Nebraska · Custody and support · Updated Oct 2026

Child custody and support in Nebraska

For divorcing parents in Nebraska: the legal term for custody, the parenting class, the official support calculator, custody mediation and the child support agency.

The short answer

In Nebraska, custody is called “legal custody and physical custody under a parenting plan (Nebraska Parenting Act)”. About the parenting class: Required: the court orders all parties in a Parenting Act case to take a court-approved basic level parenting education course; the court can delay or waive it for good cause (Neb. Rev. Stat. 43-2928). Nebraska publishes an official child support calculator or guidelines.

Custody term
Legal custody and physical custody under a parenting plan (Nebraska Parenting Act)
Parenting class
Required
Child support calculator
Official child support calculator or guidelines
Child support agency
Nebraska DHHS Child Support Enforcement

Custody terms in Nebraska

Legal custody and physical custody under a parenting plan (Nebraska Parenting Act)

Mediation

If parents have not submitted a parenting plan by the court's deadline, the court must order mediation or specialized alternative dispute resolution (with safety rules for cases with domestic abuse). The judge can waive it only for good cause after a hearing. (Neb. Rev. Stat. 43-2937(3)-(4).) $50 of the filing fee is a mediation fee.

Parenting class in Nebraska

Child support in Nebraska

Good to know

Both parents must complete a parenting education course. (Neb. Rev. Stat. 43-2928)

Children in a Nebraska divorce: what the process includes

  1. Custody

    The court's orders use Nebraska's term for custody: legal custody and physical custody under a parenting plan (Nebraska Parenting Act).

  2. Parenting class

    Required: the court orders all parties in a Parenting Act case to take a court-approved basic level parenting education course; the court can delay or waive it for good cause (Neb. Rev. Stat. 43-2928).

  3. Mediation

    If parents have not submitted a parenting plan by the court's deadline, the court must order mediation or specialized alternative dispute resolution (with safety rules for cases with domestic abuse).

  4. Child support

    The official calculator or guidelines: Official child support calculator or guidelines

  5. The child support agency

    Nebraska's child support agency: Nebraska DHHS Child Support Enforcement

Questions about custody and child support in Nebraska

What is child custody called in Nebraska?

Nebraska uses the term “legal custody and physical custody under a parenting plan (Nebraska Parenting Act)”.

Do parents have to take a class in a Nebraska divorce?

Required: the court orders all parties in a Parenting Act case to take a court-approved basic level parenting education course; the court can delay or waive it for good cause (Neb. Rev. Stat. 43-2928). List of approved classes: https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/programs-services/mediation-restorative-justice/parenting-education-classes

Is there an official child support calculator for Nebraska?

Yes. Nebraska's official calculator or guidelines: Official child support calculator or guidelines

Which agency handles child support in Nebraska?

Nebraska DHHS Child Support Enforcement.

Is mediation required for custody in Nebraska?

If parents have not submitted a parenting plan by the court's deadline, the court must order mediation or specialized alternative dispute resolution (with safety rules for cases with domestic abuse). The judge can waive it only for good cause after a hearing. (Neb. Rev. Stat. 43-2937(3)-(4).) $50 of the filing fee is a mediation fee.

More about divorce in Nebraska

Custody and support in nearby states

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.