Nebraska Corporation Occupation Tax: The $26 to $23,990 Scale by Paid-Up Capital and the Even-Year Biennial Report
Nebraska Corporation Occupation Tax: The $26 to $23,990 Scale by Paid-Up Capital and the Even-Year Biennial Report
If your business is a for-profit corporation registered in Nebraska, you owe the Nebraska corporation occupation tax every even-numbered year. This is not a license fee and it is not a tax on profits. The amount is set by your paid-up capital stock, and it is paid with your biennial report. It runs from $26 for smaller corporations to $23,990 for corporations with more than $100 million in paid-up capital. This guide covers the scale, the deadlines, what the report must contain, and what happens if you miss it.
This is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Talk with a qualified attorney or CPA if your corporation has significant capital, operates in several states, or has a history of late filings.
Who Owes the Occupation Tax and When
Neb. Rev. Stat. 21-303 applies the occupation tax to every for-profit corporation registered with the Nebraska Secretary of State on January 1 of an even-numbered year. The tax is due with the Biennial Report and Occupation Tax, which must be filed by March 1 of that year. Your registration status on January 1 controls whether you owe for that cycle. A corporation formed after January 1 of an even year was not registered on that date, so its first report and tax fall in the next even year. Confirm first-filing timing for your situation on the Secretary of State website.
The Paid-Up Capital Scale
The tax is based on paid-up capital stock, not revenue or profit. Find the figure in your corporate records and match it to the table below. Between $20,000 and $1 million the statute (Neb. Rev. Stat. 21-303) steps up in smaller bands, so those rows show a range. The $26 is a tax, not a filing fee, and it is the minimum amount owed.
| Paid-Up Capital Stock | Occupation Tax |
|---|---|
| Up to $10,000 | $26 |
| Over $10,000 up to $20,000 | $40 |
| Over $20,000 up to $50,000 | $60 to $100 ($60 up to $30,000, $80 up to $40,000, $100 up to $50,000) |
| Over $50,000 up to $100,000 | $120 to $200 (rising $20 for each additional $10,000 of paid-up capital) |
| Over $100,000 up to $500,000 | $240 to $800 (for example $240 up to $125,000, $360 up to $200,000, $520 up to $300,000 and $800 up to $500,000) |
| Over $500,000 up to $1 million | $910 to $1,330 ($910 up to $600,000, $1,010 up to $700,000, $1,120 up to $800,000, $1,230 up to $900,000 and $1,330 up to $1 million) |
| Over $1 million up to $10 million | $1,330 plus $800 for each additional million or fraction of a million above $1 million |
| Over $10 million up to $15 million | $12,000 |
| Over $15 million up to $20 million | $14,660 |
| Over $20 million up to $25 million | $17,330 |
| Over $25 million up to $50 million | $20,660 |
| Over $50 million up to $100 million | $21,330 |
| Over $100 million | $23,990 |
If your paid-up capital falls in the band between $1 million and $10 million, the figure depends on the per-million increment. Confirm the exact calculation with the Secretary of State before you file.
Finding Your Paid-Up Capital
Paid-up capital stock generally means the capital shareholders have actually paid in for their shares. Start with your articles of incorporation and your stock records. The number you enter on the report must match your records, because the report asks for paid-up capital directly. If your stock history is complicated, such as shares issued for property or services, have your CPA confirm the figure before you file.
What the Biennial Report Must Include
Under Neb. Rev. Stat. 21-302, the biennial report must state the following:
- The corporation's exact name as it appears on record
- The registered office and registered agent
- The principal office address
- Directors, plus principal officers (president, secretary and treasurer), with addresses
- The nature of the business
- Paid-up capital stock
Your registered agent must be an individual who resides in Nebraska, or another person or entity authorized to transact business in the state. The agent's office must be identical to the registered office. Losing the agent can lead to administrative dissolution. Changing the agent or office costs $25 online or $30 on paper.
Deadlines and Penalties
The key dates for corporations are:
- March 1 of each even-numbered year: the report and tax are due.
- April 15: the report becomes delinquent.
- After delinquency: a domestic (Nebraska) corporation faces administrative dissolution, and a foreign corporation faces revocation of its authority to transact business in Nebraska (Neb. Rev. Stat. 21-301 and 21-304).
Reinstatement costs a $30 application fee, plus all missed reports and the tax owed for those years. The $500 reinstatement fee applies only to late reinstatement after the corporation has been inactive for more than five years, according to the Secretary of State as of 2026. For example, a corporation in the $26 tier that missed its 2026 report would owe the $26 tax and the $30 application fee, or $56, assuming no other missed years. Confirm the full amount with the Secretary of State before you pay.
Corporations Versus LLCs
Do not confuse the corporate occupation tax with the LLC filing. An LLC files a biennial report in odd-numbered years, not even years. That report is due between January 1 and April 1, becomes delinquent after June 16, and costs $25 filed electronically or $30 on paper. Nebraska imposes no occupation tax or franchise tax on LLCs, so the paid-up capital scale does not apply to them.
The occupation tax is also separate from state income tax. A corporation that is taxed as a corporation pays the Nebraska corporate income tax, a flat 4.55% for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2026. Your CPA or the Nebraska Department of Revenue can confirm how the two taxes apply to your business.
Foreign Corporations
A corporation organized outside Nebraska that is authorized to do business here pays the occupation tax on a schedule that is double the domestic amounts above, up to a $30,000 cap. Confirm the foreign-corporation figure for your capital level on the Secretary of State site, since the table above applies to domestic corporations.
Filing Checklist
- Confirm your corporation is registered with the Secretary of State and in good standing on January 1 of the even year.
- Pull your paid-up capital stock figure from your corporate records.
- Match that figure to the scale and calculate your tax.
- Verify that your registered agent and registered office are current.
- Submit the Biennial Report and Occupation Tax by March 1 through eDelivery, or by mail to Business Services in Lincoln. Staff review each document before filing, so allow time for corrections.
- Keep a copy of the filed report and proof of payment with your corporate records.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Mixing up the $26 with other fees. The $100 formation filing fee and the $25 or $30 LLC report are different charges.
- Defaulting to the $26 minimum. Corporations with more paid-up capital owe more, so check the figure before filing.
- Treating April 15 as the deadline. The report is due March 1. April 15 is the point at which it becomes delinquent.
- Letting the registered agent lapse. A missing agent can lead to administrative dissolution even if the report is filed on time.
Official Resources
- Nebraska Secretary of State, Business Services Division
- Corporate and Business Document eDelivery
- Nebraska Secretary of State business search
- Nebraska Department of Revenue
This article is informational only and is not legal or tax advice. Fees, scales and deadlines can change, so confirm current figures with the Nebraska Secretary of State before filing, and consult a qualified attorney or CPA for decisions about your corporation's structure, capital and tax position.