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How to become a licensed court reporter in Rhode Island. Speed test: No set wpm; practical trial-based exam judged by presiding judge. Total initial fees: Contact judiciary for current fees. Verified 2026-03-21. Data verified 2026-03-21. Source: LicenseMap (getlicensemap.com).
Court Reporter — CVR/RPR/RMR
Some information on this page has not been fully verified.
62% of data points are verified against official sources. 14 fields based on preliminary research. We recommend confirming details with your state's licensing authority. See sources below · Report incorrect data
Yes
License Required
No
NCRA Required
Required
Speed Test
Required
State Exam
0 hrs
CE Hours
Contact judiciary for current fees
Total Initial Fees
Stenography Program & Accreditation
VerifiedStenography Program
Not Required
Minimum Speed
No set speed requirement; practical trial-based exam
Program Type
No specific education requirement; steno-only state
Accreditation
No state-mandated accreditation; steno only
Court reporters must complete a court reporting or stenography program from an NCRA-approved or regionally accredited institution. Programs typically require 2-4 years and include intensive stenographic machine shorthand training, legal terminology, medical terminology, and transcript production. Graduates must demonstrate minimum speed proficiency, typically 225 wpm for literary material.
Certification Requirements
VerifiedNCRA Certification Not Required
National Court Reporters Association
NCRA Certifications
NCRA certifications voluntary; state has unique practical exam
State Certification
Rhode Island CSR — uses unique practical trial-based examination
Realtime Certification N/A
Realtime Reporting
The NCRA (National Court Reporters Association) offers three levels of certification: RPR (Registered Professional Reporter) as the baseline, RMR (Registered Merit Reporter) for advanced proficiency at 260 wpm, and RDR (Registered Diplomate Reporter) as the highest distinction at 280 wpm. Many states require or accept NCRA RPR certification as the qualifying credential for state licensure.
Examination Requirements
VerifiedSkills Test Required
Stenographic Speed Test
Speed Requirements
No set wpm; practical trial-based exam judged by presiding judge
Written Exam
No Written Exam
State Exam Required
State-Specific Exam
Unique practical exam: sit in actual court trial, transcribe 10 pages from notes, compared to official record; no set percentage — up to judge's interpretation
Additional Requirements
Court reporter examinations typically include a stenographic skills test at 225 wpm for literary dictation, 200 wpm for jury charge, and 180 wpm for two-voice testimony. A written knowledge exam covers legal terminology, court procedures, transcript production standards, and professional ethics. Some states administer their own exams while others accept the NCRA RPR examination.
State Licensing Requirements
VerifiedState License Required
State License Title
Certified Shorthand Reporter
Additional Notes
Rhode Island has the most unique exam in the country: a practical trial-based test.
Approximately 30 states require licensure or certification for court reporters. States that do not require licensure include Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Even in non-licensing states, NCRA certification may be required by courts or employers.
Practice Scope & Services
VerifiedOfficial Proceedings
Authorized
Depositions
Authorized
Captioning
Not specifically regulated
CART Services
May be provided
Realtime Reporting
Available
Court reporters provide verbatim transcription services in official court proceedings, depositions, arbitrations, and hearings. Additional services include CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, realtime reporting with instant text display, and broadcast captioning for television and live events. Freelance reporters also provide deposition services for law firms.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
Application Fee | Contact judiciary |
License Fee | Contact judiciary |
Renewal Fee | Contact judiciary |
Total Initial Fees Fees not publicly listed | Contact judiciary for current fees |
Renewal & CE Requirements
Mostly verifiedContact judiciary
Renewal Period
0 hrs
CE Hours Required
Contact judiciary
Renewal Fee
CE Details
Contact judiciary for current CE requirements
Regulatory Board
Court reporter licenses must be renewed on schedule with the state licensing authority. Most states require continuing education hours in court reporting technology, stenographic skills, legal procedures, transcript production, and professional ethics. Requirements typically range from 10-30 hours per renewal cycle.
Out-of-State Reciprocity
Mostly verifiedEndorsement Available
No
Comity Available
No
Reciprocity Requirements
Most states that license court reporters offer reciprocity or endorsement for certified reporters from other states. Requirements typically include verification of current certification, passage of the NCRA RPR exam or equivalent skills test, meeting education requirements, and completing a background check. Some states may require a state-specific jurisprudence exam.
Rhode Island has perhaps the most unusual court reporter certification exam in the country. Rather than a standard speed test, candidates sit in an actual court trial, transcribe 10 pages from their notes, and the transcription is compared to the official record. There is no set passing percentage — it is entirely at the judge's discretion.
Rhode Island has the most unique exam in the country: a practical trial-based test.
Candidate sits in an actual court trial and transcribes 10 pages from stenographic notes.
Transcription compared to the official record.
No set percentage or speed — evaluation is at the judge's discretion.
Steno-only state.
Explore requirements for other professional licenses in Rhode Island.
How this state compares to 50 others for this profession
Timeline
#1 of 51
Processing
#1 of 51
Estimated total: 108–226 weeks
Timeline estimated from licensing requirements on this page.
Contact judiciary for scheduling
Estimated processing time
Study materials for the RPR certification exam.
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Rhode Island requires certification for court reporters. Speed test: No set wpm; practical trial-based exam judged by presiding judge. All licensing is managed through the Rhode Island Judiciary.
Requirements vary by state. Always verify current requirements with your state licensing authority.