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Nebraska law

Criminal Defense Laws in Nebraska.

Nebraska classifies felonies from Class I (death) through Class IV (2 years) and includes intermediate classes (IA, IB, IC, ID, IIA, IIIA). Misdemeanors range from Class I (1 year) through Class V and W. There is no statute of limitations for murder, arson, forgery, and certain sex offenses. The general felony limitation is 3 years; misdemeanors are 18 months (or 1 year for minor offenses). Nebraska uses set-aside rather than true expungement for convictions. DUI is called "DUI" and a first offense is a Class W misdemeanor.

Last verified: 2026-02-25

State law

Statute of Limitations

No limit (murder/arson/sex offenses); 3 years (felonies); 18 months (misdemeanors)Neb. Rev. Stat. § 29-110

Murder, arson, forgery, sexual assault in the 1st or 2nd degree, sexual assault of a child, and incest have no statute of limitations. Most felonies: 3 years. Most misdemeanors: 18 months. Minor offenses (fine up to $100, jail up to 3 months): 1 year. Tolled while a person is fleeing justice.

State law

Key Nebraska Statutes

Felony Classification & SentencingNeb. Rev. Stat. § 28-105

Class I: death. Class IA: life imprisonment. Class IB: 20 years to life. Class IC: mandatory minimum 5 years, max 50 years. Class ID: mandatory minimum 3 years, max 50 years. Class II: 1-50 years. Class IIA: max 20 years. Class III: max 4 years and/or $25,000 fine. Class IIIA: max 3 years and/or $10,000 fine. Class IV: max 2 years and/or $10,000 fine.

Misdemeanor Classification & SentencingNeb. Rev. Stat. § 28-106

Class I: max 1 year jail and/or $1,000 fine. Class II: max 6 months and/or $1,000 fine. Class III: max 3 months and/or $500 fine. Class IIIA: max 7 days and/or $500 fine. Class IV: no jail, $100-$500 fine. Class V and W are additional categories for specific offenses.

DUI (Driving Under the Influence)Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-6,196

BAC limit: 0.08% (0.04% commercial, 0.02% under 21). First offense: Class W misdemeanor, 7-60 days jail, $500 fine, 60-day to 6-month license revocation. BAC 0.15%+: enhanced penalties including 1-year revocation. Second offense: up to 6 months jail, $500 fine, 18-month revocation. Third offense: Class W misdemeanor, up to 1 year jail, $600 fine. Fourth+ offense: Class IIIA felony. Implied consent law requires submission to chemical testing; refusal triggers automatic 1-year license revocation.

Set-Aside of ConvictionsNeb. Rev. Stat. § 29-2264

After satisfactory completion of probation or a jail sentence of 1 year or less, a person may petition the court to set aside the conviction. A set-aside releases the person from all penalties and disabilities of the conviction but is NOT expungement — the record still exists but the conviction status is vacated. DUI convictions cannot be expunged or sealed.

Pardoned individuals may petition to seal their criminal history records. Victims of sex trafficking may seal records related to set-aside convictions. Erroneous arrests may be expunged. Sealed records cannot be inquired about on employment, licensing, or other applications.

State law

Official Sources

Not Legal Advice

This page summarizes publicly available statutes and rules for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by viewing this content. Laws change — always verify with the primary source or consult a licensed attorney in Nebraska.

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