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How to become a security guard in Nebraska

Nebraska has no license for uniformed security guards, and Omaha and Lincoln don't license them either. Plainclothes security is different: the Secretary of State's rules count non-uniformed security services as private detective work, so a company offering it needs a private detective agency license and each person working out of uniform needs a plain clothes investigator license.

NE

Reviewed September 27, 2026

The path

  1. NoneState licenseNo statewide scheme; a city or county may still require a permit.
  2. LocalCheck city and county rulesOmaha's police permits cover special events, closed property, parking and taxi drivers, and Lincoln's permit list has no security category. Cities can't regulate firearms (§ 13-330) but may appoint special police on their own terms (§ 71-3203), so ask the city clerk where you'll work.
  3. WorkEmployer sets the standard

Steps to get started

  1. Uniformed guards: meet your employer's hiring and training requirements; no state license is needed.
  2. Plainclothes security for a company: apply to the Secretary of State for a plain clothes investigator license (21+, U.S. citizen, fingerprints, $25 plus $38).
  3. Pass the license exam with 80%, given the third Wednesday of each month in Lincoln.
  4. Renew by June 30 of each even-numbered year; the license is void if you leave the agency.

Working armed in Nebraska

Anyone 21 or older (18 for military and peace officers) who isn't barred from having a firearm may carry a concealed handgun with or without a permit (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-1202.01). No one may carry in banks, schools, hospitals, places of worship, courtroom buildings, pro sporting events or bars that make over half their income from alcohol, except security staff a bank or place of worship authorizes. The optional State Patrol permit is $100 for 5 years.

Local rules to know

Omaha's police permits cover special events, closed property, parking and taxi drivers, and Lincoln's permit list has no security category. Cities can't regulate firearms (§ 13-330) but may appoint special police on their own terms (§ 71-3203), so ask the city clerk where you'll work.

What guards earn in Nebraska

A median of $19.15 an hour across 4,700 security guards, from official BLS wage data.

Security guard pay in Nebraska →

Hiring a guard rather than becoming one?

The same rules read from the other side: what to ask a guard and a security company for in Nebraska, and the steps to confirm it in the regulator's own records.

How to check a licence in Nebraska →

Sources

tessura is an independent study and career tool, not affiliated with any state agency. Rules change; always confirm current requirements with the regulator before relying on them.

Keep your Nebraska credential alive

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