Nebraska motorcycle laws: helmets, lane splitting and more

This page explains Nebraska motorcycle laws in plain English so riders know what to look up. It isn't legal advice and it doesn't cover every condition or exception. Nebraska's helmet law changed recently, which is a good reminder that laws change. Read the current statute on the Nebraska Legislature's website, check the Nebraska DMV for licensing and course rules, and talk to a lawyer about any specific situation.

For a national comparison, the IIHS motorcycle helmet overview keeps a current table by state.

The details, like which courses count and how passengers are treated, are in the statute and on the Nebraska DMV's site. Read them before you leave the helmet at home, and carry proof of your course if you have it.

Optional isn't the same as a good idea. Nebraska riding means grasshoppers and June bugs at highway speed, hail in spring, crosswinds all day and deer at dusk. A full-face helmet covers the helmet and eye protection question at once, and it cuts the wind noise on long Sandhills days.

As of 2026, Nebraska law doesn't allow lane splitting (riding between lanes of moving traffic) or lane filtering (moving up between stopped cars at a light). Several states are changing their laws, so check before you ride.

Until that changes, hold your lane. At lights in Omaha and Lincoln, stop where the driver behind can see you and leave space ahead for an escape route. On I-80, give trucks extra room: their wake plus a crosswind can push a bike around more than you'd expect.

To ride on public roads in Nebraska you need a motorcycle license or motorcycle class on your license from the Nebraska DMV. The usual path includes a written test and a skills test. A motorcycle safety course is the smart way in, and since 2024 it's also what lets riders 21 and over choose whether to wear a helmet. Check the DMV for current steps, age rules and approved courses.

New to riding? Our guide to the motorcycle app for beginners covers what helps in your first season.

Passengers under 21 must wear a helmet. Check the statute for how the 21-and-over rules apply to passengers. Only carry a passenger on a bike built for two, with a real seat and footrests, and brief them before you go.

Keep your lights, horn and mirrors working, and check the statute before you change the exhaust or lighting. Sandhills towns are small and far apart, and their speed zones start right at the edge of town.

Nebraska requires liability insurance on registered vehicles. The minimum is usually written as 25/50/25: $25,000 for injuries to one person, $50,000 for all injuries in one crash, and $25,000 for property damage. Those are minimums, not recommendations, so ask your insurer about uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage too. Check the Nebraska Department of Insurance for current rules.

Carry your license, registration and proof of insurance, plus proof of your safety course if you're riding without a helmet.

Nebraska bans texting while driving. On a bike the simple rule is: don't touch the phone while you're moving.

Rippin' is built for that. Tap Record Ride once before you roll, pocket or mount the phone, and ride. Recording runs in the background. Set up turn-by-turn on a loop builder route before you leave, and pull over to change anything.

Segments in Rippin' are stretches of road a rider added and our team checked. You're timed automatically when you ride one, but a segment board is about who owns the road and who rides it, not a race. Turf, poker cards and points come from riding, not from riding fast.

Empty Sandhills highways tempt speed, and cattle, deer and blind dune crests punish it. Our list of the best motorcycle roads in Nebraska says what to watch for on each road, and the Nebraska motorcycle rides overview covers seasons and events.