A provision buried in LB972 quietly doubles the maximum license fees the state can charge motor vehicle dealers, wreckers, salvage operators, and manufacturers.
Most Nebraska construction and trades business owners don't realize that tucked into LB972—a bill that touches everything from parking spaces to boat regulations—is a significant change to how much the state can charge for motor vehicle industry licenses. And it takes effect October 1, 2026.
LB972 raises the statutory maximum license fee caps that the Nebraska Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board may charge. These are the ceiling amounts—the highest fees the Board is legally allowed to set and collect from dealers, manufacturers, wreckers, and salvage operators.
The increases are substantial. The motor vehicle dealer license cap rises from $400 to $1,000. The wrecker and salvage dealer cap jumps from $200 to $500. The manufacturer cap goes from $600 to $1,500. These aren't the fees you pay today—they're the new maximum limits the Board can impose.
If you hold a motor vehicle dealer license, wrecker license, salvage dealer license, or manufacturer license in Nebraska, this applies to you. The change is broad across every dealer and manufacturer license class regulated by the Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board.
Construction and trades businesses that buy, sell, salvage, or repair vehicles—or operate as dealers or manufacturers—should pay attention. Even if you're not directly licensed, if you work with licensed dealers or salvage operators, fee increases could eventually affect the cost of doing business with them.
The Board now has legal authority to set fees up to these new, doubled limits. That doesn't mean fees will automatically double on October 1, 2026. The Board will decide whether and how much to increase them. But the door is open for significant increases across the board.
If you renew a license after October 1, 2026, you could face a substantially higher renewal fee than you pay today. For a motor vehicle dealer, that could mean paying up to $1,000 instead of $400. For a manufacturer, up to $1,500 instead of $600.
Businesses should budget for this possibility when planning cash flow and operational costs for 2026 and beyond. If you hold multiple licenses, the cumulative impact could be material.
This provision appears in Section 67 of LB972 (page 30) and becomes operative October 1, 2026, per Section 84. The change applies to the Motor Vehicle Industry Regulation Act license fee structure.
If you're uncertain whether your license falls under these caps, or want to understand the full scope of what LB972 changes for your specific business, the Nebraska Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board can clarify your license class and current fee structure.
Source: LB972, Sec. 67 (page 30) and Sec. 84, Nebraska Legislature.