Licensing by state / Oregon

Court reporter licensing in Oregon

Oregon does not require a state license to work as a court reporter.

State credential required

No

Credential

Certified Shorthand Reporter (CSR), voluntary title certification

Issued by

Oregon Judicial Department, Office of the State Court Administrator (OSCA), Certification of Shorthand Reporters program, with the Certified Shorthand Reporters Advisory Committee

How you qualify

No Oregon-administered exam. An applicant qualifies either by holding a valid NCRA RPR, an NVRA CVR, or another NCRA or NVRA certification that requires RPR or CVR as a prerequisite, or by having passed all skills segments of a qualifying exam (NCRA RPR or NVRA CVR skills tests, minimum standards literary 180 wpm, jury charge 200 wpm, two-voice testimony 225 wpm) within the 24 months before applying.

NCRA RPR accepted

Yes

Fees

OSCA policy (effective June 1, 2014): initial certification $150 for a three-year certificate; certification renewal $150; alignment of the Oregon expiration date to a national certification $5 per month; replacement certificate $15.

Renewal

Three years. Certifications issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2014 expire three years after the end of the quarter in which the application was received; a 30-day grace period applies.

Continuing education

3.0 CEU (30 hours) in the 36 months before the expiration date for three-year certifications (OSCA policy section 6.1).

ORS 8.435(5) restricts only the title: a person may not use certified shorthand reporter or C.S.R. without a certificate, and no section of ORS chapter 8 requires certification to work as a freelance or deposition reporter. The one practice rule is ORS 8.340(7)(a): a reporter providing stenographic reporting services at a party's request in a circuit court proceeding that the court records by audio or video must be certified under ORS 8.415 to 8.455 or by a nationally recognized certification program. Oregon certifies stenographic reporting and voicewriting reporting separately; a reporter may hold both but must qualify, apply and pay for each. Applicants need a high school diploma or GED and must agree to the Code of Conduct.

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.