Nebraska Drivers Education
Nebraska offers a graduated drivers licensing system that begins at the age of 14. At Age 14, you may apply for a “School Learners Permit” which is valid for three months – in order for you to drive, you must be accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least 21 years old and you must pass a vision and a written test.
The next phase is a “School Permit” which is for those students who live at least 1 ½ miles away from the school they attend, or attends a school outside a city of 5,000 residents or more. You may operate a car unsupervised to and from school using the most direct route, or you may transport any family members to and from school related activities at the school you attend, or you may drive at any time if you’re with a driver who is over the age of 21 and properly licensed. You must hold your “School Learners Permit” for at least two months before you can be eligible to apply for a “School Permit” and be at least 14 years and 2 months old but not more than 16 years and 3 months old. Your School Permit automatically expires when you reach age 16 and 3 months. Prior to applying for the School Permit, you must complete an approved driver safety course, or present a 50 hour certification form for a written and driving test waiver.
You may apply for a Learner’s Permit sixty days before your 15th birthday – though it will not be issued until you have your 15th birthday. You must be accompanied by a licens4ed driver who is at least 21, pass a vision and a written test as well (unless you have a valid “School Learners Permit”. Your Learners Permit will be valid for one year and you may renew it if you choose to do so.
Once you have turned 16, you are eligible for a Provisional Operators License (which may be applied for 60 days prior to your 16th birthday). You must have held a Learners Permit for at least six months and not accumulated 3 or more points on your driving record for the 6 months prior to your application. Your Provisional Operators Permit will automatically expire on your 18th birthday. Your Provisional Operators Permit will allow you to drive unsupervised between 6am and 12am (and 12am to 6am if you are going back and forth to work or a school activity). You may drive at any time if you are accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least 21 years old. During the first six months you hold a Provisional Operators License you are not allowed to have more than one non-immediate family member in the car with you under the age of 19. You must have successfully completed a drivers safety course, pass a written test and a drivers test or present a 50 hour certification form signed by your parent, guardian or a licensed driver who is older than 21 and the certification must reflect you have driven at least 10 hours between sunset and sunrise.
The holder of any of these licenses/permits will not be allowed to use any type of interactive wireless communication device including, but not limited to, a mobile or cellular phone, a text messaging device, a personal digital assistant that sends or receives messages, an audio-video player that sends or receives messages, or a laptop computer while driving.
You may find these documents helpful while going through the various phases of obtaining your drivers license in Nebraska:
