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How do I get a real estate license in Nebraska?

Never held a real estate license? Then you apply for a resident salesperson license. The Nebraska Real Estate Commission (NREC) lists 96 hours of courses and a minimum age of 19. A license from another state may be a different path.

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The rule, fact by fact

Course hours
96 hours: three 30-hour courses plus a 6-hour Professional Practice and Standards courseNREC calls this the current rule for a salesperson license.
Verified. Nebraska Real Estate Commission · Pre-license education (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Who needs it
At least 19 years oldIt sits first in the Basics step of NREC's resident salesperson checklist.
Verified. Nebraska Real Estate Commission · Resident real estate salesperson information (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Valid for
The license expires December 31 of the year it is issuedThe fee to issue it is not prorated, so it is the same in January, June or December.
Verified. Nebraska Real Estate Commission · License issuance procedures (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Pick the license type. If you hold no real estate license in Nebraska or any other state, NREC says to apply for a Resident Salesperson license.

  2. Step 2. Check the basics. You need to be at least 19 and legally eligible to work in the U.S. NREC also lists a high school diploma, a GED, or evidence that you took part in or enrolled in a home school program from the Department of Education.

  3. Step 3. Complete the 96 hours: 90 clock hours in three 30-hour courses (Real Estate Principles and Practices, Nebraska Real Estate License Law, and an approved Pre-License Education course), plus the 6-hour Professional Practice and Standards course.

  4. Step 4. Send your application first. NREC says it must be in the Commission office before you pursue the criminal history report.

  5. Step 5. Book the exam through Pearson, online or by phone, at least one calendar day before the date you want. The exam score NREC lists is 75%.

  6. Step 6. Buy errors and omissions insurance. NREC says you need it to conduct real estate activities with your license on active status, and that includes a two-year policy.

  7. Step 7. Watch the clock after you pass. NREC's checklist says you must be licensed 30 days after you pass the exam, or you will have to retake it.

Before you pay

NREC points to its Fee Schedule for the current license issuance fee. We haven't confirmed that amount, the exam fee or any course price from a source.

Before you pay a school, ask what the course costs and whether it teaches the courses NREC lists.

NREC may update its pages. Check them yourself on the day you apply.

Questions

I'm licensed in another state. Do I start over?

Maybe not. NREC says a license in good standing from another real estate regulatory jurisdiction may earn you an equivalent Nebraska license. You can stay a nonresident or move to Nebraska directly from where you were licensed.

Can I retake the exam if I fail?

Yes. NREC says you may retake the exam multiple times during your eligibility period.

What does the criminal background report change?

NREC says your application is not complete until the criminal background report reaches the Commission. It currently takes four to six weeks, on average, after you submit your fingerprints.

What does a broker license need?

It adds experience, among other things. NREC lists 2 years of full-time salesperson experience, or the part-time equivalent, and marks that line with a note to see its Broker Hardship Provision.

My license has been inactive for years. Can I get it back?

It depends on how long. NREC says a license inactive for more than three years in a row can be reinstated only if you have met the exam requirement of an original applicant.

What to do next

Start with NREC's application page. It sorts you into the right license type first.

nrec.nebraska.gov

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