Not every heavy truck in Nebraska needs a commercial driver license. A farmer moving grain, a fire department running its engine and a family in a motorhome can all be exempt, while a driver hauling the same weight for hire usually is not. That split is the heart of Nebraska CDL requirements, so start there before you spend time on testing.
Who is exempt from needing a CDL in Nebraska?
- Covered farm vehicles, including articulated vehicles, operated within 150 miles of the farm or ranch, anywhere in Nebraska or across state lines.
- Recreational vehicles.
- Public or volunteer fire department emergency vehicles.
- Military, Coast Guard and National Guard vehicles driven by qualifying personnel.
Exempt does not mean unlicensed. You still need the right regular license for the vehicle, and the exemption depends on how and where it is used. If you are unsure, ask the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) before you assume.
Which Nebraska CDL class do you need?
- Class A: a combination with a combined rating of 26,001 pounds or more, where the towed unit is over 10,000 pounds. Think tractor-trailer.
- Class B: a single vehicle rated 26,001 pounds or more, such as a straight truck or a large bus.
- Class C: a smaller vehicle that carries 16 or more people or placarded hazardous materials.
I-80 crosses the whole state and carries cross-country freight, much of it Class A work. School bus drivers need both the school bus (S) and passenger (P) endorsements.
What are the basic Nebraska CDL requirements?
- Age: 21 for interstate driving and 18 for intrastate. A CDL issued to a person under 21 expires on the holder's 21st birthday.
- A commercial learner's permit (CLP), valid for one year. If it expires before you pass all three skills test segments, the segments you passed become invalid and you retest all of them.
- Passing the knowledge tests for your class and endorsements. After a failed written or skills test, you wait at least one day.
- Holding the permit at least 14 days before the skills test, under federal rules, and finishing entry-level driver training if you are a first-time applicant.
- A principal address that is not a P.O. Box.
What is the Nebraska restricted CDL (RCDL)?
The RCDL is built for farm work. It is for employees of eligible employers such as custom harvesters, retail agricultural outlets or suppliers, agricultural chemical businesses and livestock feeders. An RCDL driver may operate Class B or C vehicles only for farm-related work, stays within 150 miles of the employer or farm, and may use the license for no more than 210 consecutive days in a 12-month period.
What do Nebraska CDL restriction codes mean?
- E: no manual transmission
- K: intrastate only
- L: no air brake equipped vehicles
- M: except Class A bus
- N: except Class A and B bus
- O: except tractor-trailer
- V: medical variance
- Z: no full air brakes
One trap: Nebraska uses the letter N both for the tank endorsement and for the "except Class A and B bus" restriction, so read which list you are in. A restriction is placed on the license when you test in a limited vehicle, so choose your test vehicle with your future work in mind.
How do Nebraska CDL tests work?
Audio versions of the written tests, except hazardous materials, are available at all driver licensing offices. The skills test has three parts under federal rules: vehicle inspection, basic controls and the road test. All three must be passed before the permit runs out. A tank vehicle needs the N endorsement when an individual tank is over 119 gallons and the aggregate is at least 1,000 gallons. Hazmat drivers renewing before they finish the security threat assessment get one 90-day extension per renewal period, and a CDL with a hazmat endorsement expires when the security threat assessment does.
What is the simplest path to a Nebraska CDL?
Decide whether you actually need a CDL or qualify for an exemption. If you do need one, choose your class and endorsements, pass the knowledge tests for them, carry the CLP while you complete training and practice, then pass all three skills test segments before the permit expires. Ask the Nebraska DMV how your own situation works if you are an under-21 driver, a hazmat applicant or a farm employee, because those three groups have special rules.
How old do you have to be to get a CDL in Nebraska?
You must be 21 for interstate driving and 18 for intrastate. A CDL issued to someone under 21 expires on the holder's 21st birthday.
How long is a Nebraska CLP valid?
A Nebraska commercial learner's permit is valid for one year.
Do farmers need a CDL in Nebraska?
Covered farm vehicles, including articulated vehicles, are exempt when operated within 150 miles of the farm or ranch.
What is a Nebraska restricted CDL?
The RCDL lets eligible agricultural employees operate Class B or C vehicles for farm-related work only, within 150 miles, for up to 210 consecutive days in a 12-month period.
How long do I wait to retest after failing a Nebraska CDL test?
At least one day after a failed written or skills test.
Details change, so confirm the current Nebraska CDL requirements with the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles before you apply. DMVZone is an independent study resource, not a state agency.