What you can build without a permit in Nebraska

By Mario Bailey Last checked 3 Oct 2026 · 19 official sources

Quick answer

Across the 2 Nebraska jurisdictions we have verified, 0 of 25 project rules need no permit at all, 12 turn on a size or scope condition the jurisdiction publishes, and 13 require a permit regardless. Bathroom remodel work is where the answer most often comes with a published condition rather than a flat yes: 2 of the 2 jurisdictions that answer publish one.

How to read this page

"No permit" means the jurisdiction publishes that the work needs no building permit. "Depends" means it publishes a size, height, depth, cost or scope condition that decides the answer, quoted in its own words in the last column; the number beside it is the figure that condition turns on, and which side of the number is exempt is stated by the condition, not by us. Exempt from a building permit is not exempt from zoning, setbacks, height limits, flood rules, an HOA, or a separate electrical, plumbing or mechanical permit, and several of the conditions below say exactly that.

Bathroom Remodel

All 2 make the bathroom remodel answer turn on a size or scope condition the jurisdiction publishes.

Jurisdiction	Permit	Published figure	What the rule says
Lincoln	Depends		Lincoln publishes no bathroom-specific page; its codes decide it.
Omaha	Depends		Omaha publishes no bathroom-specific rule; the trade and building rules decide it.

Pool

All 2 make the pool answer turn on a size or scope condition the jurisdiction publishes.

Jurisdiction	Permit	Published figure	What the rule says
Lincoln	Depends	48 inches	prefabricated, temporary pools only; any other pool needs a building permit.
Omaha	Depends		Omaha's building code exempts swimming pools themselves from a building permit, but not the fences around them or pool accessory structures over 75 square feet.

Roof Replacement

All 2 make the roof replacement answer turn on a size or scope condition the jurisdiction publishes.

Jurisdiction	Permit	Published figure	What the rule says
Lincoln	Depends		re-shingling over solid sheathing is exempt; rot repair or new sheathing needs a permit.
Omaha	Depends	200 sq ft	area of roofing repaired or replaced (2 squares).

Electrical

1 of 2 makes the electrical answer turn on a size or scope condition the jurisdiction publishes. Omaha requires a permit for electrical work regardless of size.

Jurisdiction	Permit	Published figure	What the rule says
Lincoln	Depends		Lincoln requires an electrical permit from the Building Official for any installation, alteration or addition to electrical equipment, issued only to registered electrical contractors or qualifying homeowners.
Omaha	Permit required		Omaha issues its own electrical permits through the electrical official at the Permits and Inspections Division (not the Nebraska State Electrical Division).

Fence

1 of 2 makes the fence answer turn on a size or scope condition the jurisdiction publishes. Omaha requires a permit for fence work regardless of size.

Jurisdiction	Permit	Published figure	What the rule says
Lincoln	Depends	7 feet	fence height; corner-lot and driveway/alley fences also need a Public Works sight-distance review.
Omaha	Permit required		Omaha issues its own permits: the City of Omaha Planning Department's Permits and Inspections Division handles building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits inside the city, so Douglas County and state agencies do not issue residential permits there.

HVAC

1 of 2 makes the HVAC answer turn on a size or scope condition the jurisdiction publishes. Omaha requires a permit for HVAC work regardless of size.

Jurisdiction	Permit	Published figure	What the rule says
Lincoln	Depends		Lincoln requires a mechanical permit to install, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace a mechanical system, issued only to a registered master mechanical contractor or, under conditions in LMC 25.06.300, a homeowner.
Omaha	Permit required		Omaha requires a mechanical (air conditioning/air distribution) permit from the Permits and Inspections Division before installing, altering, repairing or replacing any HVAC or exhaust equipment.

Plumbing

1 of 2 makes the plumbing answer turn on a size or scope condition the jurisdiction publishes. Omaha requires a permit for plumbing work regardless of size.

Jurisdiction	Permit	Published figure	What the rule says
Lincoln	Depends		Lincoln requires a plumbing permit to install, alter or repair any plumbing or drainage work; replacing or relocating water, drain or vent pipes or fixtures, or changing a fixture type, requires a permit.
Omaha	Permit required		Omaha makes it unlawful to begin any plumbing job until a license holder has secured a permit from the Permits and Inspections Division.

Shed

1 of 2 makes the shed answer turn on a size or scope condition the jurisdiction publishes. Lincoln requires a permit for shed work regardless of size.

Jurisdiction	Permit	Published figure	What the rule says
Omaha	Depends	75 sq ft	floor area of the accessory building.
Lincoln	Permit required		Lincoln requires a building permit for every shed, including small ones: sheds of 120 sq ft or less still need a permit but only a site plan as the permit drawings.

Patio

All 1 makes the patio answer turn on a size or scope condition the jurisdiction publishes. 1 publishes no answer we could verify.

Jurisdiction	Permit	Published figure	What the rule says
Omaha	Depends	200 sq ft	total area of new concrete or asphalt paving, outside the front yard setback.

If the work is already built

Nebraska has no single statewide building-permit crime; permits are issued and enforced by the county, city, or village. In county jurisdiction (outside city and village limits and their zoning areas), state law makes building, altering, or converting any structure without first obtaining a permit a Class III misdemeanor, punishable by up to three months in jail, a $500 fine, or both (Neb. Rev. Stat. 28-106), and each day the violation continues after notice may be a separate offense.

Nebraska penalties, the after-the-fact path, and what the statute actually says

1 of the 26 rules we hold for Nebraska are unresolved because the jurisdiction publishes no answer; they are counted nowhere above. The 25 answered rules come from 19 official sources, each linked from the permit page behind every jurisdiction name. See the full picture for the state on the Nebraska permit requirements page, or the national view of which projects need a permit at all on Do you need a building permit?

This page compiles what each Nebraska jurisdiction publishes, with a last checked date. It is not legal advice, and a project that is exempt from a building permit can still need zoning approval or a trade permit. Confirm with the office linked from the jurisdiction's page before you build.