Are you interested in a career with high potential to earn decent bucks? Are you interested in setting your own schedule? If yes, the job of a court reporter is for you. In this article, you will find useful information on how to become a court reporter in California. The information below will help you get certified and start working as a court reporter in California. You will also learn how to take up freelance work in your free time or make freelancing your main job type.
Meet Minimum Requirements for California Licensure
The California Court Reporters Board sets specific requirements to become a court reporter licensure. Particularly, you must be at least 18 years old, possess a high school diploma or its equivalent and have no criminal record. The additional requirements are that you have at least ONE of the following: 12 months of experience in terms of shorthand and transcription; an RPR Certificate or Certificate of Merit from the National Court Reporters Association (NCPA); a valid certified shorthand reporter’s certificate or license to practice in Georgia, Nevada or Texas; a verified certificate of completion from a California Recognized Court Reporting School.
Enroll in State-Approved Court Reporting School
You must enroll in a state-approved court reporting school. The programs usually are skill-based and require 660 academic hours and 2,300 machine hours. You will develop your typing skills which are a requirement to pass the licensing exam. Licensed CSRs must be able to type 200 words per minute with a 97.5 percent accuracy rate.
Upon finishing your program and getting your certification, you can opt for a mean wage of $79,400. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics released this data as of May 2017. The exact amount of money you will get depends on where you live and how much you work.
Start Freelance Work as a Court Reporter in California with AppearMe
Even when you get a full-time job as a stenographer, you can still apply to a number of freelance jobs with AppearMe. AppearMe is an online portal that helps attorneys to find court reporters upon need. You can set your own schedule with this app. If you are a stenographer that has acquired the certification, we highly recommend to sign up. It is a source of extra income and work when you need. Sign up or contact AppearMe if you are interested in freelance work of a court reporter in California.
