California CodesBusiness and Professions Code - BPCDivision 3 — Professions and Vocations GenerallyChapter 13 — Shorthand ReportersArticle 3 — Application, Examination, and Certificate; Requirement and ContentsSection 8020

Any person over the age of 18 years, who has not committed any acts or crimes constituting grounds for the denial of licensure under Sections 480, 8025, and 8025.1, who has a high school education or its equivalent as determined by the board, and who has satisfactorily passed an examination under any regulations that the board may prescribe, or has met the examination requirements pursuant to Section 8020.5, shall be entitled to a certificate and shall be styled and known as a certified shorthand reporter. No person shall be admitted to the examination without first presenting satisfactory evidence to the board that the applicant has obtained one of the following:

(a) One year of experience in making verbatim records of depositions, arbitrations, hearings, or judicial or related proceedings by means of written symbols or abbreviations in shorthand or machine shorthand writing or voice writing and transcribing these records.

(b) A verified certificate of satisfactory completion of a prescribed course of study in a recognized court reporting school or a certificate from the school that evidences an equivalent proficiency and the ability to make a verbatim record of material dictated in accordance with regulations adopted by the board contained in Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations. For purposes of this subdivision, and until the board adopts regulations governing voice writing, but in any case no later than January 1, 2024, references contained in Section 2411 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations to “machine shorthand” shall include voice writing.

(c) A certificate from the National Court Reporters Association or the National Verbatim Reporters Association demonstrating proficiency in machine shorthand reporting or voice writing.

(d) A valid certified shorthand reporters certificate or license to practice shorthand reporting issued by a state other than California whose requirements and licensing examination are substantially the same as those in California.