Licensing, Application, and Renewal Procedures
Eligibility and application
Nebraska requires applicants to meet statutory qualifications: the minimum age, good moral character, no disqualifying criminal history, and the education or experience combination set by the Act and Secretary of State rules. Applications typically require a completed form, fee, photograph, fingerprints for a background check, and proof of a surety bond. An agency license requires a qualifying individual and identification of the business entity. Every application answer must be complete and truthful; omissions and false statements are independent grounds for denial.
Examination and issuance
After the Secretary of State accepts the application, the applicant must pass the required examination. The license is issued only when qualifications, bond, and examination are all satisfied. A license is not transferable to another person or entity. Changes in ownership, business name, address, or bond must be reported under the rules.
Renewal and lapse
Renewal is not automatic. The licensee must file a timely renewal, pay the fee, and maintain the required bond. If the bond lapses or the licensee practices on an expired license, the licensee is exposed to discipline and unlicensed-activity penalties. Late renewal may require a reinstatement process rather than a simple fee.
Worked example
An applicant had a felony conviction expunged and leaves the question blank because 'it no longer exists.' The background check reveals it. The denial risk is not only the old conviction; it is the false or incomplete answer. The better approach is to disclose the matter, attach the expungement order, and explain rehabilitation. Candor is part of good moral character.
Traps
Leaving criminal-history questions blank; assuming expungement erases the duty to disclose; letting the bond expire; failing to register employees; and treating an agency license as portable to a new company.