In Nebraska, RN licences come from the DHHS Licensure Unit for the Board of Nursing. You can apply up to 90 days before graduation; the fee is US$123 (or US$30.75 late in the renewal cycle) and is waived for applicants aged 18 to 25, low-income applicants and military families, though everyone pays the Nebraska State Patrol background check (US$55). You also send proof of citizenship or lawful presence and a signed photo. Processing takes about 8 to 10 weeks, mostly fingerprints. Nebraska is a Nurse Licensure Compact state.
✓ Checked against Nebraska DHHS's official pages on October 7, 2026Tick each step as you finish it; your progress is saved on this device.
The exam is the same; the path to being allowed to write it is longer. These are the extra steps.
| Application for licensure by examinationdepends on when the licence is issued (fee chart); waived for ages 18-25, low-income and military-family applicants | US$123 or US$30.75 |
| Nebraska State Patrol criminal background checkUS$45.25 before Aug 1, 2025; plus the fingerprinting service's charge; never waived | US$55 |
| NCLEX-RN registration (Pearson VUE)per attempt, non-refundable. US$350 from Feb 1, 2027. | US$200 |
Submit the Nebraska Nursing License by Examination application to the DHHS Licensure Unit up to 90 days before graduation with the fee or a waiver, proof of citizenship or lawful presence and a signed photo; send fingerprints and US$55 to the Nebraska State Patrol; have your school send the final transcript; and register with Pearson VUE (US$200). The Authorization to Test is emailed once every document is in.
US$123 (or US$30.75 depending on issue date), waived entirely for applicants aged 18 to 25, low-income applicants and military families; plus US$55 to the State Patrol for the background check and US$200 to Pearson VUE.
The DHHS examination instructions describe no graduate permit for RN exam candidates; plan to start work after the licence is issued.
Yes, since January 19, 2018. You must be a Nebraska resident meeting the additional requirements for a multistate licence; residents of another compact state can apply in Nebraska only with firm plans to move.
About 8 to 10 weeks, including 4 to 6 weeks for the fingerprint background check; applications are processed in the order received.
Applicants aged 18 to 25 at licensure, low-income applicants (enrolled in public assistance or with household income below 130% of the federal poverty guideline) and military families (active duty, spouses, honourably discharged veterans and their spouses or surviving spouses). The background check fee still applies.
Rules and fees change. Everything on this page was read on Nebraska DHHS's and NCSBN's own pages on October 7, 2026; when a detail matters to you, confirm it there:
This guide explains the process; it is not legal or immigration advice. Decisions about your eligibility are made by Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Licensure Unit (Board of Nursing).
10 free NCLEX questions in your account, a case study, a video and a cheat sheet. Then 3,200+ questions, the video course and unlimited adaptive readiness exams on one payment.
Create a free account →Plans and prices