Who registers or licenses what in Nebraska
| Work | Credential | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Any contractor or subcontractor working on someone else's real property | Contractor registration, Nebraska Department of Labor ($40 a year from 1 August 2026) | Search Registered Contractors |
| Electrical | State Electrical Division licenses | NSED licensee search |
| Plumbing in Lincoln | City of Lincoln apprentice, journeyman and master plumbing contractor licenses | Lincoln Citizen Access, "Search for a Licensee" |
| HVAC (mechanical) in Lincoln | City of Lincoln apprentice, journeyman and master mechanical contractor licenses | Same |
The registration act defines a contractor as "any person or business, including subcontractors and general contractors, who engage in or arrange for work on real property other than their own property" (NDOL).
How to look a contractor up, step by step
- Search the firm in Search Registered Contractors. Registration is the minimum; a firm that is missing may also have lost it for an expired workers' compensation certificate.
- For wiring, look up the electrician in the NSED licensee search (NSED moved its licensing to a new online system; its old search link now forwards there).
- In Lincoln, use the city's Citizen Access portal and its Search for a Licensee option for plumbers and mechanical contractors, then search the address's permits, as the Lincoln building permit search guide shows.
- Ask for the certificate of insurance. Lincoln requires plumbing, HVAC, electrical and fire contractors to carry at least $500,000 per occurrence and to have "a master's name listed on certificate as an insured", with the city as additional insured.
Insurance and bonds in Lincoln
| Requirement | Who | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| General liability | Plumbing and other listed trades | $500,000 each occurrence |
| License and permit bond | Excavation, sign and street-use contractors | $5,000 |
| License and permit bond | House movers | $25,000 |
| Workers' compensation certificate on file with NDOL | Any registered contractor with one or more employees | — |
Plumbers are not on Lincoln's bond list. Figures from Lincoln's bond, insurance and registration page. We found no homeowner recovery fund in Nebraska's or Lincoln's pages.
Our permit data in Nebraska
| Lincoln, Oct 2024 – Sep 2026 | Permits |
|---|---|
| New homes | 1,752 |
| Remodel | 1,372 |
| Additions | 227 |
| Roofing | 124 |
| All building permits | 7,020 |
Lincoln's file holds building permits, not trade permits, and we do not rank Lincoln contractors.
Red flags on a Nebraska job
- A contractor not in the NDOL registration search.
- An electrician with no NSED license, or a Lincoln plumber or HVAC contractor with no city license.
- A certificate of insurance that does not name the master licensee.
- A firm that says it is "state licensed" for general building; Nebraska registers contractors but does not test them.
How we know this
Registration rules are quoted from the Nebraska Department of Labor's Contractor Registration page, NSED details from the State Electrical Division's site, and Lincoln's license types and insurance and bond rules from the City of Lincoln's pages, all read 25 October 2026. Lincoln counts come from the city's building permit file, read 19 October 2026; we have not matched Nebraska contractor names to registration or license records.
Numbers come from public permit records in 57 cities, data through October 19, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Does Nebraska license general contractors?
No skills license. The Nebraska Contractor Registration Act "requires contractors and subcontractors doing business in Nebraska to register with the Nebraska Department of Labor". Electricians are licensed by the State Electrical Division; plumbing and mechanical licenses are issued by cities such as Lincoln.
- How do I check a Nebraska contractor's registration?
Use Search Registered Contractors at dol.nebraska.gov/conreg/Search. A contractor whose workers' compensation certificate has expired "will be removed from the list of registered contractors" until a new certificate arrives.
- Who licenses electricians in Nebraska?
The Nebraska State Electrical Division (NSED). Lincoln says "All Electrical Licenses are handled by the State of Nebraska Electrical Division", and NSED's licensee search is on its new online portal.
- Who licenses plumbers in Lincoln?
The City of Lincoln, which issues apprentice, journeyman and master plumbing contractor licenses, and the same three levels for mechanical (HVAC) contractors. Lincoln requires these trades to carry liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence with the master's name on the certificate.
Build your own list
Pick your city and the kind of work. Every firm with a permit on record, sorted by what you value.
Related guides
- Albuquerque contractor license lookup: the CID license, its classification and the City permits
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- Anaheim contractor license lookup: CSLB classifications, the City's permit report and what it shows
- Arlington, VA contractor license lookup: DPOR class and specialty, the County permit search, and what the permits show
- Pierce County contractor license lookup: L&I registration, electrical licenses and the county permit record
- Portland contractor license lookup: the CCB, state trade licenses and the permits
- Contractor Registration — Nebraska Department of Labor (2026-10-25)
- Search Registered Contractors — Nebraska Department of Labor (2026-10-25)
- Nebraska State Electrical Division (2026-10-25)
- NSED Licensee Search (public portal) (2026-10-25)
- What it Takes to Become a Licensed Trade Professional — City of Lincoln (2026-10-25)
- Contractor Bond, Insurance, and Registration Requirements — City of Lincoln (2026-10-25)
- Lincoln Citizen Access Portal (2026-10-24)