Requirements Checklist

• No state auction license is required in Nebraska.
• Real estate auctions require compliance with the Nebraska Real Estate License Act, under Nebraska Revised Statutes Section 81-887.03.
• Primary class cities can regulate, license, or prohibit public auction sales conducted in streets, alleys, or public grounds, and can license auctioneering generally, under Section 15-217.
• Nebraska can designate auctioneers as sales tax vendors, responsible for collecting and remitting sales and use tax, under Section 77-2704.35.

Step by Step Process

1. Determine what type of auction you are conducting. Personal property auctions have no state license requirement, but real estate has licensing.
2. Comply with the Nebraska Real Estate License Act before conducting a real estate auction, as required under Section 81-887.03.
3. Check with your city. Nebraska cities may license or regulate auctions locally.
4. Understand your sales tax responsibilities. Nebraska can designate auctioneers as vendors responsible for collecting and remitting sales and use tax.
5. Build your professional skills. Nebraska does not test auctioneers, but the fundamentals still protect your business and your clients.

Why Education Still Matters Without a General Licensing Exam

Nebraska does not require an exam for general auctioneering, but understanding the fundamentals, including the chant, contract handling, ethics, and running a professional auction business, is precisely the kind of practical knowledge that protects you from avoidable mistakes.