Licensing by state / Florida

Court reporter licensing in Florida

Florida does not require a state license to work as a court reporter. Our source for this page is a secondary summary; treat it as a lead, not the rule.

State credential required

No

Credential

None. No state credential exists.

Issued by

No state board; courts and agencies set their own hiring standards (see notes).

How you qualify

No state exam. Employers commonly ask for an NCRA or NVRA credential.

NCRA RPR accepted

Not applicable

Fees

None

Renewal

None

Continuing education

None required by the state

Florida has no mandatory state certification for court reporters. The Florida Court Reporters Association (FCRA) states there is no mandatory certification implemented in Florida because of lack of funding by the Florida Supreme Court, and the NCRA state list records Florida as No Certification. FCRA offers a voluntary Florida Professional Reporter (FPR) credential, a one-day Florida rules and ethics seminar followed by a knowledge-only exam passed at 80 percent or above, renewed every three years on 3.0 CEUs, plus an optional FPR-C skills credential (introduced 2021) earned by skills test or reciprocity. Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.535 defines an approved court reporter as a court employee or contractor who meets the court's own certification, training and other qualifications, so each circuit sets its hiring standards; the rule defines court reporting to include written symbols, stenomask equipment, stenographic equipment or electronic devices, and requires a live court reporter (no digital court reporting) in capital cases. The lack of a requirement applies to official and freelance reporters; some circuit orders accept NCRA, NVRA or FPR-C credentials for official transcripts.

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.