Driving Tests

Nebraska Learner's Permit (LPD): Age 15 Rules, Test and Cost

informational·how to guide·Published September 7, 2026

When can I get my learner's permit in Nebraska, who can ride with me, and what does it cost?

In Nebraska, you can get a Learner's Permit (LPD) at age 15. You can apply and take the written test up to 60 days before your 15th birthday, but the permit is issued on or after the birthday. You also take a vision test. A licensed driver at least 21 must sit in the seat beside you. The original permit costs $13 and is valid for one year.

Where the Nebraska learner's permit facts come from

The age, tests, fee, documents and renewal rules come from the Nebraska DMV Learner's Permit page. The supervision, phone and validity rules come from Nebraska Revised Statutes 60-4,123; the penalty and remote-test rules come from sections 60-4,125 and 60-4,114. The seat belt, fine, point and test details come from the Nebraska Driver's Manual (January 2025). Other facts come from the DMV pages on the School Learner's Permit, the Provisional Operator's Permit, the Class O license, document verification, manuals and the practice exam, and a 2021 DMV news release on the ASL test. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Nebraska DMV (dmv.nebraska.gov) before you drive.

Nebraska learner's permit (LPD) at a glance

Nebraska learner's permit (LPD) at a glance
Item	Rule
Minimum age	15 (apply up to 60 days before your 15th birthday)
Tests	Vision test and written test
Supervisor	Licensed driver at least 21, in the seat beside you
Fee	$13 for an original permit ($8 plus a $5 security fee)
Valid for	One year (12 months) from the issue date
Phone	No interactive wireless communication device while you drive

How old must you be to get a learner's permit in Nebraska?

You must be at least 15. You may apply up to 60 days before your 15th birthday, and state law lets you take the written test in that window too. But the permit cannot be issued until the day of your 15th birthday or after it.
So a person who turns 15 in 45 days can pass the test now and get the permit on the birthday. Our free question on when Nebraska can issue the permit shows this case. The LPD lets you legally practice driving for a Provisional Operator's Permit (POP), a Class O license or a Class M (motorcycle) license.

How to get a Nebraska learner's permit (LPD)

1
Study the Nebraska Driver's Manual
The manual has the information to pass the LPD test. There is a separate written test for each class of license, so study for the permit test.
2
Gather your documents
Bring proof of citizenship or lawful status and identity, two Nebraska address documents, and your Social Security number. The list below has the details.
3
Take the vision test and the written test
Go to a Nebraska DMV driver licensing office. Both tests are required. You may take the written test up to 60 days before you turn 15.
4
Pay the fee and get the permit
The original LPD costs $13 ($8 plus a $5 security fee). DMV issues it on or after your 15th birthday.

Do you need to take the Nebraska written test?

You have never held a School Learner's Permit (LPE), School Permit (SCP) or LPD

Take the vision test and the written test.

You hold an LPE, SCP or LPD that is valid, or that expired no more than one year ago

The written test is waived.

You fail a test

You cannot retake it the same day. Over 32% of first-time applicants fail the written test, so read the manual before you go.

What documents do you bring for a Nebraska LPD?

Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful status that shows your name and date of birth, and proof of identity.
At least two documents that show your principal address in Nebraska. If you are under 21, your parent's or guardian's proof of address is accepted.
Your valid Social Security number, which DMV can check with the Social Security Administration. If you are exempt, show a valid, unexpired I-94 or I-94A in a valid foreign passport.
Check the full list of accepted papers on the DMV Document Verification Requirements page before you go.

Who can ride with a Nebraska learner's permit holder?

You must be accompanied at all times by a licensed driver who is at least 21. That driver may be licensed by Nebraska or by another state. In a car, the licensed driver sits in the seat beside you.
All occupants of the car, including you, must wear a seat belt. A seat belt violation carries a $25 fine.

Can you use a phone with a Nebraska learner's permit?

No. State law bans an LPD holder from using any type of interactive wireless communication device while driving on Nebraska highways.
Police enforce this ban only as a secondary action, when they cite or charge you for a violation of some other law.
The Nebraska Driver's Manual says a first violation carries a $200 fine and points on your record, and it lists 1 point for a wireless device violation by an LPD holder.
Put the phone away before you start the car.

How long is the Nebraska learner's permit valid, and what comes next?

The permit expires one year after the issue date. To move on to a Provisional Operator's Permit (POP), you must be 16, hold an LPE, SCP or LPD for at least six months, and have fewer than three points in the six months before you apply. You may apply up to 60 days before your 16th birthday.
The POP has its own tests and limits. Read our guide to the Nebraska Provisional Operator's Permit before you apply.

What is the difference between the LPD and the age 14 permit (LPE)?

The School Learner's Permit (LPE) starts at age 14, but only for people who are eligible for a School Permit (SCP). It is valid for six months. The LPD starts at 15 and has no school requirement. For the school permit rules, see our guide to the Nebraska School Permit (SCP).

How to study for the Nebraska learner's permit test

Read the Nebraska Driver's Manual (January 2025). It has the information to pass the LPD test, and DMV also offers a Spanish manual and an audio manual.
Use the DMV practice exam together with the manual, not instead of it.
For extra practice, try our free question on who may supervise a permit holder. Our practice tests are free, in English only, and are not the official test.
If you use American Sign Language, ask for the ASL version of the knowledge test at a DMV testing location.
A state law in effect from July 18, 2026 allows a remote written test with a proctor approved by the DMV director. Check the DMV website to see if DMV offers it yet; if not, test at a DMV office.

Key takeaways

You can get a Nebraska LPD at 15. Apply or take the written test up to 60 days early; DMV issues the permit on or after your 15th birthday.
Pass the vision test and the written test. The written test is waived if you hold an LPE, SCP or LPD that is valid or expired no more than one year.
A licensed driver at least 21 must sit beside you. Do not use a phone while you drive.
The original permit costs $13 and is valid for one year.
Next step: practice on the free Nebraska Class O learner's license practice test.

Nebraska learner's permit: common questions

Can I practice on a motorcycle with a Nebraska learner's permit?

Yes. The LPD lets you practice for a Class M (motorcycle) license as well as a car license. On a motorcycle, you must be accompanied by a licensed motorcycle operator who is at least 21 and stays within visual contact. The ban on wireless devices while you drive still applies.

What if my Nebraska learner's permit expires before I get my POP?

The LPD expires one year after it is issued, so a permit issued on your 15th birthday ends near your 16th birthday. You can renew it in person at any Driver Licensing Office. If you are moving up to a School Permit or a POP, you may apply online once DMV has received your Driver's Education waiver electronically.

Can a ticket on my learner's permit delay my POP?

Yes. For a POP, you need fewer than three points in the six months before you apply, and a wireless device violation by an LPD holder adds 1 point. If a court convicts a minor of breaking the permit terms, it orders the permit impounded or revoked, and the minor cannot get another permit or license until age 16.

Can an adult get a Nebraska learner's permit?

Yes. Any person who is at least 15 may apply. At 18 or older, a first-time Class O applicant who never held a POP takes the vision, written and drive tests, and an LPD that is valid or expired no more than one year waives the written test. After three failed drive tests in a row, you reapply after you hold an LPD for at least 90 days or finish a DMV-approved course (six classroom and six behind-the-wheel hours).