Driving Tests

Is Texting While Driving Illegal in Nebraska? Fines, Points, Teen Rules

informational·how to guide·Published July 13, 2026

Is it illegal to use your phone while driving in Nebraska, and what is the fine?

Yes, for written messages. Nebraska law bans using a handheld phone or other handheld device to read, type or send a text, email or other written message while the vehicle is moving. The fine is $200 for a first offense, $300 for a second offense and $500 for a third or later offense. A guilty finding also adds 3 points to your driving record.

Where the Nebraska texting and driving facts come from

The ban, the exceptions and the fines come from Nebraska law section 60-6,179.01. The points come from the Nebraska DMV point system page and Nebraska law sections 60-4,182, 60-4,183 and 60-4,130.03. The teen rules come from Nebraska law sections 60-4,120.01, 60-4,123 and 60-4,124 and the Nebraska Driver's Manual (January 2025). The status of bill LB594 comes from the Nebraska Legislature bill page. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Nebraska DMV (dmv.nebraska.gov) before you drive.

What does the Nebraska handheld phone law ban?

No driver in Nebraska may use a handheld wireless communication device to read, manually type or send a written communication while the vehicle is in motion. Written communication includes a text message, an instant message, email and Internet websites. So reading an email or scrolling a web page on a phone in your hand is covered, the same as a text.
The ban does not apply to a law enforcement officer, a firefighter, an ambulance driver or an emergency medical technician who is doing official duties, or to a person who drives in an emergency situation.

Can you use hands-free or a built-in screen in Nebraska?

Your phone is used through a hands-free wireless device

The law does not count a hands-free wireless communication device as a handheld device. Still, the Driver's Manual warns that the conversation, not the device, creates the danger.

The screen is part of your vehicle or permanently attached to it

The law does not count an electronic device that is part of the vehicle, or permanently attached to it, as a handheld device.

A TV screen in the vehicle is visible to the driver

It is illegal to drive on a public roadway with a television set whose viewing screen the driver can see.

You hold a teen permit or a Provisional Operator's Permit (POP)

A stricter rule applies: no use of any interactive wireless communication device. See the teen section below.

Nebraska texting and driving fines and points

Nebraska texting and driving fines and points
Offense	Fine	Points
First offense	$200	3 points
Second offense	$300	3 points
Third and later offense	$500	3 points

What do 3 texting points do to your Nebraska license?

A texting violation is a traffic infraction, and a guilty finding adds 3 points to your record. Twelve points within two years, counted from the last violation date, cause automatic revocation of your license for six months. Points stop counting two years after the violation date, but the conviction stays on your record for five years.
A driver under 21 with a license or POP who gets six or more points within 12 months must finish a driver improvement course of at least four hours within three months of the DMV notice, or the license is suspended. Our guide to Nebraska teen driver points explains the teen limits.

What are the phone rules for teen drivers in Nebraska?

Holders of a School Learner's Permit (LPE), a Learner's Permit (LPD), a School Permit (SCP) or a Provisional Operator's Permit (POP) may not use any type of interactive wireless communication device while driving, a hands-free call included. Police enforce this only as a secondary action, when the holder is cited or charged with a violation of some other law.
The Driver's Manual says a first violation carries a $200 fine and points, and it lists 1 point for a permit or POP wireless device violation. Try our free question on a POP holder and a hands-free call, or read our Nebraska learner's permit rules.

How to avoid a Nebraska texting ticket

1
Check messages before you drive
Check your email, voicemail and other portable devices before you start to drive.
2
Put the phone out of reach
Sending or receiving a text takes your eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. Texting takes your eyes, your hands and your mind off driving.
3
Stop before you use the phone
If you must read or send a message, park in a safe place first, so the vehicle is not in motion.

Did the Nebraska handheld phone law change in 2026?

No. A bill, LB594, would have barred any driver from holding or supporting a handheld device while the vehicle is in motion. It did not pass: the Legislature indefinitely postponed it on April 17, 2026. Section 60-6,179.01 was last amended in 2014, so the ban on reading, typing and sending written messages, the fines and the exceptions above still apply.

Key takeaways

Nebraska bans using a handheld device to read, type or send a written message while the vehicle is in motion.
The fine is $200 for a first offense, $300 for a second and $500 for a third or later offense, plus 3 points.
Police enforce the ban only as a secondary action, when a driver is cited or charged with another traffic violation or offense.
LPE, LPD, School Permit and POP holders may not use any interactive wireless communication device while driving, hands-free included.
Next step: practice on the free Nebraska Class O learner's license practice test.

Nebraska texting and driving: common questions

Can police pull me over just for texting in Nebraska?

Nebraska law says police enforce the texting ban only as a secondary action: the driver must first be cited or charged with another traffic violation or offense. A driver who is cited for another violation can also be cited under the texting ban, with its fine of $200 to $500 and 3 points. The phone limits for permit and POP holders are secondary in the same way.

Can I read a text at a red light in Nebraska?

The ban applies to a driver of a motor vehicle that is in motion, and its only exceptions are for official duties and emergencies. The safe habit is to wait until you park before you read or answer a message. Teen permit and POP holders may not use the phone at all while driving. Try our free question on reading a text while you drive.

Does the Nebraska texting law apply to tablets and laptops?

The law covers any device that provides written communication between two or more parties and can receive, display or transmit it. Its list includes, but is not limited to, a mobile or cellular phone, a text messaging device, a personal digital assistant, a pager and a laptop computer. A device built into the vehicle or permanently attached to it is not included.

Is there a different phone law for truck drivers in Nebraska?

Yes. Section 60-6,179.01 does not apply to the operator of a commercial motor vehicle when section 60-6,179.02 applies. The Driver's Manual says other specific primary offense laws apply to commercial vehicle operators. Under the Nebraska point system, texting or using a handheld mobile phone in violation of section 60-6,179.02 is 3 points.