Like most forensic disciplines, on-the-job specialized training from experienced examiners is the only way to acquire expertise. No substitute exists for a legitimate structured training program. Forensic document examination does not lend itself to autodidactic learning or to correspondence courses.
The American Board of Forensic Document Examiners (ABFDE) is the only certifying board sponsored by the American Society of Questioned Document Examiners, the Canadian Society of Forensic Sciences, The Southeastern Association of Forensic Document Examiners, the Southwestern Association of Forensic Document Examiners, and is recognized by the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. The minimum requirement established by the ABFDE for training in forensic document examination is a two-year apprenticeship in a recognized forensic laboratory or with an examiner in private practice who has previously received proper training.