§ 60-166 — New certificate of title; issued when; proof required; processing of application

(1)(a) This subsection applies prior to the implementation date designated by the Director of Motor Vehicles pursuant to subsection (2) of section 60-1508 .
(b) In the event of (i) the transfer of ownership of a vehicle by operation of law as upon inheritance, devise, bequest, order in bankruptcy, insolvency, replevin, or execution sale or as provided in sections 30-24,125 , 52-601.01 to 52-605 , 60-1901 to 60-1911 , and 60-2401 to 60-2411 , (ii) the engine of a vehicle being replaced by another engine, (iii) a vehicle being sold to satisfy storage or repair charges or under section 76-1607 , or (iv) repossession being had upon default in performance of the terms of a chattel mortgage, trust receipt, conditional sales contract, or other like agreement, the county treasurer of any county or the department, upon the surrender of the prior certificate of title or the manufacturer's or importer's certificate, or when that is not possible, upon presentation of satisfactory proof of ownership and right of possession to such vehicle, and upon payment of the appropriate fee and the presentation of an application for certificate of title, may issue to the applicant a certificate of title thereto.
(2)(a) This subsection applies beginning on the implementation date designated by the director pursuant to subsection (2) of section 60-1508 .
(b) In the event of (i) the transfer of ownership of a vehicle by operation of law as upon inheritance, devise, bequest, order in bankruptcy, insolvency, replevin, or execution sale or as provided in section 30-24,125 , sections 52-601.01 to 52-605 , sections 60-1901 to 60-1911 , and sections 60-2401 to 60-2411 , (ii) the engine of a vehicle being replaced by another engine, (iii) a vehicle being sold to satisfy storage or repair charges or under section 76-1607 , or (iv) repossession being had upon default in performance of the terms of a chattel mortgage, trust receipt, conditional sales contract, or other like agreement, and upon acceptance of an electronic certificate of title record after repossession, in addition to the title requirements in this section, the county treasurer of any county or the department, upon the surrender of the prior certificate of title or the manufacturer's or importer's certificate, or when that is not possible, upon presentation of satisfactory proof of ownership and right of possession to such vehicle, and upon payment of the appropriate fee and the presentation of an application for certificate of title, may issue to the applicant a certificate of title thereto.
(3) If the prior certificate of title issued for such vehicle provided for joint ownership with right of survivorship, a new certificate of title shall be issued to a subsequent purchaser upon the assignment of the prior certificate of title by the surviving owner and presentation of satisfactory proof of death of the deceased owner.
(4) Only an affidavit by the person or agent of the person to whom possession of such vehicle has so passed, setting forth facts entitling him or her to such possession and ownership, together with a copy of a court order or an instrument upon which such claim of possession and ownership is founded, shall be considered satisfactory proof of ownership and right of possession, except that if the applicant cannot produce such proof of ownership, he or she may submit to the department such evidence as he or she may have, and the department may thereupon, if it finds the evidence sufficient, issue the certificate of title or authorize any county treasurer to issue a certificate of title, as the case may be.
(5) If from the records of the county treasurer or the department there appear to be any liens on such vehicle, such certificate of title shall comply with section 60-164 , 60-165 , or 60-165.02 regarding such liens unless the application is accompanied by proper evidence of their satisfaction or extinction.

Legislative History

Source: Laws 2005, LB 276, § 66; Laws 2007, LB286, § 15; Laws 2009, LB202, § 18; Laws 2012, LB751, § 8; Laws 2012, LB801, § 41; Laws 2017, LB263, § 20; Laws 2017, LB492, § 13; Laws 2018, LB193, § 87; Laws 2018, LB275, § 2; Laws 2018, LB909, § 29; Laws 2025, LB490, § 5. Effective Date: September 3, 2025 Annotations: There is no legal requirement that a lien be noted on a certificate of title purportedly covering property not subject to the Certificate of Title Act, even though a certificate of title for such property has been issued. Cushman Sales & Service of Nebraska, Inc. v. Muirhead, 201 Neb. 495, 268 N.W.2d 440 (1978).