Dealing With Debt Collectors in Nebraska (2026)
Reviewed by DocDraft Legal Team · Nebraska · Last updated August 13, 2026
This page covers your rights when a debt collector contacts you in Nebraska. On top of the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA, 15 U.S.C. 1692), Nebraska sets its own statute of limitations on debt: five years for a written contract under Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-205 and four years for an oral contract or open account under 25-206. Collection agencies operating in Nebraska must be licensed through the Nebraska Collection Agency Licensing Board (Neb. Rev. Stat. 45-601 et seq.), and abusive collection can violate the Nebraska Consumer Protection Act (Neb. Rev. Stat. 59-1601 et seq.). Nebraska also caps wage garnishment and shields certain property, and the Nebraska Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division takes complaints.
What is the statute of limitations on debt in Nebraska?
In Nebraska, a creditor generally has five years to sue on a written contract under Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-205, and four years on an oral contract, open account, or credit card debt under 25-206. Once that period runs, the debt is time-barred and a court can dismiss a suit if you raise the defense.
Can a debt collector garnish my wages in Nebraska?
Yes, but only after a court judgment and within limits. Under Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-1558, garnishment cannot exceed 25 percent of disposable weekly earnings, or 15 percent if you are the head of a family, and never the part below 30 times the federal minimum wage. Support orders follow different rules.
How do I stop a debt collector from contacting me in Nebraska?
Send the collector a written cease-communication letter. Under 15 U.S.C. 1692c(c), once it receives your letter it must stop contacting you, except to confirm it is stopping or to say it may pursue a specific remedy like a lawsuit. Keep proof of mailing. This does not erase the debt.
What can a debt collector not do to me in Nebraska?
A collector cannot harass you, threaten violence, or lie about the debt under the FDCPA (15 U.S.C. 1692d, 1692e). Deceptive or unfair collection can also violate the Nebraska Consumer Protection Act (Neb. Rev. Stat. 59-1601 et seq.), and unlicensed agencies violate the state Collection Agency Act (45-601).
How Nebraska regulates debt collectors
Nebraska layers state protections on top of the federal FDCPA. Collection agencies doing business in Nebraska must be licensed under the Collection Agency Act, Neb. Rev. Stat. 45-601 et seq., which is administered by the Nebraska Collection Agency Licensing Board through the Secretary of State's office; operating without a license is a violation of 45-601. Nebraska has no standalone consumer fair-debt statute mirroring the FDCPA, but deceptive, unfair, or unconscionable collection practices can be pursued under the Nebraska Consumer Protection Act, Neb. Rev. Stat. 59-1601 et seq. On the collection side, Nebraska allows post-judgment wage garnishment but caps it at 25 percent of disposable earnings, or 15 percent for a head of a family, under Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-1558, and it protects a homestead worth up to $120,000 under Neb. Rev. Stat. 40-101 plus tools and other personal property under 25-1556. The Nebraska Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, reachable through ProtectTheGoodLife.Nebraska.gov, handles collection complaints.
Relevant Laws
Nebraska Statute of Limitations, Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-205 and 25-206
Section 25-205 gives a creditor five years to sue on a written contract, specialty, or foreign judgment. Section 25-206 gives four years to sue on an oral contract, an open account, or a liability created by statute. These periods determine when a debt is time-barred in Nebraska.
Nebraska Collection Agency Act, Neb. Rev. Stat. 45-601 et seq.
Requires anyone operating a collection agency in Nebraska to be licensed through the Nebraska Collection Agency Licensing Board; doing collection business without a license is a violation. Nebraska has no separate FDCPA-style consumer statute, so deceptive collection is addressed through this act and the Consumer Protection Act.
Nebraska Wage Garnishment Limits, Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-1558
Caps garnishment of disposable weekly earnings at the lesser of 25 percent, or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum wage, and limits it to 15 percent if the debtor is the head of a family. Related exemptions include the homestead (40-101) and personal property (25-1556).
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), 15 U.S.C. 1692-1692p
The core federal statute governing third-party debt collectors. It bars harassment (1692d), false or misleading representations (1692e), and unfair practices (1692f), restricts contact (1692c), and creates the 30-day debt validation right (1692g). It applies in Nebraska alongside state law.
Regional Variances
Nebraska statute of limitations by debt type
Written contract (5 years)
Under Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-205, an action on a written agreement, contract, promise in writing, specialty, or foreign judgment must be brought within five years. This is the longest of the standard Nebraska contract limitation periods.
Oral contract (4 years)
Under Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-206, an action on a contract not in writing, express or implied, must be brought within four years. Nebraska courts also apply this four-year period where a partly written contract needs parol evidence to prove its terms.
Open account / credit card (4 years)
Open accounts and most credit card debts are generally treated as oral or unwritten obligations, so the four-year period under Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-206 typically applies unless a signed written cardholder agreement controls, in which case the five-year written-contract period may apply.
Promissory note (5 years)
A promissory note is a written promise to pay, so an action on it generally falls under the five-year written-contract period of Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-205. Negotiable instruments can be subject to separate UCC timing rules; an attorney can confirm which period applies to a specific note.
Suggested Compliance Checklist
Read the collector's validation notice and calendar the 30-day deadline
Within 5 days of first contact days after startingConfirm the collector sent the Regulation F validation notice (12 CFR 1006.34) identifying the creditor, amount, and your dispute rights. Note the date you received it and calendar the 30-day window to dispute under 15 U.S.C. 1692g.
Check the Nebraska statute of limitations on the debt
Before paying, settling, or promising anything days after startingCompare the age of the debt against Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-205 (five years, written contract) and 25-206 (four years, oral or open account). If the period has run, the debt is time-barred, and a payment or new written promise could restart the clock.
Send a written debt validation letter
Within 30 days of receiving the validation notice days after startingIf you do not recognize the debt or the amount looks wrong, mail a written dispute and request for verification within the 30-day window. This forces the collector to stop collecting until it mails you proof of the debt.
Send a cease-and-desist letter if you want contact to stop
As soon as you decide to stop contact days after startingUnder 15 U.S.C. 1692c(c), a written cease-communication letter requires the collector to stop contacting you once received, except to confirm it is stopping or to state it may pursue a specific remedy. Keep proof of mailing.
File a complaint with the Nebraska Attorney General or CFPB
Within 1 year of any FDCPA violation days after startingReport abusive or unlicensed collection to the Nebraska Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at ProtectTheGoodLife.Nebraska.gov or (402) 471-2682, and to the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Because 15 U.S.C. 1692k generally requires suit within one year, consult an attorney promptly.
| Task | Description | Document | Days after starting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Read the collector's validation notice and calendar the 30-day deadline | Confirm the collector sent the Regulation F validation notice (12 CFR 1006.34) identifying the creditor, amount, and your dispute rights. Note the date you received it and calendar the 30-day window to dispute under 15 U.S.C. 1692g. | - | Within 5 days of first contact |
| Check the Nebraska statute of limitations on the debt | Compare the age of the debt against Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-205 (five years, written contract) and 25-206 (four years, oral or open account). If the period has run, the debt is time-barred, and a payment or new written promise could restart the clock. | - | Before paying, settling, or promising anything |
| Send a written debt validation letter | If you do not recognize the debt or the amount looks wrong, mail a written dispute and request for verification within the 30-day window. This forces the collector to stop collecting until it mails you proof of the debt. | debt-validation-letter | Within 30 days of receiving the validation notice |
| Send a cease-and-desist letter if you want contact to stop | Under 15 U.S.C. 1692c(c), a written cease-communication letter requires the collector to stop contacting you once received, except to confirm it is stopping or to state it may pursue a specific remedy. Keep proof of mailing. | cease-and-desist-letter | As soon as you decide to stop contact |
| File a complaint with the Nebraska Attorney General or CFPB | Report abusive or unlicensed collection to the Nebraska Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at ProtectTheGoodLife.Nebraska.gov or (402) 471-2682, and to the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Because 15 U.S.C. 1692k generally requires suit within one year, consult an attorney promptly. | - | Within 1 year of any FDCPA violation |
Frequently Asked Questions
Credit card debt in Nebraska is generally treated as an open account or oral contract, so the four-year limitation under Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-206 usually applies. If a signed written agreement governs the account, the five-year written-contract period under 25-205 may apply instead. Once the period runs, you can raise the statute of limitations to defeat a suit.
The clock can restart if you make a payment or sign a new written promise to pay an old debt. That is why you should confirm the age of a debt against Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-205 (five years, written) or 25-206 (four years, oral or open account) before paying anything on a debt that may already be time-barred in Nebraska.
Yes. Under the Collection Agency Act, Neb. Rev. Stat. 45-601 et seq., a collection agency must be licensed through the Nebraska Collection Agency Licensing Board before doing collection business in the state. Operating without a license violates 45-601. You can confirm a collector's license through the Nebraska Secretary of State's office.
Under Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-1558, a creditor with a judgment can garnish no more than 25 percent of your disposable weekly earnings, or 15 percent if you are the head of a family, and cannot touch earnings below 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage. Child and spousal support orders are subject to different limits.
Nebraska does not have a standalone consumer fair-debt statute that mirrors the FDCPA. The federal FDCPA (15 U.S.C. 1692) is the main tool, but deceptive or unfair collection can also violate the Nebraska Consumer Protection Act (Neb. Rev. Stat. 59-1601 et seq.), and unlicensed collection violates the Collection Agency Act (45-601).
Other Nebraska guides
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