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The NCRA Certified Realtime Captioner (CRC) credential is primarily designed for:

Entry-level stenographers with no realtime experience

Professionals providing realtime captioning and CART services

Legal videographers

Transcript proofreaders

to track

2026 Statistics

Key Facts: CRC Exam

100

Free CRC Practice Questions

OpenExamPrep question bank

FCC Captioning Quality Rules (CCQRs)

FCC

96%

CRC Realtime Accuracy Bar

NCRA realtime standard

3 years

CEU Cycle with 3.0 CEUs

NCRA policy

2026

Updated for Current Landscape

OpenExamPrep

Free

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OpenExamPrep

CRC replaced NCRA's older CBC/CCP credentials and remains the recognized U.S. realtime captioning credential. Candidates should prepare across four overlapping areas: live captioning workflow and dictionaries, FCC captioning quality regulation (accuracy, synchronicity, completeness, placement) and CVAA/ADA contexts, captioning technology (CAT software, 608/708/WebVTT/SRT/SDH, encoders, streaming platforms), and professional ethics (COPE, confidentiality, AI/ASR boundaries). Passing requires both scenario judgment and demonstrated realtime skill. Verify current CRC fees, windows, and policies on the NCRA site before registration.

Sample CRC Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your CRC exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1The NCRA Certified Realtime Captioner (CRC) credential is primarily designed for:

A.Entry-level stenographers with no realtime experience

B.Professionals providing realtime captioning and CART services

C.Legal videographers

D.Transcript proofreaders

Explanation: The CRC is NCRA's credential for realtime captioners and CART providers who deliver live text to audiences. It tests captioning-specific skill, ethics, and technology knowledge that goes beyond general court reporting. It replaced NCRA's older CBC/CCP credentials.

2A realtime captioning workflow at its most common level moves:

A.Speaker audio → stenographic input → CAT captioning software → caption encoder → broadcast or streaming signal

B.Speaker audio → email → printer

C.Video → PDF → sticker

D.Handwriting → fax → TV

Explanation: The standard captioning workflow takes live speaker audio, the captioner writes it on a steno machine, CAT software translates it and emits captioning-formatted text, a caption encoder injects it into the broadcast or streaming signal, and end viewers see captions in near-real time.

3FCC Closed Captioning Quality Rules (CCQRs) require captioning that meets four specific quality attributes. They are:

A.Color, size, font, and language

B.Accuracy, synchronicity, completeness, and placement

C.Speed, volume, brightness, and scrolling

D.Price, channel, sponsor, and genre

Explanation: The FCC's four Closed Captioning Quality standards are accuracy, synchronicity, completeness, and placement. Captioners and broadcasters are accountable for these four attributes on programming covered by the rules. Familiarity with them is core CRC knowledge.

4Which of the following is a typical style for broadcast live captions in the United States?

A.Roll-up three-line captions

B.Handwritten captions

C.SMS text messages

D.Physical signs held up by the host

Explanation: Live U.S. broadcast captions are most commonly delivered as roll-up captions, typically two or three lines that scroll as the captioner writes. Pop-on captions are more common for prerecorded, carefully edited programming because they are aligned to specific time codes.

5Pop-on captions differ from roll-up captions primarily in that:

A.Pop-on captions appear as discrete text blocks at specific times, generally used for prerecorded programming

B.Pop-on captions scroll while the speaker talks

C.Pop-on captions are always in red

D.Pop-on captions are only used for sports

Explanation: Pop-on captions appear as discrete blocks, time-synced to the underlying program, typically used in prerecorded content where captioners or editors can place captions exactly. Roll-up captions scroll live and are the norm for live broadcast captioning.

6Paint-on captions are typically associated with:

A.Captions that appear letter-by-letter on screen, used in specific authoring contexts

B.Captions drawn with spray paint

C.Hand-cranked captions

D.Handwritten captions only

Explanation: Paint-on captions appear letter-by-letter on screen in certain authoring workflows. They are less common than pop-on or roll-up but appear in special programming decisions (e.g., preserving word-timing cues). CRC candidates should recognize the term.

7In U.S. digital TV, the captioning standard that supersedes the legacy 608 standard is:

A.CEA-708

B.MP3

C.WAV

D.HDMI

Explanation: CEA-708 is the digital TV captioning standard that replaced the legacy CEA-608 used in analog NTSC broadcasts. 708 allows richer formatting (fonts, colors, sizes, positions). Many workflows carry both for backward compatibility.

8SDH subtitles (Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing) differ from closed captions in that:

A.SDH is usually rendered in the video frame and includes non-speech audio cues, often used on DVD/Blu-ray/streaming

B.SDH is identical to closed captions

C.SDH is only for foreign languages

D.SDH has no audio cues at all

Explanation: SDH subtitles are rendered as part of the video (common on DVD, Blu-ray, and streaming platforms) and include non-speech cues like [door slams]. Closed captions are typically decoded by the display device. The distinction matters for authoring and delivery decisions.

9Common caption file formats used in web/OTT streaming include:

A.WebVTT and SRT

B.MP4 and JPEG

C.DOC and XLS

D.ZIP and RAR

Explanation: WebVTT (.vtt) and SRT (.srt) are standard caption/subtitle file formats used by web video players and OTT platforms. TTML/IMSC1 is also common in professional delivery. Captioners authoring for streaming should be familiar with each.

10CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) is best described as:

A.A live, verbatim text service for deaf or hard-of-hearing consumers in education, work, medical, or civic settings

B.A food delivery service

C.A new kind of court transcript

D.An outdated stenography technology

Explanation: CART is live, verbatim text delivered to a consumer who is deaf or hard of hearing. CART differs from broadcast captioning because the end user is an individual consumer (student, patient, employee, attendee), not a mass audience.

About the CRC Exam

The NCRA Certified Realtime Captioner (CRC) is the profession's credential for realtime captioners who deliver live text to broadcast audiences and CART consumers. Candidates must master captioning workflow, FCC closed captioning quality rules, 608/708/WebVTT/SRT/SDH standards, CART under ADA, captioning CAT software, caption encoders, redundancy planning, and NCRA ethics. This free practice bank targets 100 realistic, scenario-based multiple-choice questions aligned with the CRC knowledge domains.

Assessment

Written Knowledge Test covering captioning workflow, FCC rules, technology, and ethics, paired with a realtime captioning skills component at the NCRA-defined speed and accuracy

Time Limit

4 hours

Passing Score

70%

Exam Fee

$350 member / $485 non-member (NCRA)

CRC Exam Content Outline

30%

Captioning Workflow and CART

Live captioning pipeline, caption types (pop-on, roll-up, paint-on), CART under ADA, classroom/legal/medical CART, remote CART over Zoom/Teams, dictionary preparation for sports/weather/politics/news, rotation and handoff discipline.

25%

FCC and Accessibility Regulation

FCC Closed Captioning Quality Rules (accuracy, synchronicity, completeness, placement), 608 vs 708 standards, CVAA/IP captioning requirements, ADA effective communication for CART, FERPA/HIPAA considerations.

25%

Captioning Technology

CAT captioning software (Case CATalyst, Eclipse, Stenograph Vantage, TotalCAPTION), caption encoders (EEG-class), WebVTT/SRT/SDH/TTML delivery, streaming caption APIs, redundancy and failover, secure backups.

20%

Ethics and Professional Practice

NCRA Code of Professional Ethics applied to captioning, AI/ASR boundaries, confidentiality, conflict disclosure, consumer choice between CART and ASL, CEU maintenance, advocacy.

How to Pass the CRC Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 70%
Assessment: Written Knowledge Test covering captioning workflow, FCC rules, technology, and ethics, paired with a realtime captioning skills component at the NCRA-defined speed and accuracy
Time limit: 4 hours
Exam fee: $350 member / $485 non-member

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

CRC Study Tips from Top Performers

1Build at least one season-specific or subject-specific dictionary (e.g., a weather or sports dictionary) and practice realtime against actual broadcast audio to feel captioning pressure.

2Memorize the four FCC Closed Captioning Quality attributes: accuracy, synchronicity, completeness, and placement. Expect scenario questions that map to these four.

3Understand the 608 vs 708 distinction and modern formats (WebVTT, SRT, SDH) since questions probe when each appears.

4Know where CART fits under ADA Title II and III and why consumer choice (CART vs ASL) matters.

5Drill the live-incident playbook: dropout diagnosis, redundancy, handoff, and post-program review.

6Treat NCRA COPE and the 2026 AI/ASR position as foundation; many scenario questions reduce to 'who is accountable for the record?'

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CRC certification?

The NCRA Certified Realtime Captioner (CRC) is a professional credential for captioners who provide live realtime text, including broadcast closed captioning and CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation). It replaced NCRA's older CBC/CCP credentials.

Who should get a CRC?

Stenographic captioners working broadcast TV, streaming, sports, news, and live events, as well as CART providers supporting education, legal, medical, and civic contexts. The CRC signals a verified combination of realtime skill and captioning-specific professional knowledge.

What does the CRC cover?

Captioning workflow and dictionary preparation, FCC Closed Captioning Quality Rules (accuracy, synchronicity, completeness, placement), CART under the ADA, captioning technology (CAT software, 608/708/WebVTT/SRT/SDH, encoders), redundancy, and NCRA ethics applied to captioning.

How do I maintain the CRC?

NCRA credentials including CRC require ongoing active membership and at least 3.0 CEUs during each three-year cycle. Captioners plan CEUs across the cycle through NCRA and approved providers.

How is CART different from broadcast captioning?

CART serves an individual consumer as an effective communication accommodation (often under ADA), while broadcast captioning serves a mass audience and is regulated by the FCC. Both require strong realtime skill, but context, speaker identification, delivery platform, and ethical framing differ.

What about AI and auto-generated captions?

NCRA's 2026 position statement maintains that automatic speech recognition (ASR) is not a substitute for certified human captioning in accuracy-critical contexts including legal, educational, medical, and high-stakes live broadcasts. CRC credentialing specifically signals the human-provided professional standard.