Nebraska State Patrol Background Check: Requests, Records, and Fixes

A Nebraska State Patrol background check is a criminal history report issued by the State Patrol’s Criminal Identification Division, and it comes in two forms: a $30 name-based search of Nebraska records that anyone can request, and a fingerprint-based state and national check that is only available when a state or federal law requires it.¹ Most people who go looking for one need the name-based version, so that is where the practical details start.

How to Request a Name-Based Check

You can request a name-based report online, by mail, or in person at any Nebraska State Patrol Troop Area office. Online is the fastest route, through the State Patrol’s Limited Criminal History Search portal.²

The required fields are name, date of birth, gender, and race. If you don’t know the subject’s gender or race, the system allows “Unknown.” A Social Security number and any maiden or previous names are optional but help produce accurate results. The fee is $30 per person searched and is non-refundable regardless of the outcome.¹

When no record exists, the report is usually available for download within minutes. If the system finds a possible match that needs manual review by a Criminal Records Technician, processing can take up to three business days, which is the maximum allowed by state statute. You’ll receive an email when the report is ready, and it stays available for download for 14 days.¹

One thing worth knowing before you pay: once a request is submitted through the online portal, it cannot be edited. A misspelled name or a wrong date of birth means paying another $30 for a new request. Check every field before you click through payment.

For mail or in-person requests, complete the Criminal History Record Request form and include $30 by cashier’s check, personal check, or money order. Mailed forms go to the Criminal Identification Division; walk-in requests can be handled at any Troop Area office.

What the Report Shows

A name-based report is technically a Record of Arrest and Prosecution, or RAP sheet. It lists fingerprint-based arrests and their dispositions, which means the subject had to be fingerprinted at the time of arrest for an incident to appear. An arrest that never involved fingerprinting won’t be there.²

The report you get is also automatically redacted under Nebraska Revised Statute 29-3523. The public version drops certain arrest information after set timeframes:³

Arrests where the prosecutor filed no charges are removed one year after the arrest date.
Arrests resolved through diversion are removed two years after the arrest date.
Arrests where charges were filed but later dismissed or resolved in acquittal are removed immediately upon dismissal or acquittal.

A full, unredacted criminal history is only released when the subject signs a notarized release naming a specific person or organization as the recipient. Employers, landlords, or licensing boards that need the complete picture rather than the public version have to get that signed authorization first.¹

Scope matters too. A Nebraska name-based search only covers Nebraska records. It won’t show criminal history from other states, federal courts, or tribal jurisdictions. The only way to get a national result through the State Patrol is a fingerprint-based check, and that requires a legal mandate you cannot create on your own.

When a Fingerprint-Based Check Is Required

The fingerprint-based national check searches both state and national criminal history databases and is reserved for situations where a state or federal law specifically requires it, such as certain jobs, licenses, and appointments. You cannot pay for one simply because you want more thorough coverage. If your employer or licensing board needs a fingerprint check, they’ll route you through the process and provide the Originating Agency Identifier (ORI) number tied to their authority.¹

Fingerprints are captured electronically by LiveScan at six Troop Area headquarters: Omaha, Norfolk, Grand Island, North Platte, Scottsbluff, and Lincoln. Appointments can be scheduled online, and payment is accepted by credit card, debit card, or e-check through the scheduling system.⁴

If you live outside Nebraska and need prints submitted for a Nebraska-required check, contact the agency or board that initiated the requirement. They can supply the ORI number and instructions for sending fingerprint cards from out of state.⁴

Fixing an Error or Clearing an Old Record

Pulling your own report before a job search or license application is a reasonable habit, because it lets you find problems before an employer does. If information in your Nebraska criminal history report is wrong, you can contact the Criminal Identification Division directly to challenge it. If the State Patrol confirms an error, the record must be corrected.

If the arrest happened because of a law enforcement mistake, such as mistaken identity, you can petition the district court in the county where the arrest occurred to expunge the record. You have to show by clear and convincing evidence that the arrest resulted from the agency’s error.³

For an accurate but old conviction that keeps surfacing, Nebraska Revised Statute 29-2264 allows you to petition the sentencing court to set the conviction aside. A set-aside doesn’t erase the conviction, but it can remove real barriers to work and licensing. Eligibility depends on the sentence:⁵

Probation, fine only, or community service: you can petition after completing all conditions, including paying any fines.
Imprisonment of one year or less: you can petition after completing your sentence.
Imprisonment of more than one year: not eligible under this statute.

Some situations produce an automatic denial: a criminal charge pending anywhere in the United States or another country, a current registration obligation under the Sex Offender Registration Act, a conviction for a motor vehicle offense under section 28-306 or the Nebraska Rules of the Road, or a previous set-aside petition denied within the last two years.

If an Employer Is Running the Check on You

When an employer uses a third-party consumer reporting company to obtain your background check, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act applies at three points. Before ordering the report, the employer must give you a standalone written notice that it plans to obtain a consumer report and get your written permission. Before taking any adverse action based on the report, such as declining to hire, firing, or denying a promotion, the employer must send a pre-adverse action notice with a copy of the report and a summary of your FCRA rights, so you have a chance to review and flag errors. After taking the adverse action, the employer must send a second notice with the reporting company’s name and contact information, a statement that the company didn’t make the decision, and notice of your right to dispute accuracy and get a free copy of the report within 60 days.⁶

Federal law also limits how far back a consumer reporting agency can go. Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681c, arrest records that did not lead to a conviction cannot be reported after seven years. Convictions have no federal time limit and can be reported indefinitely.⁷

If you dispute an error with the consumer reporting agency, it must conduct a free reinvestigation and resolve the matter within 30 days of receiving your notice, extendable by up to 15 days if you supply new information during the initial window. If the dispute resolves in your favor, the agency must correct or delete the information and notify anyone who received the earlier version. If the agency won’t investigate or won’t fix a genuine error, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which handles background screening complaints; companies generally respond within 15 days.⁸⁹

One Nebraska-specific note on job applications: the state’s ban-the-box law bars state agencies from asking about criminal history on initial job applications, requiring qualification screening to come first. It applies to state government positions, not private employers.¹⁰

1
Nebraska State Patrol. Criminal History Record Requests
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Nebraska State Patrol. Nebraska State Patrol – Limited Criminal History Searches
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Nebraska Legislature. Nebraska Code 29-3523 – Criminal History Record Information; Notation of an Arrest
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Nebraska State Patrol. Fingerprinting
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Nebraska Legislature. Nebraska Code 29-2264 – Conviction May Be Set Aside; Conditions
6
Federal Trade Commission. Using Consumer Reports: What Employers Need to Know
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Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681c – Requirements Relating to Information Contained in Consumer Reports
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Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681i – Procedure in Case of Disputed Accuracy
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Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Submit a Complaint
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Council of State Governments Justice Center. Nebraska Joins Growing Number of States to Pass Ban the Box