In Nebraska there aren’t any state regulations in place that require a server or bartender to be licensed in order to sell alcohol.
It is important to keep in mind some employers and cities/ counties will require bartenders to complete such courses regardless of state jurisdiction.
**Check with your City and County Clerk’s office first for any local training requirements
- For example)
- Lincoln has its own alcohol training program & server/seller requirements
- Kearney requires servers to complete one of the state-approved programs (link is below)
- Nebraska City/ Otoe County and Ogallala have their own training requirements
- North Platte requires training with their own police department
- Omaha does not require training
- Etc…
Minimum Age To Serve Alcoholic Beverages In Nebraska:
- 19: At 19 years old, an employee may serve, sell, and dispense alcoholic beverages. They may also place orders and accept deliveries of alcoholic beverages from a licensed wholesaler at the premise.
- At 16 years old, an employee may stock, sack and carry out alcoholic beverages from licensed establishments. This employee must be supervised by a person 21 years of age or older (can be the customer/purchaser – according to Nebraska Liquor Control Commission’s FAQ page)
- At 16 years old, an employee is allowed to complete a transaction for sale of alcohol in the course of their employment
Server/ Seller of Alcohol Training Providers and Information:
- For a list of all certified, Nebraska state-approved Training Providers and contact information, click HERE
- Some trainers provide on-the-job training
Alcohol Training Course Curriculum:
- Courses cover all study topics required by Nebraska laws and NLCC rules and regulations. The above training providers (attached in link above) focus on Nebraska laws, rules and regulations as well as the following:
- Proper identification skills
- Diffusing difficult patrons or situations
BartendingLicenseHelp’s Top Recommendation for Nebraska:
- While any of the programs (listed in the link above) may or may not be acceptable in your county, here at BLH we recommend the “FBST/rbst” program.
- This is the most popular training program due to its convenience and affordability!
- It is an online training course
- No Fee
- Tests immediately
- Once successfully completed, trainee is allowed to print course completion documentation
- We have been notified it takes about an hour to complete
Other Requirements That May Be Helpful:
- Driver’s License or Passport
- Good Communication Skills
- Be able to stand long periods of time
- Knowledge of basic drink recipe
For more information, please contact your local City Clerk’s office.
CHEERS!