- License
- Motor vehicle dealer license (combination dealer license)
- Surety bond
- $50,000
- State fee
- Confirm with the agency
- Pre-license course
- 8 hours before applying
- Background check
- No fingerprints; felony interview
- License term
- Calendar year, ends December 31
Nebraska dealer license requirements
The figures a first-time used car dealer needs before applying to MVILB. Each row shows how well it is supported.
- Surety bond
- $50,000Official source
A corporate surety bond on the Board's form, signed by a Nebraska registered agent and written in the exact ownership name. You file it with the first application and again with each renewal.
- State license fee
- Confirm with MVILBConfirm with the agency
The Board sets the fee and collects it online when you submit the application. It does not post the amount. State law caps a motor vehicle dealer license fee at $1,000.
- Pre-license education
- 8 hours before applyingOfficial source
Since January 1, 2026, every non-franchise applicant for a new dealer license files completion certificates totaling eight hours, dated within the previous 12 months. Trailer-only dealers are exempt.
- Background check
- No fingerprints; felony interviewOfficial source
The Board's instructions do not ask for fingerprints. With a felony, a fraud or conversion misdemeanor, a civil fraud judgment or pending felony charges, you submit a background report and meet a Board investigator.
- Insurance
- 25/50/25 auto liabilityOfficial source
A liability certificate from a carrier authorized in Nebraska, naming the Board as certificate holder, at the state minimums: $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident, $25,000 property damage. Add workers' compensation proof or a waiver.
- Business location
- Office, 10-vehicle lot, sign, landlineOfficial source
A permanent, properly zoned location with office space, one contiguous area for ten or more vehicles, a sign with 8-inch letters, a listed landline, 40 posted hours a week and a service facility or service agreement.
- License term and renewal
- Calendar year, ends December 31Official source
Every license expires December 31 of the year it is issued, whatever month you were licensed. The Board opens the online renewal portal on October 1. The renewal fee is not posted.
- Sales allowed without a license
- 8 in 12 monthsOfficial source
State law stops treating an owner as a bona fide consumer once the owner sells more than eight registered vehicles within a 12-month period. The vehicles must be titled and registered in the seller's name.
- Processing time
- Not publishedConfirm with the agency
The Board does not publish a processing time. An investigator schedules the inspection after the office has reviewed the application and all requirements are met.
“Official source” means the state agency’s own page, form or law. Where the state’s sources did not settle a point, the row says so instead of showing a guess.
Who issues the license
Nebraska Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board
License you apply for
Motor vehicle dealer license (combination dealer license)
Official licensing pageThe license fee is not posted, and fees are under review
How to get a Nebraska dealer license
The order that works for a first application. Tick each step off as you finish it.
Set up the business and clear the dealership name
Form the entity or trade name, register a corporation or LLC with the Nebraska Secretary of State, and get an EIN. The Board wants a name that reflects the business, such as "Jones Car Sales," and does not accept terms like "discount," "wholesale" or "for less." Ask the Board about the name before you order a sign.
Name rules: Board instructions, item 3
Complete eight hours of approved education
A non-franchise applicant for a new license files completion certificates totaling eight hours, dated within the 12 months before the application. The Board refers applicants to the Nebraska Independent Auto Dealers Association and the Automobile Dealer Training Association for approved courses. Trailer-only dealers are exempt.
8 hours, required since January 1, 2026
Secure a lot that meets the place of business rules
Find a properly zoned site with office space, one contiguous area for ten or more vehicles, a permanent sign with 8-inch letters and a listed landline. Get a zoning permit or a letter from the zoning authority showing the dealership name and address. A lease must be in the exact dealer name and run at least through December 31.
Neb. Rev. Stat. 60-1401.15
Arrange service, insurance and the bond
Line up your own repair facility or a service agreement with a shop in your county. Get a liability insurance certificate naming the Board as certificate holder, a workers' compensation certificate or waiver, and the $50,000 bond on the Board's form, signed by a Nebraska registered agent and issued in the exact ownership name.
$50,000 bond, 25/50/25 liability
File the online application and pay the fee
Submit the dealer license application through the Board's online form and mark whether it is a combination, motorcycle-only or trailer-only license. Include photos of the sign and place of business, zoning proof, the lease, the service agreement, insurance, the bond and your education certificates. The license fee is collected electronically when you submit.
Online form, fee paid at submission
Pass the investigator's inspection
Once the office has reviewed the paperwork and all requirements are met, a Board investigator contacts you to schedule an inspection of the dealership. Have the sign up, the phone working, the hours posted and the display area ready before that visit.
Receive the license and get dealer plates
After the inspection and approval, the Board issues the dealer license together with a Treasurer's Certificate. That certificate authorizes your County Treasurer to issue your dealer plates. Check that the name and address match on every document before you open.
Treasurer's Certificate
Practical advice
Before you apply
Seven things to settle before any state application: the business, the owners, the money and the property.
Read the startup playbookNebraska dealer location requirements
What the state checks at the business address.
- Office space in a building or mobile home where the dealership's books and records are kept and can be inspected during business hours.
- One contiguous area that displays ten or more vehicles, at a location that conforms to zoning. File the zoning permit or a letter from the zoning authority.
- A permanent sign visible from the main avenue of traffic, with the dealership name in letters at least 8 inches high, matching the name on the application.
- A working landline at the dealership, listed with Directory Assistance in the exact dealership name.
- Posted business hours of at least 40 a week, with at least 20 of those hours between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
- If you lease, a signed lease in the exact dealer name and address that does not end before December 31 of the license year.
- Your own service facility, or a service agreement with a shop in the same county unless the Board authorizes another location.
Zoning comes first
Keeping a Nebraska dealer license
Renewal and ongoing duties
Every license ends December 31, and you apply again each year. The Board emails the renewal link on October 1. A combination dealer renewal includes a report of vehicles sold from October 1 through September 30, a new bond, a liability insurance certificate, workers' compensation proof or a waiver, and four hours of continuing education for non-franchise dealers.
Federal rules that apply here too
- The FTC Buyers Guide, posted on every used vehicle you offer for sale.
- The FTC Safeguards Rule: a written plan for protecting customer financial information.
- IRS Form 8300 when a customer pays more than $10,000 in cash.
- A federal odometer disclosure on each transfer.
Nebraska dealer license FAQ
The questions first-time dealers ask most.
How do I get a used car dealer license in Nebraska?
Apply online to the Nebraska Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board for a motor vehicle dealer license, which covers both new and used vehicles. Before you file you need eight hours of approved education, a zoned lot that displays ten vehicles, a sign, a landline, liability insurance, a service facility or service agreement and a $50,000 bond. A Board investigator inspects the dealership before the license is issued.
How much is the dealer bond in Nebraska?
$50,000 for a motor vehicle, motorcycle or trailer dealer. The bond must be on the Board's form, signed by a Nebraska registered agent, and written in the exact ownership name on your application. You file a bond with the first application and again with each renewal.
How much does a Nebraska dealer license cost?
The Board does not post the fee on its dealer application page or in its instructions. It is collected online when you submit the application. State law caps the fee for a motor vehicle dealer license at $1,000 and the Board sets the actual amount. Confirm the current fee with the Board at 402-471-2148.
Do I need a pre-licensing course in Nebraska?
Yes. Since January 1, 2026, every non-franchise applicant for a new dealer license must submit certificates for eight hours of Board-approved education completed within the previous 12 months. Trailer-only dealers are exempt. Renewals call for four hours of continuing education.
Can I get a Nebraska dealer license without a car lot?
No. State law requires an established place of business with office space, a sign, a listed telephone and one contiguous area that displays ten or more vehicles. You also need your own service facility or a service agreement with a shop in the same county, and the dealership must keep posted hours of at least 40 a week.
How many cars can I sell in Nebraska without a dealer license?
No more than eight in a 12-month period, and only vehicles titled and registered in your name. Under Neb. Rev. Stat. 60-1401.07, an owner who sells more than eight registered vehicles within 12 months no longer counts as a bona fide consumer, and a person who regularly sells vehicles without that status needs a dealer license.
Sources
- AgencyMVILB: Dealer license application, bond and inspection process
- FormMVILB: Instructions for dealer license application (revised 01/2026)
- AgencyMVILB: Renewals
- FormMVILB: Certificate of insurance instructions and sample
- LawNeb. Rev. Stat. 60-1401.15: Established place of business
- LawNeb. Rev. Stat. 60-1411.01: License fees and expiration
- LawNeb. Rev. Stat. 60-1401.07: Bona fide consumer
Checked October 2026. This is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice. Fees, bond amounts and forms change, and local zoning rules vary. Confirm current requirements with MVILB or your attorney before you sign a lease or pay a fee.
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Plan the rest of the launch
- Startup playbookWhat to settle before you apply in any state.
- Startup budget plannerAdd up inventory, the lot, licensing and a cash reserve.
- Opening-day checklistEleven things to have in hand before the first sale.
- Dealer auction sitesWhere licensed dealers buy inventory.
- Floor plan lendersHow dealers finance the cars on the lot.
- Dealer management systemInventory, deals, titles and your website in one place.
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