Licensing by state / Arizona

Court reporter licensing in Arizona

Arizona requires a state credential to work as a court reporter.

State credential required

Yes

Credential

Certified Reporter (CR)

Issued by

Arizona Supreme Court, Certification and Licensing Division, Certified Reporters Program (Board of Certified Reporters)

How you qualify

No Arizona skills test. Under Arizona Code of Judicial Administration 7-206(E) an applicant must show proof of passing the NCRA RPR written knowledge test and skills test, or the NVRA CVR examination, and must also pass the Arizona Written Examination on Arizona rules and statutes. Applicants must be at least 18, a citizen or legal resident, hold a high school diploma or GED, and pass a fingerprint background check.

NCRA RPR accepted

Yes

Fees

ACJA 7-206(K), as read 2026: initial certification $700.00 if the certificate expires more than one year after the application date, $350.00 if less than one year; Arizona Written Test $100.00 for initial applicants; reexamination $100.00 per attempt; certification renewal $700.00 (biennial, may be paid in annual halves); late renewal $100.00; inactive status $100.00; delinquent continuing education $100.00; fingerprint processing fee set by Arizona law.

Renewal

Biennial. All certifications expire at midnight on February 28 of each even-numbered year; renewal is timely if submitted in January.

Continuing education

20 continuing education hours per two-year cycle (the rule also states it as at least ten hours each calendar year), due by December 31 of each odd-numbered year.

The program page states that anyone working as a court reporter in Arizona state courts must be certified, and ACJA 7-206 (quoting A.R.S. 32-4003(A)) extends the requirement to reporting depositions for use in any Arizona court, so it applies to official and freelance reporters alike. Voice writing is accepted (the rule defines reporting as stenographic or by voice writing) and a reporter may use only the method in which they were certified. Reporters certified or licensed in another jurisdiction for at least 12 months may qualify under A.R.S. 32-4302 (universal recognition). Conditional initial certification is available to newly hired official superior court reporters while the background check is pending. Applications and exam registration run through the Division's online portal; the Supreme Court offers a study guide but no preparatory classes. The fee and renewal figures were read from the ACJA 7-206 text as mirrored at courtrules.net and should be checked against the current code on azcourts.gov.

Exam speeds and legs for the national credentials are on the certifications page; the path from school to the exam is in how to become a court reporter.