Alabama Administrative Code Chapter 257-X-3 — Licensure

257 Alabama Board of Court Reporting

Ala. Admin. Code r. 257-X-3-.01 Temporary Licensure

(1) Effective April 21, 2010, any person who is a graduate of a school of court reporting may apply for temporary licensure.

(2) Temporary licenses are valid from the date of graduation and shall expire eighteen (18) months after issuance.

(3) Temporary licenses are not renewable. In the event that a temporary license expires without the temporary licensee having passed the examination for full licensure, court reporting services by the temporary licensee shall cease and desist immediately upon the expiration of the temporary license. Upon expiration of a temporary license, the temporary license number will be removed as soon as practicable from the listing of temporary licenses on the Board’s web site. The Board may not be held liable for lost income to the temporary licensee or to the court reporting firm due to expiration of a temporary license.

(4) The temporary license application will consist of the following:

(a) Proof of graduation from a school of court reporting in the form of: Official Transcripts, Copy of Diploma, or Official Letter from the Court Reporting Program’s Director;

(b) Completed application forms for both the temporary licensee and the supervising court reporter, as approved by the board;

(c) Payment of application and temporary license fees as approved by the board.

(5) The temporary license allows the applicant to practice as a court reporter without passing the examination, subject to the following stipulations:

(a) The court reporter with a temporary license shall function under the supervision of a currently licensed court reporter.

1. “Supervision” requires the licensed, supervising court reporter to be physically present with the temporary licensee and readily accessible to the licensee to designate or prescribe a course of action or give procedural guidance, direction and periodic evaluation. When it is not possible for the supervising court reporter to be physically present or physically accessible, the supervising court reporter may be accessible to the licensee for direction and consultation on a limited, occasional or emergency basis through electronic or telephonic communication. The supervising court reporter shall be responsible to ensure that the temporary licensee does not routinely provide court reporting services in the absence of the direct supervision of the supervising court reporter, as defined in this section.

(b) Temporary licensees may not direct bill for court reporting services provided; such services may be billed solely through the employing court reporter firm or the temporary licensee’s supervising court reporter.

(c) The temporary license will be reflected by the initials “TL” for “Temporary License,” followed by their assigned number.

(d) All individuals issued a temporary license shall be subject to regulation pursuant to any rules promulgated by the Alabama State Board of Court Reporting and Code of Ala. 1975, Section 34-8B-1, et seq.

(e) Failure of any temporary licensee to meet the requirements for licensure enumerated in Reg. 257-X-3-.03 shall result in the expiration of the temporary license. Temporary licensees are encouraged, at the earliest opportunity, to take and pass the Licensure Examination, as prescribed under Reg. 257-X-3-.03, and must immediately notify the Board and the supervising court reporter in writing of their passage or failure of the Licensure Examination.

(f) The temporary licensee shall notify the Board in writing of the termination of the supervisory relationship and/or the license’s transfer to another supervisor, within fourteen (14) days of said termination or transfer. Failure to maintain a current acknowledgement form (Form ABCR TL 1) on file with the Board office, signed by the temporary licensee and his/her supervising court reporter, may subject both the temporary license and the supervising court reporter to disciplinary action by the Board.

(6) A licensed court reporter serving as a supervisor for a temporary licensee must submit a completed application therefore, be in good standing with the Board, and must not have been subject to disciplinary action within the five (5) years previously to his/her application to serve as a supervising court reporter. The application to serve as a supervising court reporter may be denied only for failure to meet the qualifications of this section.

(7) Supervising court reporters shall also be required to comply with the following:

(a) Accept full responsibility for the actions of the temporary licensee while under the supervising court reporter’s supervision. Supervising court reporters may not make a temporary or permanent assignment of their supervisory duties over a temporary licensee to another licensed court reporter.

(b) Ensure that the temporary licensee shall not take on an assignment above the temporary licensee’s skill level, competency or abilities.

(c) Certify the temporary licensee’s work product by including the supervising court reporter’s signature and license number on any transcript produced by the temporary licensee.

(d) Notify the Board in writing of the termination of the supervisory relationship within fourteen (14) days of said termination. Failure to timely provide written notification thereof may subject the supervising court reporter to disciplinary action by the Board.

(8) Upon notification to a temporary licensee that he/she is the subject of a complaint or any anticipated disciplinary action by the Board, the licensee’s supervisor shall also receive a copy of the notification provided to the licensee. Any violation of the Board’s enabling law or its rules by a temporary licensee may also subject the supervising court reporter to disciplinary action from the Board.

History

• Author: Alabama Board of Court Reporting
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§34-8B-1 thru 34-8B-18.
• New Rule: Filed April 19, 2007; effective May 24, 2007. Amended: Filed July 23, 2010; effective August 27, 2010. Amended: Filed June 19, 2012; effective July 24, 2012. Amended: Filed May 25, 2017; effective July 9, 2017. Amended: Filed March 1, 2019; effective April 15, 2019. Amended: Published February 28, 2025; effective April 14, 2025.
• Editor's note: Rule 01 was repealed per certification filed May 25, 2017; Rule .02 was repealed per certification filed August 22, 2012. Rule .03 is renumbered .01 per certification filed May 25, 2017; effective July 9, 2017.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 257-X-3-.02 Traditional Application For Licensure

(1) Applicants for licensure as court reporters must meet the following requirements in order to obtain a license:

(a) Provide proof of graduation from court reporting program or its equivalent in the form of: Official Transcripts, Copy of Diploma, or Official Letter from the Court Reporting Program’s Director. Possession of a current designation of NCRA Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) or NVRA Certified Verbatim Reporter (CVR), with appropriate documentation, constitutes equivalency for purposes of this paragraph.

(b) Pass the Licensure Examination;

(c) Complete the application and remit all appropriate fees.

(2) For purposes of this rule, "court reporting program or its equivalent" shall also mean any court reporter education programs that have met the General Requirements and Minimum Standards (GRMS} established by the Council on Approved Student Education (CASE) of the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA), and thus designated as NCRA approved, or any other non-NCRA approved instructional programs designated by the Board as providing an equivalent standard of instruction. Non-NCRA-approved programs seeking designation as an approved program must submit an application to the Board establishing that its program is equivalent to those receiving NCRA approval. Applicants may also seek recognition of a program under this Section. To be recognized for licensure purposes in Alabama, a school or program curriculum should include, at a minimum, instruction on steno theory or voice writing theory, technology, judicial procedures, speed building (requiring a speed equal to or exceeding the state certification exam requirements), and punctuation. Approval of a non-NCRA approved instructional program may be subject to periodic review and may be revoked upon a determination by the Board that the instructional program no longer meets the requirements of an "equivalent" program.

(3) The provisions of Chapter 257-X-3-.02(2) shall not serve to invalidate any license granted by the Board prior to its effective date.

History

• Author: Alabama Board of Court Reporting
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§34-8B-1 thru 34-8B-18.
• New Rule: Filed April 19, 2007; effective May 24, 2007. Amended (Rule No. Only): Filed October 6, 2009; effective November 11, 2009. Amended: Filed June 19, 2012; effective July 24, 2012. Amended: Filed May 25, 2017; effective July 9, 2017. Amended: Filed October 19, 2018; effective December 3, 2018. Amended: Filed September 30, 2022; effective November 14, 2022. Amended: Published October 31, 2023; effective December 15, 2023.
• Editor's note: Rule 257-X-3-.04, Reciprocity, was repealed and rule .05 was renumbered to .04 as per certification filed October 6, 2009; effective November 11, 2009. Rule .04 is renumbered .02 per certification filed May 25, 2017; effective July 9, 2017.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 257-X-3-.03 Examination

Applicants for licensure must pass the Written Knowledge Examination administered by NCRA and provide documentation of having passed the NCRA Registered Professional Reporter Examination (RPR), NVRA CRA Examination, or Alabama Skills Examination administered by ACRA. Passage of examination legs from the State and National Examination may be determined.

History

• Author: Alabama Board of Court Reporting
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§34-8B-1 thru 34-8B-18.
• New Rule: Filed April 19, 2007; effective May 24, 2007. Amended: Filed October 7, 2008; effective November 11, 2008. Amended: Filed October 6, 2009; effective November 11, 2009. Amended: Filed June 19, 2012; effective July 24, 2012. Amended: Filed May 25, 2017; effective July 9, 2017.
• Editor's note: Rule .06 was renumbered to .05 as per certification filed October 6, 2009; effective November 11, 2009. Rule .05 is renumbered .03 per certification filed May 25, 2017; effective July 9, 2017.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 257-X-3-.04 Renewal

(1) Every Court Reporter License in Alabama shall lapse on September 30th of each year. The holder of the license may renew such license during the sixty (60) days preceding September 30th by paying the required fee and completion of the application for renewal.

(2) It is the responsibility of each licensee to notify the Board in writing of any change of address or legal name within thirty (30) days of such change. Failure to receive a renewal form from the Board shall not constitute an excuse for failure to renew licensure

(3) Late renewals may be received up to sixty (60) days following lapse of licensure with the required late renewal fee and application for renewal. An individual may not provide court reporting services under a lapsed license. Failure to renew a lapsed license within the period for late renewal established by the board shall result in an expired license.

(4) The Board shall attempt to notify all individuals with expired licenses of their licensure status in writing, at their address of record, or by email at their email address of record, and post all expired licenses on the Board web site. Failure of the Board to provide such notice shall not relieve a person with an expired license of his or her obligations under these rules. Persons providing court reporting services without licensure in Alabama shall be subject to such penalties as prescribed in Code of Ala. (1975), §34-8B-8 and may be subject to denial of a license application or other sanctions the Board may impose as a condition for the grant of a license application.

History

• Author: Alabama Board of Court Reporting
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§34-8B-1 thru 34-8B-18.
• New Rule: Filed April 19, 2007; effective May 24, 2007. Amended (Rule No. Only): Filed October 6, 2009; effective November 11, 2009. Amended: Filed May 17, 2010; effective June 21, 2010. Amended: Filed June 19, 2012; effective July 24, 2012. Amended: Filed April 8, 2013; effective May 13, 2013. Amended: Filed May 25, 2017; effective July 9, 2017. Amended: Filed October 19, 2018; effective December 3, 2018. Amended: Published February 28, 2025; effective April 14, 2025.
• Editor's note: Rule .07 was renumbered to .06 as per certification filed October 6, 2009; effective November 11, 2009. Rule .06 is renumbered .04 per certification filed May 25, 2017; effective July 9, 2017.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 257-X-3-.05 Licensure By Reciprocity

(1) The Board may license an applicant if the applicant is licensed in another state which under like condition grants reciprocal licensure without examination to court reporters duly licensed by examination in this state, and that, in the opinion of the Board, has standards of practice or licensure equal to or stricter than the requirements imposed by this state subject to the following conditions:

(a) The applicant for licensure by reciprocity must possess a license in good standing in the reciprocating state.

(b) The applicant must not be the subject of any pending complaint or investigation in any state or jurisdiction in which the applicant holds or has held a license. The applicant must provide all information, including any information or documentation requested by the Board, in connection with any pending complaint or investigation for the Board’s review. The pendency of any complaint or investigation may be considered by the Board as reason for denying licensure by reciprocity.

(c) The applicant must not have been disciplined in any state in which he or she holds or has held a license resulting from conduct which would constitute a violation of any of the grounds set forth in the Court Reporter Practice Act and the rules and regulations established by the Board.

(d) The applicant must be current with continuing education requirements of the reciprocating state.

(2) The applicant must complete all forms required by the Board including but not limited to an application for licensure by reciprocity. In addition, as part of the application process, and in order for the application to be considered complete, it shall be the responsibility of the applicant to submit the following:

(a) All applicable fees.

(b) Certification from the reciprocating state board that the applicant’s license is currently in good standing. This certification from the Board(s) shall also include a statement that the applicant is in compliance with the provisions of paragraph (1) above.

(c) Any and all available information pertaining to the examination taken by the applicant which resulted in licensure in the reciprocating state.

(3) The Board may consider as part of the application process whether the applicant has ever been denied licensure in any state, regardless of the type of licensure. Upon request of the Board, the applicant shall submit any documentation in connection with such denial.

History

• Author: Alabama Board of Court Reporting
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§34-8B-1 thru 34-8B-18.
• New Rule: Filed October 19, 2018; effective December 3, 2018.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 257-X-3-.06 Non-Resident Licensure

(1) Nonresident court reporters desiring to make a verbatim record of any testimony of a proceeding, the jurisdiction of which is within the courts of Alabama or where appeal to any court of Alabama is allowable by law, shall make annual application for a nonresident license.

(2) The applicant shall make application on the same forms as required of other applicants, shall pay the appropriate licensure fee, and shall present proof that the applicant is a competent licensed court reporter in another state.

(3) The board shall issue a nonresident license upon the finding that the applicant is a competent licensed court reporter in another state.

(4) The license shall be valid for a period not to exceed one (1) year and shall be renewed annually in accordance with the procedures established by the Board, together with payment of the annual renewal fee.

History

• Author: Alabama Board of Court Reporting
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§34-8B-1 thru 34-8B-18.
• New Rule: Filed October 19, 2018; effective December 3, 2018.