RPR exam-day guide
RPR · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring an unexpired photo ID whose name matches your registration exactly. Accepted forms vary by testing provider, so confirm the list with NCRA (or your remote-proctoring vendor) before test day.
Appointment / eligibility confirmation
Have your scheduling confirmation, candidate number, and any admission instructions with you - printed or saved offline on your phone so a weak signal cannot cost you check-in time.
Your stenotype machine, tested and charged
Run a full 5-minute take on the machine you will use. Charge it the night before and bring the charger plus a spare battery or backup power if your writer supports one.
Cables, connections, and any required software
Pack the cable/adapter you normally use, and confirm in advance which software, drivers, or connection type the exam requires. If you are testing remotely, install and test everything at least 48 hours ahead.
Reference and writing materials - verify what is allowed
Dictionaries, notes, scratch paper, and pens are commonly restricted at testing stations. Do not assume; ask the provider what you may bring to the desk and what must stay in a locker.
A quiet, compliant testing space (remote candidates)
Clear desk, closed door, working webcam and microphone, stable wired-or-strong internet, and no other people in the room. Confirm the room and camera requirements with your proctoring provider; they differ between vendors.
Water and a snack for scheduled breaks
Skills testing is tiring on your hands and focus. Confirm whether food and drink are permitted at the station or only during breaks before you unpack anything.
The current candidate handbook and exam outline
Read the version in effect for your test date, not an older copy. It is the authority on format, timing, scoring, and what is prohibited.
Full-length practice skills takes at test speeds
Rehearse 5-minute takes at the three RPR dictation speeds (commonly 180, 200, and 225 words per minute - literary, jury charge, and testimony) and score them for accuracy so you know your real margin.
Knowledge-test review notes you can skim
Focus on terminology, punctuation and capitalization conventions, legal and procedural vocabulary, and professional-practice topics. Skim only - do not learn new material in the final day.
Arrival/log-in plan
Note the start time in your own time zone, plan to arrive or log in early enough to complete ID checks and equipment setup without rushing, and know your route or backup internet option.
Retake and score-reporting information
Know in advance how results are reported and what the retake process is, so a failed component does not derail you. Confirm the specifics with NCRA rather than relying on secondhand accounts.
Plan the day
Re-read the current candidate handbook and exam outline. Confirm your appointment time, location or remote-proctoring link, and ID requirements in writing. Run at least two full scored practice skills takes at each test speed. Confirm your machine, cables, and software work end to end. Start shifting your sleep schedule toward an early start.
Pack everything on the checklist and leave it by the door. Charge the writer and any devices; test the charger. Test your internet and camera if testing remotely. Prepare the testing room. Stop drilling new material - do one light accuracy-focused take, then rest your hands.
Eat a normal meal, set two alarms, confirm the start time in your time zone one last time, and sleep. Avoid marathon practice; fatigued hands cost more accuracy than one extra hour of drilling gains.
Eat a real breakfast and hydrate. Do a short 5-10 minute warm-up take at a comfortable speed to loosen your hands - not a maximum-speed push. Arrive or log in early, complete ID and equipment checks calmly, and set up your chair, machine height, and cables before the clock starts.
Read every option before answering, watch for 'except' and 'not' wording, answer the easy items first, flag anything uncertain, and return to flagged items if time allows. Change an answer only when you can point to a specific reason.
Write for rhythm and clean strokes, not for speed - you cannot outrun a dictation you are dropping. Do not stop to fix errors mid-take; keep writing through the end of the five minutes. Breathe, reset between takes, and use the permitted breaks to shake out your hands.
If anything went wrong technically, tell the proctor and ask that it be documented before you leave. Note the retake procedure and the date results are expected.
Rules to check
Bring an unexpired government-issued photo ID whose name matches your registration. Accepted forms are set by the testing provider - confirm the list before test day.
Do not bring unauthorized materials to the testing station. What counts as unauthorized (dictionaries, notes, phones, smart watches, scratch paper) varies, so verify with the provider rather than assuming.
Silence and stow all devices during the knowledge test. If you are remote proctored, stay in camera view, keep the room clear of other people, and get permission before leaving the frame.
Each skills take is scored on its own. Passing standards and error counting are set by NCRA and can change - confirm the current speed and accuracy requirements and the error policy from the official handbook, not from memory or a study group.
During dictation, keep writing through errors and through the end of the take. Self-correcting mid-sentence typically costs you more than it recovers, and many scoring systems count the original error regardless.
If equipment fails, a dictation drops, or audio is unclear, raise it immediately with the proctor and ask for it to be logged. A documented technical issue is far easier to resolve than a complaint raised afterward.
Follow the provider's break rules exactly: breaks are usually taken at scheduled points, not on demand, and unauthorized absences may void a section.
Before you leave, confirm how and when scores are reported and what the retake process and deadlines are. Ask NCRA directly for anything the handbook does not state plainly.