary goal of this program is to help you achieve a writing speed of up to 225 words per minute.

The program’s cost is $6,104, and for students requiring a steno machine, the fee is $7,899.

Enrolled students will have access to the CAT program, although they will need to purchase it for their professional careers.

Obtaining a Court Reporter License in Rhode Island

Once you’ve completed your education, the next step towards becoming a licensed court reporter in Rhode Island is to pass an examination.

You have a year and a half from the completion of your training to achieve this.

During this period, you may acquire a temporary license, although it cannot be renewed.

You have the option to earn one of these nationally recognized certifications:

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

To obtain the actual court reporter license in Rhode Island, you must also pass a skills examination.

This exam can be administered by one of these organizations:

• NCRA
• NVRA
• ACRA

The process includes:

• Payment of the required fees, which comprise a $200 license fee and a $50 application fee.
• Providing evidence of graduation from an approved training program.
• Completing the application form.

The ACRA test closely resembles the NCRA and NVRA exams.

While the NCRA skills test can be taken online, the other two tests are only available in person.

For individuals seeking the Registered Professional Reporter certification, the fees are as follows:

• $120 if you’re not a member
• $95 if you are a member
• $77 if you’re a student member

The NVRA exam fee is $125.

If you’re already a registered professional reporter and wish to become a certified verbatim reporter, you can transfer for a fee of just $50.

The Certified Court Reporter (CCR) skills exam costs $75.

The CCR skills test is divided into three sections, each lasting 5 minutes.

To pass, you must meet the word count requirements 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 provided with 75 minutes to transcribe their notes, and the minimum passing score in Rhode Island is 95% accuracy.

Additionally, there is a knowledge written exam for the Registered Professional Reporter certification, consisting of 120 questions covering technology, professional practices, ethics, and reporting practices.

The minimum passing score for this exam is 70.

The fees for the knowledge written exam are as follows:

• $220 if you’re not a member
• $195 if you are a member
• $160 if you’re a student member

The NVRA exam costs $125.

Renewal of Court Reporter License in Rhode Island

Most licenses, including court reporter licenses, require periodic renewal.

In Rhode Island, the Board mandates annual license renewal on September 30th. You should receive a reminder email around August 1st.

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

As part of the renewal process, there is a fee involved:

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

To complete the license renewal procedure, individuals must undertake 5 hours of continuing education every year.

Any extra hours completed can be carried over to the next year.

These hours must be obtained through NCRA, NVRA, and ACRA, as personal development classes are typically not accepted.

Court Reporter Salary in Rhode Island

If you’ve come this far, it’s likely that you’re interested in the court reporter profession and what you can expect to earn in Rhode Island.

In the State of Rhode Island, court reporters can anticipate a median annual salary of approximately $64,789.

Below, you can find a table listing the cities in Rhode Island with the highest median salaries for individuals in this occupation.

Court Reporter by State