Photo: SounderBruce, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Nebraska’s Provisional Operator’s Permit (POP) is the license for 16 and 17 year olds. It lets you drive alone from 6 a.m. to midnight. In the first 6 months you can carry no more than one passenger under 19 from outside your immediate family. This guide covers every POP rule and how to move up to a full Class O license.
Nebraska POP restrictions
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Hours | Drive alone 6 a.m. to midnight. From midnight to 6 a.m., only to or from work or a school activity, or with a qualifying adult. |
| Qualifying adult | A parent, guardian or adult aged 21 or over with a current Nebraska license or a license from another state |
| Passengers, first 6 months | No more than one passenger under 19 who is not an immediate family member |
| Seat belts | Every passenger must use a seat belt or child restraint |
| Phones | No use of any interactive wireless communication device while driving |
| Expires | On your 18th birthday |
Scenario: Friday night game
You are 16 and got your POP 3 months ago. You drive home from a school basketball game at 12:30 a.m. with your brother and one teammate, aged 17.
- Time: allowed, because you are coming home from a school activity.
- Passengers: allowed, because your brother is family and the teammate is your one non-family passenger under 19.
Add a second teammate and you break the passenger rule.
How to get a POP
- Be at least 16 and under 18. You can apply up to 60 days before your 16th birthday, but the POP is issued on or after it.
- Hold an LPE, SCP or LPD for at least 6 months.
- Have fewer than 3 points in the 6 months before you apply.
- Do one of these:
- complete a DMV-approved driver safety course (written and drive tests waived)
- hand in the 50-hour certification form and pass vision and drive tests
- Bring identity, Nebraska address and Social Security number documents.
The fee table lists an original POP at $20, including the $5 security fee. Check the current fee with the Nebraska DMV.
When does a Nebraska POP become a full license?
You qualify for a Class O after holding the POP for 12 months with fewer than 3 points in the previous 12 months. The written and drive tests are waived, so you can apply online or at any driver licensing office. Because the POP starts at 16, the earliest this can happen is about age 17.
The POP expires on your 18th birthday. If you are 18 to 21 and hold a POP, you can still get the Class O with the written and drive tests waived. Check the details with the DMV.
Points while on a POP
- 3 or more points in the 12 months before you apply delays the move to Class O.
- Any driver under 21 who gets 6 or more points within 12 months must complete a driver improvement course within 3 months.
- Breaking the passenger rule or the midnight to 6 a.m. rule costs 1 point each time. A phone violation costs 1 point plus a $200 fine for a first offense. Riding unbelted costs the driver a $25 fine and 1 point.
More on points: points systems in the US.
Common questions
What time can I drive with a POP in Nebraska?
Alone, from 6 a.m. to midnight. Between midnight and 6 a.m., only for work or a school activity, or with a parent, guardian or licensed adult aged 21 or over.
How many friends can I drive with on a Nebraska POP?
In the first 6 months: one passenger under 19 who is not immediate family. The passenger limit in the law applies to the first 6 months only.
Can I use my phone for GPS on a POP?
The law bans POP holders from using any interactive wireless communication device while driving. Set your route before you start and do not touch the phone while driving. For all-driver rules, see hands-free laws.
Does a church youth event count as a school activity?
The exception covers work and school activities. For anything else after midnight, have a qualifying adult with you.
Can I take my POP out of state?
Other states set their own rules for visiting teen drivers. Check with that state before you go. Compare state GDL rules in US graduated licensing compared.
Back to the learning to drive in Nebraska guide. Related: when the Nebraska driving test is waived.
Sources
- Nebraska DMV, “Provisional Operator’s Permit (POP)” (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska DMV, “Driver’s License (Class O)” (dmv.nebraska.gov)
- Nebraska Legislature, Neb. Rev. Stat. 60-4,120.01, Provisional operator’s permit (nebraskalegislature.gov)