How to get your Nebraska real estate license

You must be at least 19 years old and hold a high school diploma or GED to apply for a Nebraska real estate license. A criminal background check is required — most non-violent offenses are reviewed case-by-case.

Note: Heads up: Nebraska raised the bar on January 1, 2026. The old 66-hour requirement is gone. You now need 96 total hours — 90 clock hours across three 30-hour courses (Real Estate Principles and Practices, Nebraska Real Estate License Law, and one approved elective) plus the 6-hour Professional Practice and Standards course (Course 0003). Plenty of older guides still say 66 hours; the Commission's own site and its January 2026 application packet confirm 96.

• Confirm you're eligible: at least 19 years old (Nebraska is one of the few states with a 19+ rule), a high school diploma or GED, and lawful U.S. presence.
• Complete the 30-hour Real Estate Principles and Practices course and the 30-hour Nebraska Real Estate License Law course through a Commission-approved provider (classroom or approved online).
• Complete a third 30-hour Commission-approved pre-license elective course of your choice.
• Finish the 6-hour Professional Practice and Standards course (Course 0003) to hit the 96-hour total.
• Your provider reports completion to the Commission within 10 days — but keep your own records, and if you used college courses, an official transcript is required before a license will issue.

Nebraska uses Pearson VUE to administer the licensing exam. You'll need a passing score of 75% on each portion (official NREC figure; some prep sites cite 70% on the national portion — go with the Commission's number). Note: Nebraska's January 2026 application packet routes exam scheduling through Pearson VUE; older guides naming PSI are out of date.. The exam fee is $150. Expect roughly 100 national questions and 40–50 state-specific questions. Format: Two portions — a national portion and a Nebraska state-law portion — taken in one computer-based sitting at a Pearson VUE test center. If you pass one portion and fail the other, you keep credit for the passed portion for three retake attempts or six months, whichever comes first (but you pay the full $150 fee each retake)..

• Apply online through the NREC portal (nrec.igovsolution.net) with the $175 application fee, the $150 exam fee, and a passport-style 2"x2" photo taken within the last year. Debit cards are not accepted.
• Start fingerprinting immediately: the Commission mails you fingerprint cards after you apply, and you pay the $38.00 background-check fee directly to the Nebraska State Patrol (covers both the state and FBI checks). Reports take 4–6 weeks on average, so this is usually your longest wait.
• Once the Commission clears your background report, you'll get an eligibility email from Pearson VUE — schedule and pass both exam portions at 75%.
• Submit your passing score report through the portal within 30 days of passing, and choose whether your license issues on active or inactive status. Inactive issuance is allowed if you don't have a broker lined up yet.
• For active status, provide your employing broker information and proof of Errors & Omissions insurance (a group policy is available through the Commission's program administrator, roughly $150/year), then pay the $90 original salesperson license fee.
• After licensure, complete the 12-hour post-license course (Course 7000) within 180 days or your license is moved to inactive status.

Your Nebraska license stays inactive until a licensed broker sponsors you. Interview at least 2–3 brokerages, compare commission splits, training, and lead sources, and pick the one that fits your career goals — not just the highest split.