License Plate Lookup in Nebraska
A Nebraska license plate lookup involves searching a vehicle's information and finding its registered owner using license plate numbers as a search query. There are various license plate lookup tools in Nebraska. An individual can use a license plate lookup tool to obtain selected Nebraska traffic records and related details on vehicle registration, title, and accident history. License plate lookup can also reveal car inspection details, maintenance history, mileage, and odometer readings.
License plate lookup is recommended for persons purchasing used cars in Nebraska because it can help reveal the vehicle's market value and if it has ever been reported stolen. Interested persons can look up Nebraska license plate information from the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for a fee. Alternatively, they can do so by using third-party free online license plate lookup tools or hiring a private investigator.
What is a Nebraska License Plate?
A license plate is a vehicle identification tag containing a unique combination of letters and numbers attached to noticeable parts of a vehicle. In Nebraska, license plates are compulsory for all vehicles. Section 60.3(100)(2)(b) of the Nebraska Revised Statute requires the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue one license plate for certain types of vehicles. Such motor vehicles include buses, minitrucks, motorcycles, trailers, truck-tractors, apportionable vehicles (as defined in Section 60.308), and special interest vehicles. The DMV issues two license plates for every other vehicle during registration.
The DMV issues various categories of license plates to vehicle owners as stipulated in Section 60.3(104) of the Nebraska Revised Statutes. They include:
- Passenger license plates - For motor vehicles designed to transport 10 passengers or less.
- Specialty license plates - The DMV issues these to persons involved in special projects. The types of license plates under this category include:
- Donate life license plates
- Husker license plates
- Message license plates
- Prostate cancer awareness license plates
- Breast cancer awareness license plates
- Choose life license plates
- Support our troops license plates
- Military license plates
- Vets get pets license plates
- Down syndrome awareness license plates
- Native American awareness & history license plates
- Mountain lion conservation license plates
- Organizational license plates - These are for members of specific organizations. The license plates under this category include:
- University of Nebraska-Omaha license plates
- Greater Omaha chamber of commerce license plates
- Ducks unlimited license plates
- Henry Doorly zoo license plates
- Planned parenthood of the heartland license plates
- NE corn growers association license plates
- NE cattlemen research & education license plates
- NE serious injury & line-of-duty death license plates
- Friends of the union pacific railroad museum license plates
- Creighton university license plates
- Special use plates/permits - The license plates under this category include:
- Handicapped license plates
- Historical license plates
- Repossession license plates
- Non-resident 30-day license plates
- Transporter license plates
- Boat dealer license plates
- Vehicle permits
How Do I Get a License Plate in Nebraska?
The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is responsible for issuing vehicle license plates in Nebraska. Anyone who buys a car in Nebraska must register it within 30 days of purchase. The DMV requires state residents to register their vehicles in the counties where the cars will primarily be used and parked.
To obtain a license plate in Nebraska, an interested person should:
- Provide proof of financial responsibility. The acceptable proof is an original car insurance document.
- Provide a copy of a signed vehicle lease agreement, if applicable.
- Show proof that the excise or sales tax for the vehicle has been paid.
- Pay the required registration fees: The DMV advises persons interested in obtaining license plates in Nebraska to contact their county treasurers for information on registration fees and taxes. Alternatively, they can use the DMV's motor vehicle tax estimator to find out the required payments.
Persons applying for license plates in Nebraska should submit the required documents and fees to their County Treasurer's Office in person or via mail. Anyone applying in person will receive their license plates, validation tabs, and registration certificates after their documentation and fees are verified at the County Treasurer's Office. Those applying by mail will get their license plates, validation tabs, and registration certificates via mail.
The DMV advises persons applying for snowmobile license plates in Nebraska to check and understand the snowmobile registration procedures. Individuals interested in obtaining license plates for vehicles weighing 26,000 pounds and over that cross state lines (apportioned vehicles) should contact the DMV's Motor Carrier Services. Anyone applying for motorboat license plates should contact the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Nebraska residents with license plate-related inquiries can contact the DMV by calling (402) 471-3918.
Passenger License Plates vs Commercial License Plates
Passenger license plates are issued to car owners for transporting people and personal possessions for non-business purposes, while commercial license plates are for vehicles used for business purposes. In Nebraska, vehicles with passenger license plates can transport a maximum of 10 persons at a time. Section 60.465(1) of the Nebraska Revised Statutes defines commercial vehicles as motor vehicles used in transporting people or property commercially if:
- The vehicle is designed for carrying 16 passengers or more, including the driver
- The gross vehicle weight is 26,001 pounds (11,794 kg) or more
- The vehicle has a gross combination weight of 26,001 pounds (11,794 kg) or more, including any towed unit
Section 60.465(2) of the Nebraska Revised Statutes stipulates that covered farm vehicles and recreational vehicles (as defined in Section 60.347) are not classified as commercial vehicles. Also, emergency vehicles and cars used by the U.S. Department of Defense or the Nebraska National Guard are not considered commercial vehicles. Anyone interested in obtaining passenger or commercial license plates in Nebraska should execute the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)'s instructions for new license plate registration.
How Can I Find the Owner of a License Plate in Nebraska
Anyone contemplating how to check the owner of a vehicle in Nebraska can do so using a free license plate lookup tool. Alternatively, they can make an official request with the driver and vehicles records division of the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The requester can use the information obtained from this search, such as a phone number, to find the owner of the Nebraska license plate through phone number lookup services.
Third-party aggregate sites are a reliable alternative for obtaining license plate information. These sites are maintained by independent establishments which collate the information from government-run repositories. Obtaining records from these sites often proves substantially easier than government alternatives. However, requestors may be required to provide any information required to facilitate the record search and pay any required fees to access the record of interest.
Nebraska License Plate Renewal
The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) handles license plate renewal in Nebraska. Motor vehicle license plates are valid for one year. Section 60.392(3) of the Nebraska Revised Statutes requires vehicle owners to renew their license plates after the one-year period elapses. Typically, the DMV mails license plate renewal notices to vehicle owners before expiry.
To renew a Nebraska license plate, an individual must provide:
- Their current vehicle registration certificate or the renewal notice
- Documents proving financial responsibility (original insurance document)
- License plate renewal fee
Nebraska car owners can renew their license plates through any of the following means:
- In-person: A car owner renewing in person should submit the required documents and fee to their County Treasurer's Office.
- By mail: Persons renewing their license plates by mail in Nebraska should send all the relevant documents and renewal fees via mail to their County Treasurer's Office.
- Online: To renew a Nebraska license plate online, use the online registration renewal portal and provide the required information. Nebraska vehicle owners are not eligible for online license plate renewal if there are changes to the information on their previous registration, such as names and addresses. Also, license plates that have expired for one year or are issued to trucks weighing over 27 tons cannot be renewed online. In such cases, mail or in-person renewal is mandatory.
Nebraska license plate renewal typically takes five to seven working days, and an applicant will receive their renewal sticker and registration card via mail.
Can You Look Up License Plates with VIN?
Yes. Using VIN lookup tools, an individual can lookup Nebraska license plates with VINs (vehicle identification numbers). In Nebraska, vehicles' license plate numbers are linked to the state's vehicle public records.
VIN Number Lookup
A VIN (vehicle identification number) lookup is the process of searching a vehicle's details using its VIN. A VIN number typically consists of 17 characters, a combination of letters (upper case), and numbers. An individual can conduct a VIN lookup using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)'s free VIN search tool or online. Generally, VIN lookups reveal manufacturer information about a motor vehicle's model, make, year of manufacture, serial number, and engine size. It also retrieves accident history, ownership history, sale history, market value, odometer readings, and a motor vehicle's ownership costs (using the information on its maintenance, mileage, and insurance cost).
VINs are found on different parts of a vehicle, depending on the vehicle type. Most times, vehicle identifications are stamped to the car's engine block. They are also found on vehicle liability insurance documents, vehicle titles, purchase records, dashboard, and driver's side door pillar.
Can Civilians Lookup License Plates in Nebraska?
Although Nebraska has strict privacy laws, civilians can look up license plates in the state. However, only certain motor vehicle records are accessible to civilians when they look up license plates.
Per the Federal Driver Privacy Protection Act (DPPA), 18 USC, Section 2721 and Nebraska Revised Statute 60-2905, personal information contained in motor vehicle records is considered confidential. As a result, when civilians look up license plates in Nebraska, this personal information are typically excluded from the result. According to the provisions of Federal DPPA and Nebraska Revised Statutes 60-2904, personal information refers to any information that can be used to identify a person. These include and are not limited to an individual’s driver’s license number, address, name, social security number, license photograph, telephone number, and medical and disability information.
Generally, when civilians look up license plates in Nebraska, they can obtain information on the vehicle registered to the license plate, such as the vehicle's make, model, and year of production. Civilians can also obtain other publicly available records, which are not subject to state and federal DPPA laws. These records include and are not limited to the vehicle’s recent odometer reading, accident records, and liens records.
What Do Police See When They Run Your Plates in Nebraska?
In Nebraska, when a police officer runs a motorist’s license plate, they can obtain information about the vehicle's characteristics as well as if it has ever been reported stolen or used in a crime. The police officer can also see personal information about the registrant of the license plate, such as their name, address, and license photograph. In addition, the registrant’s public records, as well as other relevant information, may also be seen by the police officer. This includes the registrant’s driver’s record, criminal record, and any active warrant for the driver’s arrest.
Free License Plate Lookup in Nebraska
Inquirers can look up license plates for free in Nebraska through different third-party websites. These websites usually have a simple form inquirers can fill out using the license plate number they wish to look up. However, most free license plate lookup services only provide basic information about the vehicle registered to the license plate, such as the vehicle’s make, year, and model. Inquirers typically need to pay a fee or a time-based membership for more in-depth information.
How to Search for Ticket by License Plate in Nebraska
In Nebraska, interested parties may contact the county court clerk in the county where a ticket was issued to search for the ticket by license plate. County court clerks typically maintain records of tickets that were issued within their specific county. Hence, these county court clerks can assist persons searching for tickets by license plate in Nebraska.
Furthermore, some cities in Nebraska provide online payment portals interested persons can use to search and pay for parking tickets issued within a city. On these portals, users are provided the option to search for tickets by citation number, license plate number, or VIN. Some example of these websites includes the City of Omaha Park Omaha citation webpage and the City of Lincoln citation webpage.
