Licensing by state / Massachusetts

Court reporter licensing in Massachusetts

Massachusetts 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

Massachusetts has no state license or state board for court reporters. NCRA's state table lists licensing as 'Voluntary' with no required credentials, noting that many stenographers hold NCRA certification and meet the state association's criteria; the CCR.edu table lists certification as not mandatory. M.G.L. c. 221 s. 83 requires that a temporary official stenographer appointed on a party's motion in the Trial Court be a 'certified shorthand reporter' and the motion must certify that fact, but the statute names no issuing body and sets no other qualifications. Licensing bills filed in 2009 (H1677 and H1288) surfaced in search results but their outcome was not checked.

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.