Nebraska Learners Permit
If you are a teenager who is striving to achieve a license, Nebraska drivers permit will be your first step in the process. However, due to the fact that there are four different Nebraska learners permits. We will try to clarify the matter for your and help you choose the learner’s permit that is right for you.
Nebraska GDL
Although the Nebraska version of the graduated license system is very “light” when compared to other states, it still retains most of the key points any GDL system has. The program targets teen drivers and it combines drivers education classes with supervised driving and restrictions for permit holders to ensure that teenage drivers gain some valuable driving experience before they get out on the road and start driving on their own.
Types of Nebraska Drivers Permits
There are four different permits currently offered by the Nebraska DMV. Two of these drivers permits are designated for the teens who live in rural areas:
- School Learners Permit (LPE).
- School Permit (SCP).
The next permit is issued to applicants who do not live in rural areas:
- Learner Permit (LPD)
And finally, there is also the permit which tops them all:
- Provisional Operator Permit
Depending on your age and the area of residence, you will choose between the school learners permit, school permit or learners permit and once you have held it for the required period of time, you will upgrade it to the Nebraska provisional operator permit.
Nebraska School Learner’s Permit
The school learners permit (LPE) is the first permit you can apply for. The minimum permit age is 14. In order to be eligible for this permit, you must:
- Live in a rural area (outside a city of 5,000 or more people and 1.5 or more miles away from your school; or your school is outside a city of 5,000 or more people)
- Take a vision test
- Take a written permit test
Once you are awarded with this permit, you can start practicing driving with a licensed driver who’s at least 21 years old. This type of a permit is valid only for three months and it needs to be renewed at the DMV if it expires.
School Permit
Nebraska school permit (SCP) is an “upgrade” of the previous permit type. Once you obtain this permit, you will be able to drive to and from school by yourself, but you will still need a licensed driver to accompany everywhere else. This type of permit is also restricted to teenagers who live in rural areas.
In order for you to be eligible for the school permit, you must have held your school learners permit for at least 2 months and you will be required to take a written and driving exams at the DMV. However, you can waive those exams if you take a training program. Completion of a state-certified Nebraska drivers education class will allow you to avoid both the written and driving exams. If you do not want to take driver’s ed, you can complete 50 hours of supervised driving, which will waive the knowledge exam, but you still have to take the driving skills test. The school permit will be valid until you turn 18 and you should use this time to gain as much on-road experience as possible.
Learner Permit
The learners permit (LPD) is the first step for those applicants who do not live in rural areas of Nebraska. In order to be eligible for this permit, you must be at least 15 years old and you must pass the permit test at the DMV. The permit allows you supervised driving only and you must hold it for at least 12 months before you can upgrade to the Nebraska provisional operator permit.
Provisional Operator Permit
Finally, you’re here. The provisional operators permit is almost as good as a drivers license. Although it does have some permit restrictions, it allows you to drive unsupervised, which gives you a lot of freedom.
When you are applying the provisional operator permit (POP), you must be at least 16 years old and you must have held your learners permit or school permit for at least 12 months. If you meet these requirements, visit the DMV and file the application. Students who are upgrading from the rural school permit don’t need to do any testing while students who have the regular learner permit must take written and driving tests.
Studying for Permit Exams
While some of you may have gone through the drivers education programs, others have not and need some extra study materials. The best place to start is the Nebraska drivers handbook, the study guide which is given out by the Nebraska DMV free of charge. The book covers Nebraska road rules, signs and traffic laws and you should make the best of it. Once you’re done with the book, try some DMV practice tests to see if you can nail the real one.
Upgrading to Drivers License
You will need to hold your provisional operator’s permit until you turn 18. At that time, you will upgrade it to the regular Nebraska drivers license without any additional testing.
