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Nebraska garage liability for motor vehicle dealers

Nebraska will not issue or renew a motor vehicle dealer license without insurance covering the dealership’s vehicle fleet and meeting the state’s liability requirements. The 2026 board certificate instructions accept auto or garage liability, require “any auto” or “owned autos only” wording, and direct the insurer to list the board as certificate holder. 1,2

What Is Garage Liability?

Garage liability can address injury and property-damage claims from auto repair and related garage operations. If you run a repair or service shop, check separately whether customer cars in your care need garagekeepers coverage for vehicle damage. Read the national Garage liability guide.

Nebraska Requirements

RequirementDetails
Dealer fleet liabilityInsurance must cover the fleet owned in the ordinary course of business and meet §§ 60-534 and 60-538 2
Certificate contentAuto or garage liability; “any auto” or “owned autos only”; current term; board as certificate holder 1
Dealer bond$50,000 corporate surety bond for vehicle dealers, conditioned on license and consumer obligations 3

What to Watch for in Nebraska

  • Choose the Liability Symbol That Fits the Fleet

    Nebraska accepts a certificate marked “any auto” or “owned autos only,” and state law requires the insurance to cover the owned fleet in its ordinary business. Ask the broker to confirm that customer test drives, employee trips, and newly acquired stock fit the selected symbol and policy terms. 1,2

  • Set the Policy Term to the License Calendar

    The board’s January 2026 instructions say renewal certificates must include January 1 of the applicable licensing year and beyond. Coordinate the renewal effective date with the license year so a midterm renewal or insurer switch does not leave a gap in board evidence. 1

  • The Bond Is a Consumer Remedy, Not Auto Liability

    Nebraska’s $50,000 bond responds to listed dealer losses such as title failures, misrepresentation, or failure to pay for a vehicle. It does not replace fleet liability insurance; keep both the bond and liability evidence current for renewal. 3,2

Who Regulates Insurance in Nebraska

Nebraska Department of Insurance

The Nebraska Department of Insurance oversees insurers and producers and examines insurance complaints. Its online company and producer search is maintained through State Based Systems. 4,5,6

Surplus-lines tax and stamping office

Reported tax rate: 3% of gross premium charged, less return premiums Nebraska’s 3% tax applies to gross premium charged less return premium when the risk is Nebraska’s home-state placement; fees paid to the carrier are taxable, while broker-retained or third-party fees are not. A Nebraska-licensed surplus-lines producer ordinarily must complete due diligence, while exempt-commercial-purchaser provisions permit limited exceptions; federal ECP status alone does not erase the disclosure and subsequent written-request conditions for the federal search waiver. Nebraska policies state that its Property and Liability Guaranty Association will not cover surplus-lines claims. 7,8,9,10

Providers With Documented State Licenses

No provider in Spot’s research documents both a state license record and this coverage line. This does not establish that providers are unlicensed. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm availability with a provider when requesting a quote.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy in Nebraska

  1. Should our Nebraska certificate say “any auto” or “owned autos only” for the way we handle customer and inventory vehicles?
  2. Will the certificate include the exact dealership name and physical address, licensing-year dates, and the board as certificate holder?
  3. Does our policy cover the ordinary-course fleet, including test drives and newly acquired stock, and is the $50,000 bond separate?

Garage Liability in Nebraska: FAQ

What insurance does Nebraska require for a motor vehicle dealer license? 2,1

Nebraska requires an authorized insurer’s certificate covering the dealer’s fleet in the ordinary course of business and meeting §§ 60-534 and 60-538. The licensing board accepts auto or garage liability with “any auto” or “owned autos only” stated on the certificate. 2,1

How much is a Nebraska motor vehicle dealer bond? 3

Nebraska requires a $50,000 corporate surety bond for motor vehicle dealer applicants. The bond protects against specified dealer-related consumer losses and is separate from auto or garage liability insurance. 3

Garage Liability in Other States

Other Coverage in Nebraska

Sources

  1. Certificate of Insurance Liability Instructions and Sample. Nebraska Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board; Revised January 2026: garage or auto liability form/symbol, dealer name, term, state certificate-holder wording, limits under § 60-534. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  2. Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-1407.01: License requirements. Nebraska Legislature; Subsection (3): license/renewal requires insurance covering business fleet and § 60-534/§ 60-538 liability. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  3. Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-1419: Dealer bond conditions. Nebraska Legislature; Subsections (1)-(2): $50,000 vehicle dealer bond and covered consumer losses. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  4. Nebraska Department of Insurance. Nebraska Department of Insurance; Official department homepage. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  5. Company and Producer Search. Nebraska Department of Insurance; Nebraska DOI’s state-specific search landing page; identifies SBS as the source for producer and company licensing records. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  6. File a Complaint. Nebraska Department of Insurance; Official complaint filing page; complaint division examines complaints; toll-free hotline 877-564-7323 is in-state only. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  7. Surplus Lines. Nebraska Department of Insurance; Current page states 3% on gross premiums less return premium; carrier fees included, broker-retained/third-party fees excluded; describes due-diligence and ECP/self-procurement rules. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  8. Neb. Rev. Stat. §§44-5501–44-5515. Nebraska Legislature; Surplus Lines Insurance Act; §§44-5502, 44-5509 and 44-5510 address home state, policy notice and due diligence. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  9. Neb. Rev. Stat. §§44-5502, 44-5510 and 44-5515. Nebraska Legislature; ECP definition, diligent-search rules, exempt purchaser filing/tax treatment; federal ECP waiver also requires broker disclosure and subsequent purchaser written request under 15 U.S.C. §8205. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  10. Neb. Rev. Stat. §44-5509. Nebraska Legislature; Required surplus-lines policy disclaimer says Nebraska Property and Liability Guaranty Association will not be liable. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  11. Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
  12. Licenses and Carriers. Coalition; Licenses and Carriers, re-read 22 September 2026: Insurance Licenses table for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc., national producer number 18419475, with producer and surplus-lines numbers for all 50 states and DC including California 0L76155, Georgia 196479, Texas 2199630 and 2205589, Pennsylvania 815731 and 817452, Colorado 539028 and Wisconsin 3000108852. Insurance Carriers table naming, with NAIC numbers, Allianz Underwriters Insurance Company 36420, Arch Specialty Insurance Company 21199, Ascot Specialty Insurance Company 45055, Ascot Insurance Company 23752, Aspen Specialty Insurance Company 10717, Chaucer Insurance Company DAC, Coalition Insurance Company 29530, Fireman's Fund Indemnity Corporation 11380, Fortegra Specialty Insurance Company 16823, Lloyd's of London, MSIG Specialty Insurance USA Inc. 34886, MS Transverse Specialty Insurance Company 41807, Steadfast Insurance Company 26387, Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company 16275 and Zurich American Insurance Company 16535. Accessed 2026-09-22.
  13. Insurance Producer Licenses. Corgi Insurance; Current complete Insurance Producer Licenses table for Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.; 50 rows covering 49 states and DC (DC 3003091619); no New Mexico row; no NPN or as-of date shown. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  14. About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  15. Licenses. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Current entity-by-state license table reopened 28 September 2026: 50 rows under Next First Insurance Agency, Inc., including Washington, DC; New York rows instead list Next Insurance Services PC-1423070 and AP Intego BR-1198885. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  16. Insurance Licenses by State. TechInsurance; Current state table; identifies TechInsurance as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC d/b/a SPG Insurance Solutions; lists DC 3000041536 and labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses,” without an agency license number. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  17. Licenses. Vouch; Effective 16 January 2025: Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC, NPN 19926463; P&C table (50 states and DC); surplus-lines table includes Idaho 870820; footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses; Idaho retained as producer-only due to conflict. Accessed 2026-09-15.

Updated .

This guide is informational and does not determine whether a policy is available or meets your needs. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with a supporting source.

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