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A Nebraska business license gives your Limited Liability Company (LLC) permission to operate in a certain location or within a specific industry.
We can’t walk you through any applicable license applications step-by-step, because every business is unique. But we do provide helpful resources like:
- information about state licensing rules
- instructions for researching municipal licenses
And if you want to just hire a company to do the research for you, we have a recommendation below.
Nebraska Business License Requirements
After you form a Nebraska LLC, you may need to obtain a business license or permit.
Your requirements are determined by the industry you are in and where your Nebraska Limited Liability Company is located.
Because of the large number of industries and all of the municipalities in Nebraska, it’s not possible for us to explain them all. However, you can use the search tools below, call your local municipality, or hire a company for help.
Need to save time? We recommend hiring MyCompanyWorks (for $99) to handle the business license research for you.
How to get a Business License in Nebraska
You can obtain a business license in Nebraska by applying with the relevant licensing or regulatory agency. The agency you apply with will depend on where your business is located and what business activities it engages in.
The business license application typically requires basic information, such as your LLC name, EIN Number, business address, and contact information. Many also include a questionnaire that asks about your business activity.
There are three main licensing jurisdictions:
- State licensing
- Local licensing, such as county, city, township, etc.
- Federal licensing
Does Nebraska Require a Business License?
That depends on where your business is located, and what it does.
There are two types of state-level business licenses:
- a general business license
- and an occupational license
Nebraska General Business License
Some states have a general license requirement, which means all businesses operating in those states must have the license, regardless of what they do.
But good news: Nebraska doesn’t require a general license to do business in the state.
Meaning, your Nebraska LLC doesn’t need a general state business license. But depending on what type of business you run, your LLC might need an occupational license (aka “industry-specific” license).
Nebraska Occupational License
Most states have occupational business license requirements. This means a license or permit may be required depending on what your business does or what your occupation is. For example, if you sell used cars, or run a hair salon, you may need an occupational business license. But a license may not be required for other types of businesses.
Start by using the Nebraska One-Stop Business Registration System. This interactive tool asks you a series of questions about your business, and then generates a checklist of registrations you may need. This will help you determine if your Nebraska business needs an occupational license or permit, and which agency to contact about applying for the license.
You can also check the NebraskAccess Licenses page. This list shows the professions/occupations that are licensed in Nebraska with links to the board or agency that tissues the license.
The Nebraska Department of Labor also has a complete list of licensed occupations in a PDF document.
This Business Licensing page has links to the different departments and government agencies that issue licenses in Nebraska. Scroll down for a list to see if your industry or occupation needs a business license in Nebraska.
Licensing Departments and Agencies
The Nebraska Secretary of State’s Licensing Division issues licenses to certain industries.
Depending on what your LLC does, you might need business licenses issued by the Department of Agriculture.
The majority of professional licenses in Nebraska are issued by the Department of Health and Human Services. Their list of occupations links directly to the license page with application and contact information.
Note: Some Nebraska business licenses are issued by the Secretary of State. But the majority of occupational and professional licenses are not, and are instead issued by other departments. The Secretary of State is responsible for business entity administration, for example Limited Liability Company formation.
How much is a Nebraska Business License?
Nebraska doesn’t have a general business license at the state level, so there are no fees there.
However, your business may need a state-level occupational license or municipal-level license or permit to operate. The filing fee for these licenses will vary depending on where you’re doing business and what industry you’re in. To be honest, we can’t predict your specific Nebraska business license cost.
For example, licenses issued by a county that contains a large city are usually more expensive than licenses in less populated, rural counties. And licenses for regulated industries, like child care facilities, are usually more expensive than generic business licenses.
But your LLC might not need a license or permit at all. So your Nebraska business license cost could be $0.
See LLC Cost in Nebraska to learn about all the possible LLC fees.
Municipal Business License
Municipal business licenses can be issued by the city, town, county, parish, township, borough, etc. We refer to all of these as a “municipality” to keep things simple.
There are two types of municipal business licenses:
- general business license
- industry-specific license
For example, if a municipality has a general business license requirement, all businesses operating in that municipality must have the license, regardless of what they do.
And if a municipality has industry-specific business licenses, a license or permit may be required depending on what your business does. For example, if you operate a food truck, or run a daycare, you may need an industry-specific municipal business license. Or if you’re purchasing or leasing real estate, you may need a zoning permit.
But a license may not be required for other types of businesses, like making wedding invitation templates or offering marketing consulting.
You can contact your municipality to check on their local licensing requirements: Nebraska Cities, Counties, and Villages.
Nebraska Sales Tax License
If you sell products to consumers in Nebraska, you may need to collect sales tax and file a Sales and Use Tax Return.
If your business activities are subject to sales and use tax, your LLC must register with the Department of Revenue to get a Nebraska Tax ID and a Sales Tax Permit.
Note: This requirement will apply whether you sell products online or in a physical location in Nebraska. Review the rules for remote sellers.
You can register for business tax with the Department of Revenue online.
For additional information about the Sales Tax License, see these resources from the Nebraska Department of Revenue:
Tip: Save time by hiring an expert. We recommend using TaxJar. They'll help you register for, collect, and pay sales tax.
Do I need any federal business licenses?
Most businesses in Nebraska don’t need a federal business license. However, certain industries do need federal licenses:
| If your business… | Contact this agency about business licenses |
|---|---|
| Transports animals, plants or biotechnology over state lines | Department of Agriculture |
| Imports or exports animal products, wildlife, or products derived from wildlife (including fish) | Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Fishes commercially | Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Broadcasts on radio or TV | Federal Communications Commission |
| Makes alcohol and sells it at a retail store | Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau |
| Makes or sells firearms, ammunition or explosives | Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives |
| Transports cargo by sea | Federal Maritime Commission |
| Transports goods or people by air | Federal Aviation Administration |
Check out the Small Business Administration’s Licenses and Permits page for a full list of industries with federal license requirements.
If your business isn’t one of these special cases, then the only federal requirements are that your LLC get a Nebraska EIN Number (aka Federal Employer Identification Number) and that you file taxes.
Nebraska Business License FAQs
How much does a business license cost in Nebraska?
Nebraska doesn’t have a general business license for LLCs, so there are no fees there.
If your business has to get an occupational license or municipal (city or county) permit, the fees are hard to predict. Depending on your LLC’s location, and what type of business or industry you’re in, the fee varies.
And you might not need a business license at all!
Unfortunately, we can’t say what your LLC’s business license costs would be, because it depends on several factors and the cost of Nebraska licenses varies.
Is an LLC considered a business license?
No, an LLC is not a business license. They are two completely different things.
An LLC is a type of business structure created by filing a document with the state government.
And a business license is a document that gives a person, or a company, the right to transact business. It doesn’t create an LLC.
Does a Sole Proprietor need a business license in Nebraska?
Sometimes a new business owner chooses to operate as a Sole Proprietorship in Nebraska instead of an LLC.
Even if you’re just trying out a business idea as a Sole Proprietorship, you may still be subject to license requirements at the state and municipal levels. It just depends on what you will be doing, and where you will be operating your business.
Does the Nebraska Secretary of State provide a business license?
It depends on what your business does. No, the Nebraska Secretary of State doesn’t issue a general license to every business in Nebraska. However, they manage business entity formation and registration, and do issue licenses for certain types of businesses:
- Athlete Agents
- Collection Agencies, Debt Management Companies, Credit Services Organizations
- Home Inspectors
- Private Detectives
- Truth & Deception Examiners (Polygraph Testers)
- Civil Litigation Funding Companies
- Digital Signature Certification Companies
All other occupation- or industry-specific licenses in Nebraska are issued by other departments and not the Secretary of State. For example, licenses are issued by the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Labor.
For more information, or to determine if there is a Nebraska business license cost for your business, we recommend contacting the appropriate government agency. For example, your local county or city government will have information about any local licenses.
How to start an LLC in Nebraska
Here are the steps to starting an LLC in Nebraska:
- Select a business name for your Nebraska LLC
- Choose your Registered Agent
- File the LLC Certificate of Organization with the state
- Publish a Notice of Organization in the newspaper, and submit a Proof of Publication
- Complete and sign an LLC Operating Agreement
- Get a Tax ID Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- Open an LLC bank account
- Check whether you need a business license or tax permits in Nebraska
References
Nebraska.gov: Business Licensing
Nebraska One-Stop Business Registration System
Nebraska Secretary of State: New Business Information
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services: Licensing
Nebraska Department of Revenue: Starting a Business in Nebraska
Matt holds a Bachelor's Degree in business from Drexel University with a concentration in business law. He performs extensive research and analysis to convert state laws into simple instructions anyone can follow to form their LLC - all for free! Read more about Matt Horwitz and LLC University.
Hi sir Iam try to have own business small business like cleaning mowing things like that so I want to know how to start or what I need to have permit from government to do so
Thanks
Hi Thamir, you can operate as a Sole Proprietorship or an LLC. Those are the most common for small business owners. We’ve written about the pros and cons here: LLC vs Sole Proprietorship. Once you decide on that we recommend calling your city/town and checking on licensing requirements for mowing and cleaning. If you decide to form an LLC, it would be the LLC that gets the license or permit, and not you. Hope that helps.