Reporters who fail to earn the 3.0 Continuing Education Units by the time their cycles end also lose the ability to use their NCRA credentials — the RPR, RMR, RDR, CRR, CCP, CBC, or CLVS — to certify or market themselves. As many states require court reporters to have certification to practice in the state, the loss of credentials can affect those reporters keenly. Reporters in states that do not require certification often find that certification is a differentiating feature for marketing their services to attorneys or for other job placement.
If you are in this predicament, you may not use any of the credentials that require continuing education upkeep in marketing materials, such as business cards or websites, or to certify your work.
NCRA has recently taken steps to make it easier than ever to recover your credentials. In March 2014, the NCRA Board of Directors approved changes to its Credential Reinstatement Policy. The three-tier policy allows members to reinstate credentials based on how long ago the certification lapsed. Starting in March 2014, all individuals who have lapsed certifications are eligible for one of the reinstatement procedures below, regardless of whether they had received a past reinstatement under the old policy or under a previous amnesty outreach program.
Reinstatement of credentials lapsed less than three years ago
Individuals whose credentials lapsed within the past three years will need to fill out the Reinstatement Application, which will require the following:
- Payment of current year dues, either in full or starting monthly dues payments.
- Payment of $95 reinstatement fee.
- Once fees have been paid, the member will have one year in which to earn 1.0 CEU in order to reinstate the certifications. During this period, the certifications will not be current.
- Once the member has submitted and notified NCRA of completion of the continuing education requirement, the certifications will be reinstated and the member will have no less than three years in which to complete the continuing education requirements for the certification(s). A letter to this effect will be sent to the member.
- PDC credits may not be used towards this reinstatement requirement, and the unit must be earned during the year that starts with the processing of the fees.
Reinstatement of credentials lapsed between three and seven years ago
Individuals whose credentials lapsed between three and seven years ago will need to fill out the Reinstatement Application, which will require the following:
- Payment of current year dues, either in full or starting monthly dues payments.
- Payment of $95 reinstatement fee.
- IF THE MEMBER IS ONLY REINSTATING ONE CERTIFICATION (CRI, CBC, CCP, RPR, CLVS, AND CMRS ONLY): Once fees have been paid, the member will have one year in which to earn 2.0 CEUs in order to reinstate the certification. During this period, the certifications will not be current.
- IF THE MEMBER IS REINSTATING MORE THAN ONE CERTIFICATION: Once fees have been paid, the member will have one year in which to earn 2.5 CEUs in order to reinstate the certification. During this period, the certifications will not be current.
- Once the member has submitted and notified NCRA of completion of the continuing education requirement, the certifications will be reinstated and the member will have no less than three years in which to complete the continuing education requirements for the certification(s). A letter to this effect will be sent to the member.
- PDC credits may not be used towards this reinstatement requirement, and the units must be earned during the year that starts with the processing of the fees.
Reinstatement of credentials lapsed seven or more years ago
Individuals whose credentials lapsed between more than seven years ago will need to fill out the Reinstatement Application, which will require the following:
- Payment of current year dues, either in full or starting monthly dues payments.
- Payment of $95 reinstatement fee.
- FOR HOLDERS OF THE RPR, RMR, RDR, CRR, CBC, AND CCP: Once fees have been paid, the member will have one year in which to take and pass the skills portion of the highest level certification the member wishes to reinstate. The first retest fee will be waived.
- FOR HOLDERS OF THE CLVS: Once fees have been paid, the member will have one year in which to take and pass the production skills test.
- FOR HOLDERS OF THE CRI: Once fees have been paid, the member will have one year in which to submit a new CRI assignment. This will be coordinated with the Education office.
- CMRS HOLDERS WHO HAVE LAPSED SEVEN OR MORE YEARS AGO ARE INELIGIBLE FOR REINSTATEMENT. NCRA no longer grants this certification, so we are unable to reevaluate any individual who has permitted this certification to lapse for seven or more years.
- Once fees have been paid, the member will have one year in which to earn 1.0 CEU in order to reinstate the certifications. During this period, the certifications will not be current.
- Once the member has submitted and notified NCRA of completion of the continuing education requirement and has passed the skills requirements outlined above, the certification(s) will be reinstated and the member will have no less than three years in which to complete the continuing education requirements for the certification(s). A letter to this effect will be sent to the member.
- PDC credits may not be used towards this reinstatement requirement, and the units must be earned during the year that starts with the processing of the fees.
