Nebraska · CDL truck driver licensing · verified July 2026
Nebraska CDL truck driver license requirements
The short answer
As of July 2026, Nebraska CDLs are issued by the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles under the federal FMCSA framework. A 5-year CDL costs $60 total ($55 plus $5 security surcharge) and the Commercial Learner's Permit costs $15 ($10 plus $5 security surcharge) and is valid 1 year. Minimum age is 18 for intrastate driving and 21 for interstate; ELDT and a 14-day CLP holding period apply before the three-part skills test.
Do you need a license to work as a CDL truck driver in Nebraska?
Nebraska licenses CDL truck drivers statewide, so one credential is valid across the whole state.
Federal layer: ELDT required since Feb 7, 2022 for first-time Class A/B, B-to-A upgrades, and first-time H/P/S endorsements (performance-based, no hour minimum); DOT medical certificate; endorsements H (TSA check), N, T, P, S; 14-day CLP hold before skills test. Nebraska specifics: CLP $15 total ($10 + $5 security surcharge), valid 1 year; if the CLP expires before all three skills-test segments are passed, previously passed segments are invalidated and all skills testing must be retaken; CDL $60 total ($55 + $5 surcharge) for 5 years, prorated for under-21 applicants ($16 up to 1 year through $49 up to 4 years); replacement $16; class/endorsement change $15; proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful status required. No separate knowledge or skills test fee is published by the DMV (testing is handled through DMV driver licensing services).
What licenses does Nebraska issue?
The Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles issues the credentials below for this trade. Boards often list further classes for specialties and business licenses; these are the ones this page covers.
Hours are what each class asks for on its own terms. Where a senior class shows fewer than a journeyman, the board is counting time served after the earlier license rather than from the start; the prerequisite column says which.
| License | On-the-job hours | Classroom hours | Exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A CDL | not published | not published | Yes |
| Class B CDL | not published | not published | Yes |
| Class C CDL | not published | not published | Yes |
Source: Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles (dmv.nebraska.gov). Verified July 2026.
What exam does Nebraska require?
CDL knowledge test(s) plus vision test (general, air brakes, endorsements as applicable). Administered by Nebraska DMV driver licensing offices.
CDL skills test (pre-trip vehicle inspection, basic control skills, road test). Administered by Nebraska DMV.
How much does a Nebraska CDL truck driver license cost?
Getting a journeyman CDL truck driver license in Nebraska costs $75 in board fees, before any training. That is the application fee and the initial license fee charged once, with renewal charged separately below. No board publishes this total, so it is added up here from the schedule it does publish. An exam is required and its fee is not in that figure, because no amount for it appears in the board material this page is built from. Check the board's current fee schedule before budgeting.
- Application fee$15
- Initial license fee$60
- Renewal fee (recurring)$60
How often do you renew, and what continuing education is required?
Renewal period: 5 years (licenses issued to drivers under 21 expire on the 21st birthday; hazmat endorsement expires with the TSA security threat assessment)
Continuing education: None for the base CDL. Hazmat endorsement requires periodic TSA security threat assessment renewal; medical examiner's certificate must be kept current for interstate (Category A) and non-excepted intrastate (Category C) drivers.
How does the apprenticeship route work?
No apprenticeship is required or credited toward licensure; the mandatory training route is federal ELDT from an FMCSA-registered provider for new Class A/B applicants.
How does Nebraska compare to neighboring states?
Requirements stop at the state line, which matters if you live near one or expect to move. Here is what the neighboring states ask of the same trade.
| State | Journeyman hours | Licensing model |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | not published | Statewide |
| Colorado | not published | Statewide |
| Iowa | not published | Statewide |
| Kansas | not published | Statewide |
| Missouri | not published | Statewide |
| South Dakota | not published | Statewide |
| Wyoming | not published | Statewide |
Source: state licensing boards. Verified July 2026.
Sources and verification
Every fact on this page traces to one of these
Last verified July 2026. Found an error? Report it and it will be corrected and logged on the corrections page.
Other states with published requirements for this trade: Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey.
Price the whole path with the license cost estimator, or weigh earning against paying for school with the apprenticeship comparison. Back to CDL truck drivers overview.
Licensing requirements change between our verification sweeps. This page is informational only, so confirm current requirements with Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles before making decisions. Not legal advice.