Licensing by state / Kansas

Court reporter licensing in Kansas

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

State credential required

Yes

Credential

Certified Court Reporter (CCR)

Issued by

Kansas State Board of Examiners of Court Reporters, under the Kansas Supreme Court (Office of Judicial Administration)

How you qualify

Board exam: dictation at 180 wpm (two-voice medical testimony, max 45 errors), 200 wpm (solid matter, max 50 errors) and 225 wpm (two-voice testimony, max 57 errors), each transcribed at 95 percent accuracy or better, plus a written exam on court reporter duties, court procedure and legal terminology passed at 70 percent (Rule 308). Holders of an NCRA RPR or NVRA CVR in good standing qualify by passing the written exam only (Rule 309(c)); the exam is given twice a year.

NCRA RPR accepted

Yes

Fees

Nonrefundable application and examination fee $125 payable to the Office of Judicial Administration (Rule 307, effective July 1, 2020); a further $125 to carry an application to the next exam or to test on a different reporting system. The annual registration fee is set by Supreme Court order and is not stated in the rules; the KCRA says the current amount appears on the renewal form.

Renewal

Annual registration (active, inactive or retired) with the Office of Judicial Administration; fee statement sent before May 1, fee and form due June 30, late fee equal to the registration fee, and an unrenewed certificate expires December 31 (Rule 310).

Continuing education

Not yet verified

K.S.A. 60-228(a)(1) requires a deposition taken within Kansas to be taken before a person certified as a certified court reporter by the Kansas Supreme Court, so freelance deposition reporters need the CCR as well as official reporters; Rule 310 says both officials and freelancers register annually. K.S.A. 20-912 directs the Supreme Court to grant certificates of eligibility for appointment as official reporters. Voice writing is an accepted method and the certificate is valid only for the system tested (Rule 308(d)). Reporters certified in another state qualify by proving they passed an exam at least as difficult as the Kansas exam within three years (or five years of experience) and passing the Kansas written exam (Rule 309(d)). Temporary certificates pending exam results are available under Rule 312 with a supervising Kansas CCR. The rules read for this entry did not contain a continuing education requirement.

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.