Paying or Contesting a Traffic Ticket in Nebraska

If the 'waiver allowed' box on the ticket is marked, the driver may waive their rights, plead guilty and pay the fine and costs without appearing in court, using the state's online citation payment service or by mail; points are then assessed where applicable. The driver may instead appear in court and contest the ticket. If a waiver is not allowed, or any one offense on the ticket requires an appearance, the driver must appear on the court date. Not taking care of a ticket can lead to a DMV suspension; reinstatement requires proof of compliance from the court and a $50 fee.

Waiverable citations (those that do not require a court appearance) can be paid online through the Nebraska Judicial Branch's citation payment system, run by the State Court Administrator. Court costs apply even when you plead guilty by waiver, and a convenience fee is added. Online payment is not available once you have appeared in court; you must deal with the court directly from then on, and partial payments require a time-payment agreement signed with the court. Online payments can take 24 hours or more to post, and a late online payment will not stop a license suspension already noticed by the DMV.

A driver with fewer than 12 points may voluntarily complete a DMV-approved driver improvement course; the DMV then removes two points assessed within the previous two years (one point if only one point is on the record). It must be completed before the offense that would bring the total to 12 or more points, and the reduction is allowed only once in five years. It does not apply to courses required by the DMV after a revocation.

Verified grounds include 12 or more points in two years (six-month revocation), failing to comply with a traffic ticket (suspension until proof of compliance and a $50 reinstatement fee), DUI convictions, and administrative license revocation for a failed or refused chemical test.