Driving Tests

Nebraska Provisional Operator's Permit (POP): Curfew and Passenger Rules

informational·how to guide·Published September 2, 2026

What can a 16-year-old with a Nebraska POP do, and what are the curfew and passenger rules?

A Nebraska Provisional Operator's Permit (POP) lets a teen who is at least 16 drive alone from 6 a.m. to 12 midnight. From midnight to 6 a.m., the teen may drive alone only between home and work or a school activity. For the first six months, the teen may carry no more than one passenger under 19 who is not immediate family. The POP costs $20.

Where the Nebraska POP facts come from

The permit rules, tests and fee come from the Nebraska DMV Provisional Operator's Permit page. The curfew, passenger, phone and enforcement rules come from Nebraska Revised Statute 60-4,120.01. The fines and points come from the Nebraska Driver's Manual (January 2025 edition) and the DMV point system pages. The penalties come from statutes 60-4,120.02 and 60-4,130.03. The facts are current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Nebraska DMV (dmv.nebraska.gov) before you drive.

Nebraska POP rules at a glance

Nebraska POP rules at a glance
Rule	What the POP allows
Minimum age	16. The permit expires on the 18th birthday.
Driving alone	6 a.m. to 12 midnight
Midnight to 6 a.m.	Alone only to or from home and work or a school activity. Any hour with a parent, guardian or licensed driver who is at least 21.
Passengers	First six months: no more than one passenger under 19 who is not immediate family
Phone	No interactive wireless communication device while driving
Seat belts	Everyone in the vehicle wears one
Fee	$20 ($15 plus a $5 security fee)

What is the Nebraska POP curfew?

A POP holder may drive alone between 6 a.m. and 12 midnight. The only solo trips after midnight and before 6 a.m. are between home and work, or between home and a school activity. At any hour, the teen may drive with a parent, guardian or licensed driver who is at least 21. Test yourself on a late-night trip at 12:30 a.m. in our free practice questions.

How many passengers can a POP holder carry?

In the first six months of the permit, a POP holder may drive with no more than one passenger who is under 19 and not an immediate family member. Immediate family members do not count toward that limit. Everyone in the car must wear a seat belt. See how this works with three 17-year-old friends in the car.

Can a teen with a POP use a phone?

No. A POP holder may not use any type of interactive wireless communication device while driving on Nebraska highways.
The manual says a first teen phone violation carries a $200 fine.

What happens if a POP holder breaks a rule?

A POP holder breaks the curfew, passenger or phone limit

By law, police enforce these three limits only as a secondary action, when the driver is also cited or charged with a violation of some other law.

The teen is convicted of a curfew, passenger or phone violation

It is an infraction, and the court may revoke the POP. After a revocation, the teen pays a reinstatement fee before applying for another POP. The manual lists 1 point for each of these violations and says that any broken restriction can lead to a suspended or revoked license.

The teen is under 21 and reaches six or more points in 12 months

The DMV orders a driver improvement course of at least four hours. If the teen does not finish it within three months of the notice, the license is suspended. The DMV page lists a $50 reinstatement fee after that suspension.

Who can get a Nebraska POP?

You are at least 16. You can apply 60 days before your 16th birthday, but the DMV issues the permit on or after the birthday.
You have held a School Learner's Permit (LPE), School Permit (SCP) or Learner's Permit (LPD) for at least six months.
You have fewer than three points on your driving record in the six months before you apply.
You finish a DMV-approved Nebraska driver safety course, or a parent, guardian or licensed driver who is at least 21 signs a 50-hour certification form.

Which tests do you take for a POP?

You finish a DMV-approved driver safety course

The written test and drive test are waived. The school sends your course results to the DMV electronically.

You use the 50-hour certification form

You take the vision test and the drive test. The written test is waived if your LPD is valid or expired for no more than one year. The form certifies at least 50 hours of driving, with at least 10 hours between sunset and sunrise. See our guide to the 50-hour certification and driver safety course.

You held a School Permit that is valid or expired no more than one year

Licensing staff waive the written test and the drive test.

How do you get a Class O license after a POP?

A teen under 18 who has held a POP for at least 12 months, with fewer than three points in the last 12 months, is eligible for a Class O license, and the written and drive tests are waived. Individuals between 18 and 21 who have a POP are also eligible. A teen under 18 with three or more points in that period can take a driver improvement course for point credit, but the points already assessed stay. That teen gets the Class O at 18 or when the record shows fewer than three points in the last 12 months. See the Class O steps after a POP.

Key takeaways

A POP lets a teen who is at least 16 drive alone from 6 a.m. to 12 midnight, and it expires on the 18th birthday.
After midnight, a teen may drive alone only between home and work or a school activity, or with a parent, guardian or licensed driver who is at least 21.
For six months, no more than one passenger under 19 who is not immediate family. No phone use. Seat belts for everyone.
To qualify, hold an LPE, SCP or LPD for six months with fewer than three points, then finish a driver safety course or a 50-hour certification. The POP costs $20.
Next step: practice on the free Nebraska Class O learner's license practice test.

Nebraska POP: common questions

How old do you have to be to get a POP in Nebraska?

You must be 16. You can apply and take the required tests within 60 days before your 16th birthday, but the DMV does not issue the permit until on or after the birthday. The permit expires on your 18th birthday.

What changes after the first six months with a POP?

The passenger limit ends. It applies only in the first six months, when a POP holder may carry no more than one passenger under 19 who is not immediate family. The curfew from 12 midnight to 6 a.m., the phone ban and the seat belt rule stay in place for as long as the teen holds the POP.

Can an 18-year-old friend supervise a POP holder after midnight?

No. From 12 midnight to 6 a.m., a POP holder who is not driving between home and work or a school activity needs a parent, a guardian or a licensed driver who is at least 21 in the car. By law, that adult holds a current Nebraska license or a license from another state.

Can my teen get the POP online?

Yes, in some cases. After a DMV-approved driver safety course, a teen can get the POP online if the teen had a learner's permit during the course, or held a School Permit before and meets all the requirements. The teen can also go to any driver licensing office. A teen who uses the 50-hour form takes the vision and drive tests first.

Do back-seat passengers need seat belts when a POP holder drives?

Yes. Every person in a car driven by a POP holder must ride secured in a seat belt, in all seating positions. The general Nebraska seat belt law covers only the driver and the front-seat occupants, so the POP rule covers more people. The manual lists a $25 fine for a seat belt violation in a permit holder's car.