How to read the numbers here
Nebraska treats a bad check under Neb. Rev. Stat. Section 28-611 as a crime that escalates by tier based on the check amount, moving from misdemeanor to felony once set thresholds are reached. Writers get a notice and cure period, with 10 days to make a check good after notice sent within 30 days of writing it. Installment and payday loans are allowed under Nebraska law under the Installment Loan and Sales Act and the delayed deposit services statutes, while title loans are allowed with restrictions. The Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance oversees these lenders, and legal aid, credit counseling and the Attorney General can help.
What counts as a bad check in Nebraska
Under Neb. Rev. Stat. Section 28-611, it is a crime to write or pass a check, knowing there are not enough funds in the account to cover it, intending to defraud the person who takes it. The statute sets separate tiers of penalty depending on how large the check is, with the dollar thresholds shown in the Key facts section on this page. The same section also lays out a notice and cure process that can affect whether a charge moves forward at all. If you wrote a check that bounced, the first step is to understand which tier your situation may fall into and whether you still have time to resolve it before anyone files charges.
How the penalties escalate
Nebraska law treats a bad check as a misdemeanor at the lower tiers and moves to a felony once the amount passes a threshold the statute sets, with a further increase at a higher threshold the statute also sets under Neb. Rev. Stat. Section 28-611. The exact amounts that separate each tier are shown in the Key facts table on this page rather than repeated here. Because the classification depends on the face amount of the check, the tier that applies turns on the amount written rather than on the reason the check was refused.
The notice and cure period
Before a prosecution can rely on the presumption that you knew the check would not clear, Nebraska law requires that you be notified that payment was refused. Under Neb. Rev. Stat. Section 28-611, if that notice goes out within 30 days of when you wrote the check, you then have 10 days to make the check good. The payee also has the option of paying the county attorney a set fee per check to have that notice mailed on their behalf, which is shown in the Key facts section rather than written here. If you have just learned a check bounced, acting inside that 10 day window is the clearest way to avoid the presumption applying to you.
Borrowing options in Nebraska
If covering a shortfall led to the check in the first place, it helps to know what borrowing options exist here and how they are treated. Installment loans are allowed under Nebraska law under the Nebraska Installment Loan and Sales Act, Neb. Rev. Stat. 45-334 to 45-380, including section 45-349. Payday loans, run through delayed deposit services, are allowed under Nebraska law under Neb. Rev. Stat. 45-901 to 45-931, including section 45-918. Title loans are allowed with restrictions under Nebraska law. The Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance oversees these products. BadCreditMD is not a lender or broker. A lending network partner shares requests with lenders. Lenders set their own rates and decide whether to lend. The request form tells you what kind of credit check happens before you send it.
Where to get help in Nebraska
If a bad check or a cash shortfall is part of a bigger budget problem, a nonprofit credit counseling agency can review your full picture and suggest a repayment plan. Legal aid in Nebraska can advise you if you are facing a bad check charge or collection letters you do not understand. The Nebraska Attorney General's office handles consumer protection concerns, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau takes complaints about lenders and debt collectors. Nebraska's public benefits program through the Department of Health and Human Services can help if the shortfall is tied to a larger gap in income. Your local community help line can point you toward local resources by need, and the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance is the regulator for installment, payday and title lenders operating in the state.
Key facts
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Felony threshold amount[1] | $1,500Year 2026 |
| Notice period[1] | 10 daysYear 2026 |
- Misdemeanor penaltyUnder Nebraska law, issuing a bad check is a Class II misdemeanor when the amount is under 500 dollars and a Class I misdemeanor when the amount is 500 dollars or more but under 1,500 dollars, escalating to a Class IV felony at 1,500 dollars and a Class IIA felony at 5,000 dollars or more.[1]
- Prosecution notice requirementIn a Nebraska bad check prosecution, the writer is presumed to have known funds were short if, after being notified within 30 days of issuance that payment was refused, the writer fails to make the check good within 10 days; the payee may instead pay the county attorney 10 dollars per check to mail that notice.[1]
- Statute citationNeb. Rev. Stat. Section 28-611[1]
Lending rules in Nebraska: Nebraska lending laws.
Related loan rules: Payday loans in Nebraska.
Common questions
What happens if I bounce a check in Nebraska
Under Neb. Rev. Stat. Section 28-611, writing a check you know will not clear is a crime with penalties that rise by tier depending on the check amount, from a misdemeanor at lower amounts to a felony once the amount passes a threshold the statute sets.
How much notice do I get before I can be charged
Nebraska law gives the check writer a notice and cure period. If notice that the check was refused goes out within 30 days of when it was written, the writer then has 10 days to make the check good before the legal presumption of knowledge applies.
Are payday loans allowed in Nebraska
Yes. Payday loans, offered as delayed deposit services, are allowed under Nebraska law under Neb. Rev. Stat. 45-901 to 45-931, including section 45-918, and the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance oversees them.
Can a bad check charge in Nebraska become a felony
Yes. Once the check amount passes a threshold the statute sets, the charge escalates from a misdemeanor to a felony under Neb. Rev. Stat. Section 28-611, with a further increase at a higher threshold. The exact amounts are shown in the Key facts section on this page.
Where can I get help if I cannot cover a check
Legal aid in Nebraska, a nonprofit credit counseling agency, and your local community help line can all help depending on the situation. The Nebraska Attorney General's office and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau handle broader consumer complaints.
Sources
- Nebraska Legislature. 28-611. Issuing or passing a bad check or similar order; penalty; collection procedures.