CDVS, CEVS, CTTS vs. CLVS
Two organizations certify legal video work. Here's exactly what each credential requires, costs, and covers - sourced directly from AGCV's and NCRA's own current published requirements.
The short version
NCRA - the National Court Reporters Association - offers one video credential: CLVS, Certified Legal Video Specialist, covering deposition work. AGCV offers three: CDVS for deposition video, CEVS for evidentiary video, and CTTS for trial technology. If deposition work is all you do, CDVS and CLVS cover the same ground by different paths. If you also shoot evidentiary video or run courtroom technology, only AGCV certifies those separately.
Side-by-side comparison
| CDVS (AGCV) | CEVS (AGCV) | CTTS (AGCV) | CLVS (NCRA) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Covers | Deposition video | Evidentiary video | Trial technology | Deposition video only |
| Format | Online, self-paced | Online, self-paced | Online, self-paced | Online education modules + in-person production exam (Reston, VA) |
| Coursework | 11 modules, ~24 hours | ~18 hours | ~20 hours | 7 online modules |
| Exam | Remote simulated deposition, panel review | Production exam | Live hot-seat exam | Written Knowledge Test (120 questions, Pearson VUE, 70% to pass) + in-person production exam, twice yearly |
| Cost | $995 (or 3 × $375) | $1,495 | TBD - first cohort opens fall 2026 | $675–$875 mandatory (member/nonmember), before optional $200–$300 hands-on training |
| Renewal | Annual CE + Code of Ethics affirmation | Annual CE + Code of Ethics affirmation | Annual CE + Code of Ethics affirmation | 1.0 CEU (10 hrs) per 3-year cycle; $100–$197 per year |
| Standards reference | AGCV signal-chain reference architecture & Code of Ethics | "62 standards for legal video depositions" (2016); CLVS Job Analysis (2017) | ||
What neither credential replaces
Certification tells a firm you passed a standard. It doesn't replace knowing FRCP Rule 30 cold, or knowing what happens when a video deposition's certification gets challenged in court. Both CDVS and CLVS teach the rules; only one of them teaches the case law behind them in the curriculum itself. See our video deposition admissibility field guide for what Rule 30(b)(5) certification actually protects you from, sourced to the cases courts have decided.
Can you hold both?
Yes, and a meaningful number of working videographers do. There's no conflict - CDVS and CLVS aren't mutually exclusive, and holding both signals depth to firms that recognize either standard. Where AGCV's track adds something CLVS doesn't offer at all is CEVS and CTTS: if your practice extends into evidentiary capture or courtroom technology, those are AGCV-only credentials.
Common questions about CDVS, CEVS, CTTS, and CLVS.
What's the difference between CDVS and CLVS?
Both certify deposition videography. CDVS (AGCV) is fully online and self-paced, including a remote simulated-deposition production exam reviewed by a panel. CLVS (NCRA) requires seven online education modules plus a Written Knowledge Test, then an in-person production exam at NCRA headquarters in Reston, Virginia, offered twice a year. CDVS is also the foundation of a three-credential track (CEVS, CTTS); CLVS is the only video credential NCRA offers. Many working videographers hold both.
Does NCRA offer anything equivalent to CEVS or CTTS?
No. NCRA's CLVS covers deposition video only. AGCV is the only body offering a distinct, certified credential for evidentiary video work (CEVS) and trial technology/hot-seat operation (CTTS) as separate tracks.
How much does CLVS cost compared to CDVS?
Per NCRA's own current fee schedule, CLVS runs $675 for NCRA members ($350 education + $325 production exam) to $875 for nonmembers ($450 + $425), before an optional $200–$300 hands-on training add-on and before renewal fees. CDVS is a flat $995 (or three payments of $375), which includes both the coursework and the production exam.
Is one certification more recognized than the other?
Both are recognized by working firms, and many videographers hold both. CLVS has the longer institutional history through NCRA, a long-established court reporting association. CDVS is newer and fully remote, with CEVS and CTTS extending certification into evidentiary and trial-technology work that CLVS does not cover.
Not sure which credential fits?
Start with the free Legal Video Career Path course - it maps all three AGCV pillars and helps you pick where to start before you spend a dollar on certification.