How to get a driver's license in Nebraska
This page explains, step by step, how to get a Nebraska driver’s license for a regular car and which documents to bring. In Nebraska, the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) issues permits and licenses at its driver licensing offices and publishes the Nebraska Driver’s Manual. This guide is based on the DMV web pages and forms and the Nebraska Driver’s Manual (January 2025 edition). Where the Driver’s Manual and the web pages do not say the same thing, this guide leaves the point out or tells you to check the DMV’s page. Requirements change, so check the DMV website before you go. This site is independent and is not a government agency.
Independent educational site · not affiliated with any government agency or DMV
Checked against the official sources on 2026-10-25. Requirements can change: always confirm with Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles before you go.
How it works
Who does what
In Nebraska, the Driver Licensing Services division of the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) issues operator’s licenses and State ID cards. You can get a driver’s license at any Nebraska DMV driver licensing office. After you pass, you present your Issuance Certificate within 90 days: to a county treasurer, or, in Douglas, Lancaster and Sarpy Counties, to the state driver licensing office. The DMV publishes the Nebraska Driver’s Manual in English and in a Spanish edition, and it offers an audio version of the car manual.
You need a license to drive
Any Nebraska resident who drives a motor vehicle on Nebraska streets and highways must have a license.
Source: [1]
The kinds of permits and licenses
The DMV issues, among others, a School Learner’s Permit (LPE), a Learner’s Permit (LPD), a School Permit (SCP), a Provisional Operator’s Permit (POP), an Operator’s License (Class O), a Motorcycle License (Class M) and the State Identification Card. Drivers under 18 start with a permit; the next section gives the steps.
Source: [16]
Checks the DMV makes
The DMV checks every applicant through the Problem Driver Pointer System, which shows whether a person’s driving privilege is suspended, revoked or cancelled. A Nebraska license will not be issued if your driving privileges are revoked or suspended in Nebraska or any other state or jurisdiction. When the Nebraska document is issued, any out-of-state license or ID card you held becomes void and the other state is notified.
Help and appeals
The DMV makes accommodations for disabled applicants; contact your local driver licensing office or the state DMV office before testing. If your application is denied, the decision can be appealed to the Director of the Department of Motor Vehicles. Every license or State ID applicant can also register to vote when applying.
Source: [1]
Online services
The DMV offers an online Teen Driver Permit Application and an online Driver’s License New/Renew/Replace service. The link is in the list of links on this page.
Source: [18]
Under 18: from permit to license
The steps
Nebraska’s path for drivers under 18 is a series of permits: the School Learner’s Permit (LPE) or the Learner’s Permit (LPD), then the School Permit (SCP) or the Provisional Operator’s Permit (POP), and then the Class O operator’s license. The LPE practice leads to a School Permit; the LPD allows practice for a POP, Class O or Class M license.
Step 1: the School Learner’s Permit (LPE)
The LPE lets a student legally practice driving for a School Permit. You must be at least 14 and cannot apply before your 14th birthday. You must be eligible for a School Permit and meet all of its criteria. LPE testing is the vision test and the written test. You must be accompanied by a licensed driver at least 21 years old who sits in the seat beside you. The permit expires six months after it is issued.
Step 1 (other way): the Learner’s Permit (LPD)
The LPD allows legal practice driving for a POP, Class O or Class M license. The minimum age is 15: you may apply 60 days before your 15th birthday, but the permit is issued on or after the birthday. LPD testing is the vision test and the written test; the written test is waived if you were issued an LPE, SCP or LPD that is valid or expired no more than one year. You must be accompanied by a licensed driver at least 21 years old who sits in the seat beside you. The permit expires one year after it is issued.
Source: [5]
Rules for every permit holder
With any permit, everyone in the vehicle, including the driver, must wear a seat belt. A permit holder may not use any interactive wireless communication device while the vehicle is in motion. Violating the terms of a School Learner’s Permit, School Permit or Learner’s Permit can lead to suspension or revocation, and the person is then not eligible for any permit until age 16.
Source: [1]
Step 2: the School Permit (SCP)
A School Permit can be issued to a person who lives outside a city of 5,000 or more or who attends a school outside a city of 5,000 or more. To get one you must:
- Have held an LPE or LPD for 2 months.
- Be at least 14 years and 2 months old and younger than 16 years and 3 months to be issued the permit.
- Before you apply, either complete a DMV-approved driver safety course or present a 50 Hour Certification form, which you obtain from the DMV.
- For the 50 Hour Certification form: it certifies at least 50 hours of lawful behind-the-wheel driving, including at least 10 hours between sunset and sunrise, all spent with a parent, guardian or adult at least 21 who holds a current Nebraska license or a license from another state, and it is signed by that adult.
SCP testing, driving and expiry
If you completed a DMV-approved driver safety course, the written and drive tests are waived. If you present the 50 Hour Certification form, you take the vision and drive tests, and the written test is waived if you held an LPE or LPD that is valid or expired no more than one year. An SCP holder may drive unsupervised to and from school, and may drive at any time when accompanied by a licensed driver at least 21. Everyone riding in the car must be secured in an occupant protection system. The permit expires when you are 16 years and three months old.
Step 3: the Provisional Operator’s Permit (POP)
The POP is for drivers 16 and older. You may apply 60 days before your 16th birthday, but it is issued on or after the birthday. Before you apply you must:
- Have held an LPE, SCP or LPD for at least six months, with fewer than three points on your driving record in the preceding six months.
- Complete a DMV-approved Nebraska driver safety course, or present a 50 hour certification form signed by a parent, guardian or licensed driver at least 21, showing at least 10 hours of driving between sunset and sunrise.
POP testing and expiry
If you completed a DMV-approved driver safety course, the written and drive tests are waived. If you present the 50-hour form, you take the vision and drive tests, and the written test is waived with an LPD that is valid or expired no more than one year. The POP expires on your 18th birthday.
Step 4: the Class O license
A person under 18 who has held a POP for at least 12 months, with fewer than three points on the driving record in the previous 12 months, is eligible for a Class O license, and the written and drive tests are waived. A POP holder aged 18 to 21 is also eligible for an operator’s license. If you meet all eligibility requirements, you can get this license online.
Driver safety schools
The DMV approves and audits driver safety schools that teach and test students for the POP and SCP outside the driver licensing offices. A driver safety school typically teaches people between 14 and 16 to drive. Its instructors are authorized to give the DMV drive test; the test may be waived when the passed results reach the DMV.
Parent’s Supervised Driving Program
The DMV offers a Parent’s Supervised Driving Program, designed to improve teen driver safety, which gives parents a lesson-by-lesson approach to teaching teen driving skills.
Source: [9]
Rules for young drivers
POP driving hours
A POP allows you to drive unsupervised from 6 a.m. to 12 midnight. Between 12 midnight and 6 a.m. you may drive unsupervised only to or from work or a school activity. You may drive at any time when accompanied by a parent, guardian or licensed driver at least 21.
POP passengers
During the first six months of the POP, you may carry no more than one passenger who is under nineteen and not an immediate family member. A School Permit holder may only transport family members who live with them to the school the holder attends.
Seat belts and occupant protection
All people riding in a car driven by a POP holder must be secured in an occupant protection system. The rule is the same for a School Permit. For any permit, everyone in the vehicle, including the driver, must wear a seat belt.
Phones
A permit holder may not use any interactive wireless communication device while the vehicle is in motion.
Source: [1]
Breaking the restrictions
Violating any driving restriction can result in a suspended or revoked license.
Source: [1]
Drivers under 21 and alcohol
Special laws apply to drivers under 21. For a first offense, the court impounds the permit or license for 30 days.
Source: [1]
Points for drivers under 21
A driver under 21 who holds a POP or an operator’s license and gets six or more points within a 12-month period must complete a driver improvement course.
License ends at 21
A license issued to a person under 21 expires on the 21st birthday.
Source: [1]
Age 17 and older: the Class O license
What a Class O license covers
A Class O license allows you to drive any motor vehicle, including a moped, an ATV and an autocycle, except a motorcycle and a commercial motor vehicle. The minimum age for a Class O license is 17. A Class O license is required to operate a moped and an autocycle on public roads.
Commercial vehicles
A commercial driver’s license (CDL) is required for vehicles over 26,000 pounds, for vehicles carrying 16 or more people, and for vehicles transporting placarded hazardous materials.
Source: [1]
Which tests you take
If you are 18 or older and never held a POP, you take the vision, written and drive tests. The written test is waived for a first-time applicant who holds a Learner’s Permit (LPD) that is valid or expired no more than one year. If you hold a POP and wait until age 18 to 21 to apply for an operator’s license, the written and drive tests are waived. A drive test cannot be given in an autocycle for a permit or Class O license.
Source: [2]
What you bring
For the first Class O license you bring proof of citizenship or lawful status, two documents that show your Nebraska address, and a Social Security number. The Documents to bring section gives the details.
Source: [2]
One document at a time
You cannot hold a permit or a license and a State ID card at the same time.
Source: [1]
Restrictions on a license
Reasonable restrictions may be placed on a license or permit, for example a requirement to wear corrective lenses.
Source: [1]
Moving to Nebraska
Get a Nebraska license within 30 days
A new resident with a valid license from another state must get a Nebraska license within 30 days.
Source: [8]
What to bring
New residents must provide proof of citizenship or lawful status and identity, two documents that show a Nebraska address, and a Social Security number (or proof of exemption). Once you have presented proof of citizenship, it is not required again.
Tests for new residents 18 or older
If you are 18 or older and surrender a valid out-of-state license, you take a vision test, and driver licensing staff decide at their discretion whether you also take the drive test. Bring the out-of-state license so you can surrender it. If your license is expired or you cannot surrender it, check with the DMV before you go.
New residents under 18
A new resident under 18 must meet all POP requirements and obtain a POP. This applies to an under-18 person who surrenders a valid out-of-state permit or license.
Your old license and driving record
Your out-of-state license or ID card becomes void when the Nebraska document is issued, and the other state is notified. Through the State to State (S2S) system, the previous state’s driving record becomes part of your Nebraska driver history.
Source: [16]
Licenses before age 21
A license obtained before age 21 expires on the 21st birthday. The Renewing part of Keeping your license says when you can renew it.
Source: [8]
Military
Special licensing rules exist for active-duty military members and their immediate family stationed outside Nebraska who hold a Nebraska license. The license is valid while the holder is serving on active duty and for 60 days following a discharge or return to Nebraska. Military members stationed outside Nebraska may keep the license current by renewing online or by mail, and must still prove Nebraska residency.
Documents to bring
What the DMV asks for
Applicants bring proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful status (with name, date of birth and identity), at least two documents showing their principal address in Nebraska, and a valid Social Security number. These are required under Nebraska law. The Document Verification Requirements page, in the list of links on this page, gives the full lists.
How the documents must look
Documents must be certified with a raised seal or stamp. Faxed or photocopied documents are not accepted. A document marked NOT TO BE USED FOR PROOF OF IDENTIFICATION is not accepted for identity. Document approval may not happen on the same day and may need an additional visit to the driver licensing office. If you are denied the permit, license or ID card you applied for, you get a Return for Services form that explains why; bring it when you return to the driver licensing office.
Source: [1]
Proof of citizenship
A valid, unexpired U.S. passport or passport card is accepted as proof of citizenship and identity. A certified birth certificate must be issued by a state government office; hospital-issued birth certificates cannot be accepted.
Source: [1]
Proof of lawful status
All applicants attest that they are a U.S. citizen or have lawful status. USCIS documents are verified, which can take up to 20 federal work days. If you prove lawful status with USCIS documents, bring them every time you visit a driver licensing office.
Parolees
Individuals with a parolee immigration status can get Nebraska licenses, permits or State ID cards that are marked NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION, under the same requirements. This has been available since June 26, 2023.
Proof of address
You need two documents that show your principal address, from two different issuing sources. A P.O. Box is not accepted. Accepted documents include:
- An account statement from a bank or other financial institution issued within the last 90 days.
- A valid Nebraska vehicle registration.
- A mortgage, lease or rental agreement.
Source: [1]
Applicants under 21
If you are under 21 and cannot show your own address, a parent’s or guardian’s proof of address will be accepted.
Social Security number
Every Social Security number is verified with the Social Security Administration before the document is issued, so bring proof of the number. Accepted documents include a Social Security card, a W-2 form, an SSA-1099 form or a pay stub showing the number. You can also prove an exemption with a valid I-94 or I-94A in a valid foreign passport.
After a name change
If your name has changed, present certified marriage license(s), divorce decree(s) or a court order that link the new name to the name on your current document.
Source: [1]
The REAL ID star
How to recognize it
The Real ID indicator is a star in the upper right corner of the document. On documents issued in March 2026 and after, it is a white star bordered by a black circle. On documents issued before March 2026, it is a white star bordered by a gold circle.
Source: [8]
At the driver licensing office
Before you go
Before you visit a driver licensing office, complete a data form, and bring the renewal notice postcard if you received one. A Spanish version of the new, renewal and replacement Class O data form is available. The Forms page is in the list of links on this page.
Appointments
According to the DMV’s Online Services page, some driver licensing offices require an appointment for car and motorcycle drive tests and highly recommend one for other services; limited walk-in help is available. Check that page, which is in the list of links on this page, before you go. The North 56th St. office in Omaha does not give any drive tests.
Source: [18]
Office locations
The driver licensing offices are on the DMV’s locations page, which is in the list of links on this page. Vehicle titles and registrations are issued in the county where you reside.
Source: [23]
Payment
You pay the required fee when you present your Issuance Certificate. Some county treasurers and some state driver licensing offices do not accept checks, so bring cash if in doubt. The amounts change, so use the Licenses and Permits page in the list of links on this page.
Source: [1]
The tests
Which tests you take
The DMV gives a vision test to all non-commercial permit and operator license applicants. There is a separate written test for each class of license; the Nebraska Driver’s Manual covers the LPE, LPD, SCP, POP and Class O tests. A first-time applicant, or someone who cannot present a valid out-of-state license, may be required to take the knowledge test on driving laws. The knowledge test may also be required if your Nebraska license has been expired over one year. Applicants for a Class O license complete a data form, a vision test and in some cases a driving skills test.
Waivers
For a Learner’s Permit (LPD), the written test is waived if you were issued an LPE, SCP or LPD that is valid or expired no more than one year; the waivers for the other permits are in the steps above. The written and drive tests are waived for School Permit and POP applicants who completed a DMV-approved driver safety course. Tests passed at a driver training school do not waive the test at the DMV.
The vision test
The DMV vision test measures visual acuity and peripheral vision. Corrective lenses needed to meet the standards must be worn at all times while driving, and the license will indicate this. If the standards are not met, an ophthalmologist or optometrist must check the findings, and applicants who cannot meet the standards are denied a license.
Source: [1]
Preparing for the written test
Study the Nebraska Driver’s Manual. The DMV also offers an online practice test, and a downloadable sample test, to be used with the manual and not as an alternative to studying it. In the practice exam each question has one correct answer and shows the manual page number where the answer is found. The DMV’s Manuals and Practice Driver’s License Exam pages are in the list of links on this page.
The drive test
The drive test measures your ability to operate a specific class of vehicle under typical driving conditions. It includes starting and stopping, right and left turns, lane usage and position, stop signs and signals, speed control, right of way, and parking and backing. Driver licensing staff may, at their discretion, give a drive test to any license applicant. You must supply a vehicle representative of the type of license you apply for. The vehicle:
- Must be in good mechanical condition and have working brake lights.
- Must have a speedometer that works properly.
- Must have clean passenger and driver seat belts in working order, if it is a model year 1973 or later vehicle.
If you fail a test
A test you fail may not be retaken the same day. An applicant for a Class O or Class M license who fails three successive drive tests cannot reapply until they show proof of a DMV-approved driver training course or have held a Learner’s Permit (LPD) for at least 90 days.
Driver training schools
Driver training schools typically teach people 18 and older. People who fail three DMV drive tests can attend one, or hold a valid LPD for 90 days, to retest. The Driver Training Schools page is in the list of links on this page.
Source: [26]
After you pass
Your temporary receipt and permanent card
After you pass, you present your Issuance Certificate as described in the How it works section. A 30-day receipt is issued, and the permanent document is mailed to you at the address you gave driver licensing staff; it is not forwarded. The 30-day receipt is not accepted by TSA as proof of identification to board planes.
Source: [1]
Organ and tissue donation
Nebraska law allows all permit, license or State ID card holders age 16 and over to take part in organ and tissue donation declaration through the DMV.
Source: [1]
Veteran designation
After you register with the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs registry, you can ask for a Veteran designation to be added at renewal, or apply for a replacement document online or at any driver licensing office.
Source: [14]
Keeping your license
How long a license lasts
Licenses and State ID cards issued to people 21 or older expire on the birthday in the fifth year after issuance. Licenses for people with lawful status are valid only for the authorized stay in the United States, or one year if there is no definite end.
Source: [1]
Renewing
For people 21 and over, renewal can start 90 days before the birthday. The DMV mails renewal notice postcards 30 days before an operator’s license or State ID expires. People under 21 may apply 60 days before the 21st birthday, but the license is not valid until 30 days before it. A new photo is taken at every DMV visit.
Renewing in person
To renew in person you need a data form, one form of identification with your name and date of birth, two proofs of address if your address is unverified or changed, the fee, and vision or medical checks if they apply. A 30-day receipt is issued, and the card is mailed to you.
Source: [10]
Renewing online
Online renewal is possible only if your name has not changed and your physical description has not changed significantly. A Class O or Class M license can be renewed online two consecutive renewal periods if it expires before the 72nd birthday.
Source: [10]
If you are out of state
Class O drivers who are out of state during the renewal period may renew by mail before expiration or within one year after expiration. A CDL or ID card cannot be renewed by mail. Nebraska drivers 21 and older who know they will be out of state during the renewal period may renew before leaving.
Source: [10]
Replacing a license
You can replace a Class O, CDL, Class M or State ID online if you have not changed your name and have not had more than two replacements in five years. Learner’s, School or Provisional permits must be replaced in person at a driver licensing office. Once a replacement is issued, the previously issued document is invalid and cannot be used as proof of identification. The replacement card is mailed to you after the 30-day receipt.
Changing your address
State law requires you to change your address within 60 days, with two forms of proof of the new principal address. Holders of a Class O, Class M or State ID who have not changed their name and have had no more than two replacements in five years can do this online by replacement.
Changing your name
A name change must be made within 60 days. It cannot be updated online: apply at any driver licensing office with certified documents (a marriage license, a divorce decree or a court order) that tie the two names together.
Source: [13]
Points and the record
Convictions remain on the record for five years, but points count only two years after the violation date. Accumulating 12 points in two years causes automatic revocation of the operator’s license for six months. A DMV-approved driver improvement course can earn a 2-point credit, usable once every five years.
Source: [1]
Suspension, re-examination and cancellation
A license can be suspended, revoked or impounded for reasons that include falsifying application information or having someone else take the license test. The DMV can recall a driver for re-examination; failing to report, to give the required medical or vision statement, or to pass the required tests results in cancellation.
Source: [1]
Nebraska State ID card
Getting a State ID card
Any Nebraska resident may obtain a State ID card with a color photograph. The State Identification Card page is in the list of links on this page.
Source: [15]
One document only
No one may hold an operator’s license and a State ID card at the same time. A driver’s license can be moved to a State ID online, but getting the license back requires all knowledge and skills tests.
Official links
- Nebraska DMV: Licenses and permits (fees) (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV: Driver licensing services (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV: Driver’s license (Class O) (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV: School Learner’s Permit (LPE) (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV: School Permit (SCP) (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV: Learner’s Permit (LPD) (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV: Provisional Operator’s Permit (POP) (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV: New Nebraska residents (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV: Document verification requirements (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV: Renewals (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV: Replacement license, permit or ID (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV: Change of address (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV: Name change (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV: State ID card (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV: Driver training and testing (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV: Driver training schools (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV: Driver safety schools (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV: Practice driver’s license exam (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV: Online services and appointments (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV: Office locations (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV: Forms (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV: Driver’s manuals (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV: 50 Hour Certification form (PDF) (dmv.nebraska.gov)
Practice-hours log · A free log for supervised driving practice: add each session, see your total and night hours, and print it. Saved only on your device.
Ready for the knowledge test?
Practice free with questions from the Nebraska driver's manual.
Sources
- Nebraska Driver’s Manual (January 2025 edition; printed page = PDF page - 8) (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- Driver’s License (Class O) (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- School Learner’s Permit (LPE) (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- School Permit (SCP) (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- Learner’s Permit (LPD) (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- Provisional Operator’s Permit (POP) (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- Document Verification Requirements (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- New Nebraska Resident Driver’s Licensing (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- Driver Training and Testing (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- Renewals - Driver’s License, Motorcycle and State ID (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- Replacement License, Permit and State ID Cards (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- Change of Address - Driver’s License, Permit and State ID Cards (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- Name Change - Driver’s License, Motorcycle and State ID (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- Veterans’ Designation (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- State Identification Card (ID) (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- Driver Licensing Services (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- Practice Driver’s License Exam (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- Online Services (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- FAQ: How many times can you take your driving test? (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- FAQ: What do you need to take a driving test? (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- School Permit/Provisional Operator’s Permit 50 Hour Certification form (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- Identification, Address and Social Security Verification Requirements (Rev. 09/2024) (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- Nebraska DMV County Locations (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- Not for Federal Identification Documents (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- Driver Safety Schools (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- Nebraska Driver Training Schools (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- Forms (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
- Manuals (dmv.nebraska.gov) — Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles