Registering and titling a vehicle in Nebraska: new residents, purchases and renewals

How to title and register a vehicle in Nebraska through your County Treasurer after buying it or moving to the state, including the sheriff's inspection, insurance proof, fees and taxes, renewals and plates, from the Nebraska DMV.

Guide · Nebraska · Vehicle registration · Titles · updated October 29, 2026

In Nebraska, vehicle titles and registrations follow rules set by the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), but you deal with your local County Treasurer. The DMV says titles are issued at County Treasurer offices and registrations at the motor vehicle office in the county where you live. The exception is apportioned vehicles (over 26,000 pounds and crossing state lines), which go through the DMV's Motor Carrier Services Division. This guide covers buying a vehicle, moving to Nebraska with one, insurance, fees, renewals and plates.

The basics

The DMV says all motor vehicles and trailers used on Nebraska roads must be registered, unless they are specifically exempt. A vehicle is registered in the county where it is kept most of the time. A Nebraska title must be issued before registration, unless you are a non-resident or the vehicle is exempt from titling.

The main form is the Application for Certificate of Title. For your exact fees and taxes, use the DMV's online Vehicle Tax Estimator or ask your County Treasurer. The DMV also strongly urges you to ask the County Treasurer which payment methods it accepts.

Buying a vehicle

The DMV says a buyer must get a certificate of title within 30 days of the date of purchase. A newly purchased vehicle must also be registered, and sales tax paid, within 30 days.

When a vehicle changes hands:

• The seller signs the seller's section of the title; every owner named on the title must sign. Any open lien must be released on the title first. The seller completes the odometer section and gives the buyer a Bill of Sale or a completed Department of Revenue Form 6 (Nebraska Sales/Use Tax and Tire Fee Statement).
• The buyer puts their name, address and signature in the purchaser's section at the time of purchase. If the seller signs but the buyer's part is left empty, the title is "open". The DMV says that is against the law, and the title will be confiscated.
• Spouses cannot sign as an agent for each other.
• A wrong signature or any alteration makes the title "mutilated". The seller then has to get a duplicate title before the sale can go ahead.

To apply, take the Application for Certificate of Title to the County Treasurer with the $10 titling fee. The DMV also says a private seller must first have the title in their own name, have the vehicle registered and have paid sales tax. Licensed dealers are exempt from this. If you are buying used, the DMV points to the federal NMVTIS service for a vehicle history check.

Moving to Nebraska with a vehicle

The DMV says you have 30 days after arriving in Nebraska to get a Nebraska title and registration. You do this at the County Motor Vehicle Office in the county where you will live.

1. Vehicle inspection. Vehicles brought in from another state need an inspection, which is done by the County Sheriff. The DMV says most county motor vehicle offices have an inspection station on site. Douglas County has a single station, at the Midtown Branch Office, 411 North 84th Street. The inspection fee is $10. The inspector compares the VIN with your title and notes the odometer reading. The inspection is valid for 90 days.
2. Title. Bring your current out-of-state title, the inspection certificate, a completed Application for Certificate of Title and original proof of insurance. Also bring your most recent registration certificate and the fees. The title fee is $10, or $17 if a lien is noted. If a lender or leasing company holds your title, the County Treasurer can request it for you.
3. Registration. Once the title is issued, register the vehicle. Bring your most recent registration certificate, proof of insurance and the fees and taxes. If the vehicle is leased, bring a copy of the signed lease.

If the vehicle is not in Nebraska, the DMV says the state police where it is located may do the inspection on Nebraska's form NSP455. The form then goes to the Nebraska State Patrol for approval with the $10 fee.

For the driver license side of a move, see the Nebraska driver license and ID card guide.

Insurance

You must have proof of financial responsibility for every registered vehicle, with a few exceptions such as trailers. You present it to the County Treasurer when you register, and you must carry it in the vehicle at all times, together with the registration certificate. The DMV says an insurance card or policy must be an original document from an insurer authorized in Nebraska; photocopies are not accepted. You can also show it as an electronic image on a phone or tablet. The card must show the insurer, the insured, the policy number, the vehicle details and the coverage dates.

Fees and taxes

The DMV describes several parts to the bill:

• Motor Vehicle Tax, based on the vehicle's original MSRP. It is charged at first registration and every year until the vehicle is 14 years old or more, and the percentage goes down as the vehicle ages.
• Motor Vehicle Fee, based on value, weight and use.
• Registration fee: $15 for passenger and leased vehicles.
• Smaller fixed fees, including a $4.10 plate fee for each new, duplicate or replacement plate.
• Alternative fuel fees for electric and some other vehicles.

Some localities add their own fees and taxes.

Renewing your registration

Registrations are on a monthly, staggered schedule. The expiration month depends on the month you bought the vehicle. Owners of two or more vehicles can choose to register them all on a calendar-year basis or in a month they pick.

You can renew online, by mail or in person. By mail or in person, bring your expiring registration or renewal notice and original proof of insurance. Online, insurance is checked through the state's insurance database. You can sign up for eNotice to get renewal notices by email or text. If you renew by mail or online, your registration certificate, plates and tabs are mailed to you.

License plates

After registration you receive a registration certificate, license plates and validation tabs. The DMV offers a long list of specialty, military and organizational plates, plus message plates, through its license plates page. A replacement registration costs $1, and replacement expiration decals cost $2.50.

To visit an office, see the Nebraska DMV visit guide and the Nebraska office list.