§ 6-1455.Uniform waiver system.

Article 14: Uniform County Court Rules of Practice and Procedure · Last amended May 1, 2019 · Last verified July 22, 2026

In one sentenceThis rule sets up a statewide system letting people accused of minor traffic, carrier, and game and parks violations waive a court appearance and pay a scheduled fine — by mail, a locked waiver box, in person, application, or online — instead of appearing before a judge.

Full Text of § 6-1455

Text sizeJump to: (A) (B) (C) (D)

(A) Uniform Waiver System. Each county court shall accept waivers of appearance and pleas of guilty in cases involving nonhazardous traffic violations, carrier violations, game and parks violations, and other violations in accordance with a schedule adopted by Supreme Court rule. Such waivers shall be on a form with uniform language in accordance with the Supreme Court rule.

(B) Guidelines for Use of Waiver System. Waivers shall be accepted in the following ways:

(1) Mail. Violators may be allowed by the law enforcement officer issuing the citation to use the waiver form contained on the defendant's copy of the citation. If the defendant is a resident of a state which is a member of the Nonresident Violator Compact, the defendant may then be released without the necessity of immediate collection of fine and costs.

If the defendant is a resident of a state which is not a member of the Nonresident Violator Compact, or is charged with an offense not covered by that compact, the officer shall

(a) allow the defendant to sign the waiver and pay the fine and costs or

(b) allow the defendant to sign the waiver and place it in an envelope along with the fine and costs in the presence of the officer. The officer shall then accompany the defendant to the nearest U.S. mailbox to observe the deposit therein of the envelope. The officer shall at no time take possession of the fine and costs.

(2) Locked waiver boxes. Where a locked waiver box is permanently affixed within the building of a State Weighing Station, an officer may allow the defendant, in the presence of the officer, to sign the waiver and to place it and the fine and costs in an envelope. The officer shall then, in the presence of the defendant, seal and place the envelope in the locked waiver box.

(3) Personal appearance. Violators may appear personally at the office of the clerk of the appropriate court on or before the court appearance date.

(4) Application. Violators may make application for waiver of appearance prior to the court appearance date. Upon receipt of an application, the court shall determine whether or not the waiver privilege shall be granted and shall send either a waiver or a notice of an appearance date. If the waiver privilege is denied, the judge shall set forth within the notice of appearance a written explanation showing good and sufficient cause as to why the privilege was denied.

(5) Internet. Violators may access a website approved by the Supreme Court and upon successful completion of required information and agreeing to all waiver and plea instructions, pay the fine and costs plus any convenience fees by using a credit/debit card processor authorized by the court. Convenience fees are established by the credit/debit car processor authorized by the court and are not a part of the fine and costs to the state.

(C) Fine Schedule. The Supreme Court shall establish a schedule of the amount of fines to be imposed for violations which are to be paid by waiver.

(D) Other Violations. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 6-1455(C), and except for violations in which mandatory jail time is required to be imposed as punishment, a waiver may be allowed for violations not listed on the schedule in individual cases when authorized by the county judge or judges of the county.

End

Amendment History

Rule 55 amended March 1991; Rule 55(B)(5) adopted September 20, 2007. Renumbered and codified as § 6-1455, effective July 18, 2008; § 6-1455(D) amended June 9, 2010; § 6-1455(B)(1)(a) amended June 8, 2011; § 6-1455(B)(2) and (5) amended May 1, 2019.

Plain-English Summary

Every county court in Nebraska has to accept waivers under this uniform system for nonhazardous traffic violations, carrier violations, game and parks violations, and similar offenses, using a schedule the Supreme Court adopts and a form with standardized language. The point is convenience without sacrificing consistency: a driver cited in one county encounters the same waiver process and fine schedule as one cited anywhere else in the state.

§ 6-1455 lists several ways to use the system. A violator can mail in the waiver printed on the citation, paying the fine and costs, with a special procedure for officers handling defendants from states outside the Nonresident Violator Compact, designed to keep the officer from ever personally handling the payment. Where a state weighing station has a locked waiver box, an officer can watch the defendant seal the waiver and payment in an envelope and deposit it directly. Violators can also appear in person at the clerk's office, apply in advance for permission to waive an appearance, with the judge free to grant or deny that request and required to explain any denial in writing, or use a Supreme Court-approved website to pay online, including any card-processor convenience fee.

The Supreme Court sets the actual fine schedule, but the rule leaves room for judgment calls outside it: except for violations carrying mandatory jail time, a county's judges can authorize a waiver for a violation that is not on the schedule, on a case-by-case basis.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kinds of violations does the uniform waiver system cover?

Nonhazardous traffic violations, carrier violations, game and parks violations, and similar offenses under the Supreme Court's schedule.

What are the ways a violator can use the waiver system?

By mail, a locked waiver box at a weighing station, personal appearance, advance application, or an approved website.

What happens if a judge denies an application to waive an appearance?

The judge must give a written explanation of good and sufficient cause for the denial in the notice of appearance date.

Who sets the fine amounts under this system?

The Nebraska Supreme Court establishes the schedule of fines.

Can a violation not listed on the fine schedule still be handled by waiver?

Yes, if authorized by the county judge or judges, except for violations requiring mandatory jail time.

Are there extra fees for paying online?

Yes. The credit or debit card processor's convenience fee is separate from, and not part of, the fine and costs owed to the state.

Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Nebraska Judicial Branch, adopted by the Supreme Court of Nebraska. Last verified July 22, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: traffic ticket waiver nebraskapay fine online county courtwaive court appearance traffic violationnonresident violator compact procedurefine schedule county courtlocked waiver box weighing station