Licensure and Testing

Iowa State Licensure

To visit the Board of Examiners of Shorthand Reporters webpage for contact information, a list of current board members, general forms to download, an overview of the examination process, continuing education and exemption information, click here.

​Iowa Certified Shorthand Reporter Test:

• The Iowa Certified Shorthand Reporter examination is held the second Saturday each March and September at the Judicial Branch Building, 1111 E. Court Avenue, Des Moines. 
• Written Knowledge Test, Technical Q and A at 180 wpm; Nontechnical Q and A at 225 wpm; Nontechnical multi-voice at 200 wpm, with one minute chosen for readback.
• The written knowledge t​est consists of medical and legal terminology, court procedures, spelling, and Iowa Code Sections and Court      Rules relating to shorthand reporters.  Accuracy of 70 percent is required to pass the written test.
• ​If a person has passed the written examination within the past five years, it will not be necessary to take this portion again.
•  ​Each portion of the shorthand skills test is for five minutes; the 180 and 225 portions are transcribed; one minute of the multi-voice is  read back; and 95 percent accuracy on each portion is required to pass.
  

Applications, along with $200, must be on file with the Iowa Board of Examiners of Shorthand Reporters 30 days prior to the date of the test.  Applications may be obtained from the Iowa Board of Examiners of Shorthand Reporters, 1111 E. Court Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50319, 515-725-8029.   The CSR application can be found by clicking here or also under the forms and documention section.

​

National Certification

​For information on NCRA testing dates and sites, click here.

Federal Certification

For information on USCRA testing dates and sites, click here.