- The WKT is 120 questions (100 scored, 20 pretest) in 110 minutes, closed book, passing at scaled score 70.
- Technology and Innovation is the largest WKT domain at 43% of content.
- Full RPR certification requires the WKT plus three skills legs: Literary (180 wpm), Jury Charge (200 wpm), Testimony (225 wpm).
- WKT windows run January, April, July, and October; registration typically opens days 1-20 of the prior month.
Quick Facts Snapshot
Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) is the National Court Reporters Association's (NCRA) foundational certification for stenographic court reporters. This page is your compressed, single-scroll reference - the facts you check the night before test day, not a full tutorial. For deeper walkthroughs of any section below, see the RPR Study Guide 2026 and the RPR Exam Domains 2026 guide.
WKT Numbers You Must Memorize
- 120 total questions - 100 scored, 20 unscored pretest items you can't identify during the test
- 110 minutes total testing time
- Passing score: a scaled score of at least 70 - not a raw percentage of 70%
- Format: multiple choice, closed book, delivered at Pearson VUE test centers or through OnVUE remote proctoring
- No notes, books, or physical writing tools allowed during the WKT
If OnVUE remote proctoring is your plan, budget time for a system check beforehand: you'll need a private testing space, continuous webcam visibility, and no breaks once the session starts. Full mechanics live on NCRA's WKT information page, and we break down score interpretation in the RPR Passing Score 2026 guide.
Key Takeaway
Because 20 of 120 WKT questions are unscored pretest items, don't panic over one or two questions that feel oddly specific or unfamiliar - treat every question the same and keep moving within the 110-minute window.
The Three WKT Domains at a Glance
The WKT job analysis organizes content into three weighted domains. Knowing the weighting tells you where to spend limited study hours.
Domain 1: Technology and Innovation - 43%
The largest domain by far, covering CAT (computer-aided transcription) software, realtime troubleshooting, Windows fundamentals, networks, storage, and information security. This is the domain most likely to separate a pass from a retake.
- CAT software configuration and realtime output troubleshooting
- Windows file management, networking basics, and storage concepts
- Information security fundamentals relevant to reporter workflows
Domain 2: Industry Practices - 34%
Covers the day-to-day realities of reporting work - procedures, terminology, and practical judgment calls reporters make on assignments.
- Standard reporting procedures and workflow terminology
- Applied scenarios testing judgment, not just definitions
Domain 3: NCRA, Professionalism, and Ethics - 23%
The smallest domain but still worth roughly a quarter of your score - covers professional conduct expectations and NCRA-specific policy knowledge.
- Codes of professional conduct and ethical scenarios
- NCRA structure, certification policy, and membership-related knowledge
For a domain-by-domain breakdown with sample topic lists, see the full RPR Exam Domains 2026 guide. If you're still deciding how much time this exam realistically demands, the How Hard Is the RPR Exam? guide walks through difficulty by domain.
The Three Skills Legs
Beyond the WKT, full RPR certification requires passing three stenographic skills tests, each with a five-minute dictation and a required accuracy threshold of 95%.
| Skills Leg | Dictation Speed | Length | Accuracy Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Literary | 180 wpm | 5 minutes | 95% |
| Jury Charge | 200 wpm | 5 minutes | 95% |
| Testimony/Q&A | 225 wpm | 5 minutes | 95% |
After dictation ends, candidates get three minutes to upload notes and 75 minutes for transcript editing and submission. Skills tests are delivered through Realtime Coach paired with ProctorU/Record+ and the Guardian Browser - you'll need your writer, CAT software, a working webcam, and wired headphones. During transcription, CAT spell check is allowed, along with a printed Merriam-Webster dictionary and two scratch sheets (with a shredder available afterward).
Fee Cheat Sheet
Fees vary by membership status and by whether you're registering for the WKT, a single skills leg, or dual back-to-back attempts of the same skills test type. Bookmark this table.
| Test | Reporter/Registered Member | Student Member | Nonmember |
|---|---|---|---|
| WKT | $220 | $181 | $253 |
| Single skills leg | $110 | $90 | $144 |
| Dual skills registration (two back-to-back attempts, same test type) | $165 | $135 | $216 |
NCRA membership is billed separately from these testing fees. Nonmembers may test on all four components, but if you complete certification as a nonmember, you must join NCRA as a Registered member within 30 days to actually use the RPR designation. For the complete cost breakdown, including how fees stack up across a full certification attempt, see RPR Certification Cost 2026. Eligibility details for current and aspiring reporters are covered in the RPR Requirements 2026 guide.
Testing Windows & Timing
- WKT testing windows: January, April, July, and October
- Registration: generally opens on days 1-20 of the month before the testing window
- Preliminary WKT results: available shortly after you test
- Official WKT results: released two to four weeks after the window closes
- Skills test results: generally arrive within 10-15 business days
Because registration windows are narrow and close weeks before the actual testing dates, mark your calendar early. Full scheduling logistics, including how the dual-registration option affects timing, are laid out in RPR Exam Dates 2026.
2025 Component Pass Rates
NCRA publishes completed-and-submitted test pass rates by component. These are component-level rates, not a single "RPR pass rate," and they highlight where candidates struggle most.
| Component | 2025 Pass Rate | Tests Completed |
|---|---|---|
| WKT | 63% | 255 |
| Literary | 29% | 421 |
| Jury Charge | 31% | 455 |
| Testimony | 16% | 528 |
The skills legs - especially Testimony at 225 wpm - are clearly the harder hurdle compared to the WKT. This matches what most working reporters report anecdotally: the written portion is studyable with material review, while skills speed is a physical and cognitive endurance skill built over months. For the full context behind these numbers, read RPR Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows.
Key Takeaway
Don't let a strong WKT score lull you into underestimating the skills legs - Testimony has the lowest completed-test pass rate of the four components and deserves the bulk of your practice hours.
Maintaining the Credential
Passing all four components isn't the finish line - it's the start of a maintenance cycle.
- Continuing education: 3.0 continuing-education credits required per three-year cycle
- Minimum CEUs: at least 2.0 CEUs (with up to 1.0 PDC allowed toward the total)
- Conversion: 1 CEU equals 10 contact hours
- Membership: continuous NCRA membership must be maintained
- First cycle deadline: ends the first September 30 that is at least three years after your award date
These renewal mechanics matter when you're weighing the long-term value of the credential - see Is the RPR Certification Worth It? for a fuller ROI discussion, and RPR Salary Guide 2026 for how the credential connects to earning potential in the field.
Final Review Week Plan
If you're in your last stretch before a WKT window closes, allocate remaining hours proportionally to domain weight rather than evenly across all three domains.
Technology and Innovation (43%)
- Drill CAT software terminology and realtime troubleshooting scenarios
- Review Windows file management, networking, and storage basics
- Run through information security fundamentals relevant to reporting workflows
Industry Practices (34%)
- Review standard procedures and terminology used across assignments
- Work applied-judgment practice questions, not just flashcard definitions
NCRA, Professionalism, and Ethics (23%)
- Review codes of professional conduct and ethics scenarios
- Confirm you know NCRA membership and certification policy basics
- Do a full 120-question timed simulation to rehearse the 110-minute pace
This weighting isn't generic advice - it's a direct reflection of the WKT domain percentages, so time spent on Technology and Innovation pays off nearly twice as much as time spent on Ethics. Run a full-length timed simulation on our RPR practice test platform before test day to confirm your pacing across all 120 questions holds up under the real 110-minute clock.
FAQ
No - this page is a compressed reference for facts and logistics, not a substitute for content mastery. Pair it with the full RPR Study Guide 2026 and consistent practice on our practice test platform.
No. All four components - WKT, Literary, Jury Charge, and Testimony - can be taken in any order, and each passed component remains valid for three years while you complete the rest.
You need a scaled score of at least 70, which is not the same as answering 70% of raw questions correctly. See the RPR Passing Score 2026 guide for how scaling works.
Technology and Innovation, at 43% of the WKT, is the largest domain and covers CAT software, realtime troubleshooting, Windows, networks, storage, and information security - it deserves the most review time.
Yes, current and aspiring stenographic reporters, including nonmembers, may test. However, a nonmember who completes all four components must join NCRA as a Registered member within 30 days to use the RPR designation.
Keep this page bookmarked as your quick-reference companion, and pair it with the deeper guides linked throughout - from What Is RPR Certification? for newcomers to RPR Jobs if you're mapping out career paths after certification.
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