Checkbox icon Accident Suspensions

Explanation

Accidents prior to 08/28/2021:

If you are involved in a reportable accident (any person is injured or killed, or damage appears to exceed $1,000 or more for any vehicle or piece of property) in the State of Nebraska, you are required by law to complete a Driver’s Motor Vehicle Crash Report and send it to the Department of Transportation within ten (10) days of the date of accident. The Investigating Officer is also required to submit their report. 

Accidents on or after 08/28/2021:

If you are involved in a reportable accident (any person is injured or killed, or damage appears to be $1,500 or more for any vehicle or piece of property) in the State of Nebraska, you are not required to submit a report IF the crash is investigated by law enforcement.  If the accident was not investigated by law enforcement, you are required by law to complete a Driver’s Motor Vehicle Crash Report and send it to the Department of Transportation within ten (10) days of the date of accident.

If the Department of Motor Vehicles determines that there is a reasonable possibility of a judgment being rendered against you, the operator, and you have not provided proof of financial responsibility for the accident, your operator’s license and/or operating privileges may be suspended.

Nebraska law provides that whenever an individual is suspended under the Safety Responsibility Act the operator’s license and/or operating privileges of the individual will remain in a suspended status until they provide the Department with Proof of Financial Responsibility for the accident.

 

Proof Of Financial Responsibility Requirements

To prevent suspension or reinstate your Nebraska operating privileges for an Accident suspension, you will need to submit one (or a combination of) the following items:

 

If you had liability insurance that covered the accident

If there was liability insurance in effect at the time of the accident, you will need to have your insurance company provide the Department with a letter of verification. This letter must be on insurance company or agency letterhead, be signed by an authorized representative of the insurance company and the representative must include the title of the position they hold with the company (i.e. Agent, Claims Representative, etc.). The letter will need to provide your personal information (i.e. name, date of birth, current mailing address), policy number, policyholder, date of loss/accident and state that your insurance covered this accident. If you were not the policyholder, the letter will need to indicate that you were a permissible driver. If you are the insurance agent or a representative of the insurance company - you can download an instruction sheet and a printable copy (fill in the blank by hand) of the Letter of Verification.

Security Deposit

Deposit security in amount determined, which is specified on the Notice & Order of Suspension sent to you. Payment of the security deposit needs to be in the form of a cashier’s check or money order made payable to the Department of Motor Vehicles (we cannot accept credit or debit card payments for payment of the security deposit). This office does not accept personal or business account checks. You can pay cash if you are in the office.

Release

If you have made restitution in full - submit a  Release Form for Property Damage/Injury to include all damages and/or injuries incurred in the accident. If the release was entered into with the other parties insurance company or attorney, it will need to include their representative’s signature, the title of their position, and indicate the name of the individual(s) they represent. All signatures are required to be either notarized or witnessed by a non-interested party.

Other Release Forms That Are Available:

Agreement (Payment Plan)

If you are making payment to the other party – submit a written  Installment Agreement Form to include all damages and/or injuries incurred in the accident. The agreement must specify the dollar amount agreed upon, the number of payments to be made, the date payments began and the dollar amount of each payment. If the Agreement/Promissory Note was entered into with the other parties insurance company or attorney, it will need to include their representative’s signature, the title of their position, and indicate the name of the individual(s) they represent. All signatures are required to be either notarized or witnessed by a non-interested party.

Other parties insurance paid for YOUR damages and/or injuries

If the other parties insurance company paid your damages and/or injuries, file a statement signed by yourself, giving the name and address of the insurance company of the other party who paid your claim for the accident. Your signature will be required to be either notarized or witnessed by a non-interested party. This information will be forwarded to the insurance company for verification.

Certified copy of a final judgment of non-liability

If a judgment was filed as a result of this accident and it was determined you were not liable for any damages/injuries to the other party, you can submit a certified copy of the final judgment of non-liability for review.  A trial in Traffic or Criminal Court due to any tickets issued IS NOT a decision of non-liability.

Reinstatement Requirements

You must submit the following requirements to the Department of Motor Vehicles, 301 Centennial Mall South, P.O. Box 94877, Lincoln, NE 68509-4877 or fax to (402) 471-8288:
NOTE:  Requirements cannot be submitted to your local Driver License Exam Station

  1. Provide Proof of Financial Responsibility as described above.
  2. File Proof of Financial Responsibility. This is normally provided in the form of a SR-22 Certificate of InsuranceThe SR-22 cannot be faxed.
  3. Pay a $50.00 reinstatement fee. Payment must be in the form of a cashier’s check or money order made payable to the Department of Motor Vehicles or be paid online. When submitting payment, include identifying information (i.e. name, date of birth, license or social security number and current mailing address). Payment submitted by personal or business checks or not for the required amount will be returned.

 

Exceptions

If you submit either a letter of verification OR the proof of financial responsibility for the accident (i.e. release, agreement, etc.) indicates you made arrangements for restitution prior to the effective date of suspension, the SR-22 Certificate of Insurance and the $50.00 reinstatement fee will not be required.