Nebraska fire alarm inspector license and NICET: what the state asks for
Does Nebraska require NICET to inspect fire alarms? Not exactly. The Nebraska State Fire Marshal licenses the people who inspect fire alarm systems, and it accepts NICET as one of three routes. You can pass the state's fire alarm inspector test, send a NICET certificate (Level II or higher, in either of the two fire alarm programs the agency names) or show ESA's Level II Certified Fire Alarm Technician (CFAT) credential. The agency's page says it does not license fire alarm installers. Installer licensing sits with the State Electrical Division. Confirm current details with the State Fire Marshal before you apply.
What the license is
Under Title 153, Chapter 6, a person must be licensed to inspect fire alarm systems in Nebraska. Per the agency page the license is valid for four years and costs $100.
Three ways to qualify
- The state test. Tests are given on the third Tuesday of each month in Lincoln, Grand Island, Omaha and North Platte. The page says the test is based on the 2010 edition of NFPA 72 and the 2012 edition of NFPA 720. Those are not the newest editions, so ask the agency which edition applies.
- NICET Level II or above. Send a copy of the certificate with the application. NICET holders pay a prorated fee of $25 for each year of the certification, not the flat $100. The agency's example is a certification expiring 1 April 2028 and an application in March 2025, which comes to $75.
- ESA CFAT Level II. The agency's example also covers an ESA expiry date, so ask how the fee is worked out for ESA.
The application and a US citizenship attestation form must be mailed with the fee, plus the NICET certificate if you use that route.
Which NICET program
The page names Fire Alarm Systems or Testing of Fire Alarm Systems. NICET's own program is called Inspection and Testing of Fire Alarm Systems, so if you hold that certificate, ask the agency to confirm it counts. The comparison of the two tracks explains the difference, and the Inspection and Testing Level II guide covers that exam.
Why NICET can be the cheaper route
The prorated fee depends on how many years your NICET certificate has left, so work it out against your own expiry date. See the recertification guide and the exam fees guide for NICET's own costs, which are separate from the state fee.
Where our free check fits
If you are going the NICET route, the free 10-question Level II check scores you by domain so you know where to start. It is practice for the Fire Alarm Systems Level II exam, not for the state test, and it does not predict a result.
For other states, see NICET state requirements for fire alarm licenses.
Sources
Show the list
- Fire Alarm Inspector License, Nebraska State Fire Marshal. Checked 26 Oct 2026. Used for the license term and fee, the three routes, test schedule and locations, referenced code editions, prorated NICET fee and its example, attestation form, and the installer note.
Facts checked 26 October 2026 against the sources listed above. If something has changed, tell us and we will correct it within 2 business days.
Know the requirements? Test the knowledge.Take a free check weighted to the published outline and see your score by domain.
- NICET FA I: See the Level I course, $99
- NICET FA II: See the Level II course, $149
- NICET I&T FA: See the I&T Level II course, $149
- NICET FA III: See the Level III course, $149