Driving Tests

Moving to Nebraska: Get Your Driver's License Within 30 Days

informational·how to guide·Published August 28, 2026

How long do I have to get a Nebraska driver's license after moving to Nebraska?

You have 30 days. Nebraska requires a new resident with a valid license from another state to get a Nebraska license within 30 days. At 18 or older, you hand in your old license and take a vision test, and staff may add a drive test. If you cannot hand in the old license, you take the written and drive tests. A five-year Class O license costs $29.

Where these Nebraska facts come from

The 30-day rule, the tests for adults, the documents and the REAL ID star come from the Nebraska DMV page for new residents. The fee, the minimum age and the rule for an expired license come from the DMV Class O license page. The exemptions and the 30-day limit for nonresidents come from Nebraska Revised Statutes section 60-488. The rules for drivers under 18 come from the DMV POP page, the document rules from the DMV document verification page and the Nebraska Driver's Manual (January 2025), and the 2026 change from section 60-4,122. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Nebraska DMV (dmv.nebraska.gov) before you drive.

How long can you drive in Nebraska on an out-of-state license?

Not past 30 days. Nebraska law lets a nonresident drive on a valid license from the home state, but that right never goes past 30 days of continuous residence in Nebraska. A Nebraska resident must hold a Nebraska license to drive on Nebraska roads. Plan your visit to a driver licensing office in your first weeks, so that a missing document does not push you past day 30.

Do you need a Nebraska license?

You moved to Nebraska and you have a valid license from another state

Yes. Get a Nebraska license within 30 days. Use the steps below.

You serve in Nebraska on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces and your residence is in another state, or you are the spouse or dependent of such a member

No, as long as you are licensed in your state of residence. The law exempts you from Nebraska licensing.

You are a nonresident full-time student at a college or university in Nebraska

No, as long as you are licensed under the laws of your home state. The law exempts you.

You live in Nebraska now, but your old license is expired or you cannot hand it in

Yes. A Nebraska resident must hold a Nebraska license to drive. Expect more tests, as the table below shows.

Which tests do you take at 18 or older?

Which tests do you take at 18 or older?
Your old license	What the Nebraska DMV requires
Valid, and you hand it in	Vision test. Staff may also give you the drive test.
Valid, but you cannot hand it in	Written test and drive test
Expired	Expect the written test. If it expired more than a year ago, expect the written and drive tests. Confirm your case with the DMV.

What changed in 2026 for new residents?

Since July 18, 2026, a Nebraska law lets the DMV choose not to give the written test to a nonresident who applies for a first Nebraska license and shows a valid physical or mobile license from the home state. The waiver needs a valid license, so expect the written test if your old license is expired. Our free question on the 30-day rule for a new resident is a quick first check of what you know.

What if you are under 18?

A new resident under 18 must meet all Provisional Operator's Permit (POP) requirements and get a POP. You must have held a School Learner's Permit (LPE), School Permit (SCP) or Learner's Permit (LPD) for at least six months, with fewer than three points in the six months before you apply. You also need a DMV-approved driver safety course, or a 50-hour certification form signed by a parent, guardian or licensed driver 21 or older, with at least 10 hours between sunset and sunrise. The POP expires on your 18th birthday. See how the POP works in Nebraska.

How to switch your license to Nebraska

1
Check your age and your old license
The Class O minimum age is 17. If you are under 18, the POP rules above apply. At 18 or older, your tests depend on whether you can hand in a valid license.
2
Gather your documents
Bring proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful status, your Social Security number or proof of exemption, and at least two documents that show your Nebraska address. The list is in the next section.
3
Go to a Nebraska driver licensing office
Go within 30 days of the day you became a resident. Bring your old license so that you can hand it in.
4
Take the tests that apply to you
Expect the vision test. The table above shows when you also take the written test and the drive test.
5
Pay the fee and get your license
A Class O license for five years costs $24 plus a $5 security fee, so $29 in total.

What documents do you bring?

Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful status that shows your name and date of birth, and proof of identity. You show citizenship one time. You do not need to show it again on later visits.
At least two documents that show your principal address in Nebraska.
Your Social Security number. If you are exempt, bring a valid, unexpired I-94 or I-94A in a valid foreign passport.
After a name change, bring a certified marriage license, a certified divorce decree or a court order that links your old name to the new name.
Certified copies with a raised seal or stamp. Faxed or photocopied documents are not accepted.

What if you are not a U.S. citizen?

Bring proof of lawful status to each visit to the driver licensing office. If you use USCIS documents, bring them every time. The DMV checks all USCIS documents before it issues a license, and the check can take up to 20 federal work days, so start early in your 30 days. For the full document list, see our guide to Nebraska DMV documents and REAL ID.

What does the REAL ID star look like on a Nebraska license?

Nebraska has issued REAL ID compliant licenses since 2013. The REAL ID mark is a star in the upper right corner of the card. On cards issued in March 2026 and after, it is a white star in a black circle. Cards issued before March 2026 and valid through December 2031 show a white star in a gold circle. Cards with the old design stay valid until the date printed on them.

Key takeaways

Get a Nebraska license within 30 days of becoming a resident if you hold a valid license from another state.
Nonresident active-duty military members serving in Nebraska, their spouses and dependents, and nonresident full-time college students may drive on a valid home-state license.
At 18 or older, you hand in a valid license and take a vision test. Staff may add the drive test. If you cannot hand it in, plan for the written and drive tests.
Bring proof of citizenship or lawful status, at least two Nebraska address documents and your Social Security number or proof of exemption.
Next step: practice on the free Nebraska Class O learner's license practice test.

Moving to Nebraska: common questions

Do I have to give up my out-of-state license in Nebraska?

Yes, if it is a physical card. An adult new resident hands in the valid out-of-state license and takes a vision test. When the DMV issues your Nebraska license, it tells the state that issued your old license to invalidate it. If you cannot hand in your old license, expect the written test and the drive test.

Does a REAL ID from my old state count as proof of identity in Nebraska?

No. The Nebraska DMV says a REAL ID compliant document may be used to waive tests, but it is not accepted as proof of identification. Bring a separate document that proves U.S. citizenship or lawful status and shows your name and date of birth, plus your other papers.

Can I renew my Nebraska driver's license online later?

Often, yes. The Nebraska Driver's Manual says that if your license expires before your 72nd birthday, you may renew your Class O license online two consecutive times. Online documents are at dmv.nebraska.gov/services when all eligibility requirements are met. Non-U.S. citizens are not eligible for online services, so they renew at a driver licensing office.

Do I register my car at the driver licensing office?

No. In Nebraska, county treasurer offices handle vehicle services, and driver licensing offices handle licenses. Plan two stops: the county treasurer office for your car, and a driver licensing office for your license. Ask your county treasurer office which papers to bring for the car.