Nebraska Real Estate License Requirements

Step 1: Take the 66-hour pre-license education

All new Nebraska salespersons must take (2) 30-hour Nebraska Real Estate Commission approved courses. These courses must be taught by an approved school or provider in real estate subjects that are not less than 30 hours of study. Applicants must also take six hours in professional practice and standards, known as course 0003.

Anyone who takes the required education at a college or university will need their course completion documented in the form of official transcripts mailed directly from the college or university to the Commission office as part of the application package.

All the real estate education programs are required to administer a final exam.

Step 2: Submit salesperson license application

Nebraska’s Real Estate Commission recommends your real estate license application be submitted online. You do have the option to download the application and mail it in.

The license application submission must include:

1. A passport-type photograph showing your head and shoulders that is at least 2x2 inches in size and taken within the last year. Snapshots are okay as long as they meet this criteria. You can submit the photographs separately or as an attachment in an email to realestate.commission@nebraska.gov in a Word, JPEG, or PDF file.
2. Proof of your high school education or its equivalent. Individuals with a foreign high school education can either submit a transcript from my United States college that shows their education was sufficient for admittance or a document-by-document evaluation report verifying the equivalence of the high school education.
3. Proof of your pre-licensing education in the form of transcripts or certificates of completion. These can be emailed or uploaded as Word, JPEG, or PDF files. They can also be mailed separately or personally delivered to the real estate commission.

The Nebraska Real Estate Commission highly recommends you review the paper version of its application before you decide to submit the online application. Your application requires information on your prior residences and employment history for the last three years, any other real estate or professional licenses you have applied for or been issued, and any information on lawsuits or criminal offenses.

Your license application and all its associated fees, including the exam fees, are only valid for one year from the date the NREC receives your application in its office. Your exam fee is valid until taken, as long as it is within a year of the application date.

The Nebraska fees are:

• $135 for the license application fee
• $150 for the license examination fee

The Candidate Information Bulletin has exam content outlines and the percentage of questions asked in each topic area.

Immediately upon finishing the exam, a score report will appear on the screen. You will also get an official score report essential for your license issuance.

If you fail the exam, you must reapply to take the test through the NREC.

All passing candidates will have 30 days to finish the licensing process.

Step 6: Submit the License Issuance Forms

Post-exam, all licensing candidates must submit to the NREC the License Issuance Form signed by your employing broker and you, indicating you agree to be employed by the broker. The issuance fee for a salesperson license is $80.

Step 7: Obtain Errors & Omission Coverage

All real estate salespersons need to have Errors & Omission insurance. You may obtain insurance from any company authorized by the State of Nebraska Department of Insurance. For this option, submit a Certificate of Coverage to the NREC.

The NREC also offers a group plan underwritten by Williams Underwriting Group. The fee varies by the limits of liability you choose and the month you apply for coverage, but the maximum amount for the year is $235. If you use the group plan, the insurer will send verification to the NREC once your application and payment have been processed.

Nebraska Real Estate Commission will issue you an active real estate license after it verifies your insurance coverage.

Step 8: Take a 12-hour post-licensing course

After your license is issued, you have 180 days to take and submit to the NREC proof of completion of a 12-hour post-licensing course. This course has required knowledge related to real estate practice, like how to handle client funds, listing agreements, and contracts. NREC course number is 7000. Failure to submit proof of completion will result in the license moving to inactive status.

Congratulations, you now can enjoy the benefits of being a Nebraska real estate salesperson!