Court Reporters Certification

Certification of Military Spouses, Military Service Members, and Military Veterans

Definitions per section 55.001 of Chapter 55 Occupations Code:

• Military service member: a person who is on active duty.
  • Active Duty: current full-time military service in the armed forces of the United States or active-duty military service as a member of the Texas military forces
• Military spouse: a person who is married to a military service member.
• Military veteran: a person who has served on active duty and who was discharged or released from active duty.
• License: a license, certificate, registration, permit, or other form of authorization required by law or a state agency rule that must be obtained by an individual to engage in a particular business.

The Commission may issue an initial certification to an applicant who is a military service member, spouse of a military service member, or a military veteran that:

1. holds a current court reporter certification, registration, or license issued by another state that has requirements substantially equivalent to Texas requirements, or
2. within the 5 years preceding the date of application, held a court reporter certification, registration or license in Texas.

If you do not meet one of the above two requirements, you are not eligible for the military applicant fee waiver and must pay all required fees and meet all original certification requirements.

To apply for Certification as a military applicant, under sections 3.4 (a)-(g) of the JBCC Rules, you must do the following:

1. Submit the Application for Licensure via the online system on our home page.

• • Select the waiver option for Military Applicant. (Important Note: if you are deemed ineligible for this waiver, staff will invoice you for the application fee(s). The application will be withdrawn if the fee is not paid within 30 days of the invoice date.)

2. Submit all required documentation for the items indicated below:

a. Documentation of being a military service member, spouse, or veteran, (such as military ID or other official documentation confirming you as being a military spouse);

b. Proof of holding a current certification or license as a guardian in another state (such as a copy of your certification or license). You must be licensed or certified, in the other state, under the profession for which you seek licensure or certification in Texas. The documentation must verify you are certified or licensed, in the other state, to practice in the profession for which you are applying; 

c. A letter of good standing from your current certification or licensing authority;

d. Documentation showing a permanent change of station order for purposes of establishing residency;

e. Letters of recommendation or a resume showing your work experience;

f. Proof of passing your state’s certification or licensure exam (if applicable); and

g. Documentation of your state’s current certification or licensure requirements. (Note: the documentation must be from your state’s licensing authority. Applicants cannot create the documentation themselves.)

Note: If you were certified or licensed with the JBCC within 5 years of the date of your application, skip items a-g and, instead, upload proof of your prior Texas certification or license and the name you were certified or licensed under.

3. Pass a criminal history background check by DPS and the FBI. Applicants that apply for certification online will receive the service code form via the automated email confirmation they receive after submitting their application for certification. They should check their inbox (and spam folder) for this correspondence.

If eligible, under section 3.4 of the JBCC Rules, you may be waived from the examination requirement. The written knowledge portion of the examination pertains to Texas rules and procedures, which reporters are required to know in order to become certified. Depending on your experience, you may still be required to pass one or both portions of the examination.

To inquire about providing services as a military spouse applicant, under section 3.4 (h) of the JBCC Rules, you must submit your inquiry to the licensing specialist for this department at: courtreporting@txcourts.gov.