Nebraska Guardian Education Class — OPG Training Requirements and How to Complete It

New Nebraska Guardians Generally Must Take This Course

Under Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 30-2627(d) and 30-2639(d), the court generally requires newly appointed guardians and conservators in Nebraska to complete a mandatory education course within 90 days of their appointment. The court may waive the requirement; prior family experience does not itself create an exemption. If you are appointed guardian or conservator of an adult in Nebraska, you have three months from the date on the court order to finish the class and file proof with the county court.

The course is called "Becoming a Guardian and/or Conservator" and is administered online by the Nebraska Office of Public Guardian (OPG). It is available in English and Spanish.

How to Enroll

1. Go to the OPG education portal at nopgeducation.nebraska.gov
2. Create an account using a unique email address
3. Select the appropriate course (guardian, conservator, or combined)
4. Pay the enrollment fee — currently $20 per person
5. Complete the online modules at your own pace
6. Download your Certificate of Completion

The course covers the legal duties of a guardian or conservator, reporting requirements, financial management rules, and the rights retained by the ward.

Co-Guardian and Co-Conservator Rules

If two people are appointed as co-guardians or co-conservators (which is common for married parents), each person must register and complete the course separately. Each person needs their own email address and pays their own $20 fee. The court needs a separate Certificate of Completion from each individual.

This means a married couple appointed as co-guardians of their adult child will pay $40 total and each complete the course independently.

The 90-Day Deadline Is Enforced

The 90-day window is the statutory default, not a guideline. If the certificate is not filed with the county court within 90 days of appointment, the court can issue an order to show cause — requiring the guardian to appear in court and explain the delay. Failure to respond can result in removal from the guardianship appointment.

The clock starts from the date of the court's Order of Appointment, not from the date the guardian receives the letters of guardianship.

Filing the Certificate

After completing the course, download the Certificate of Completion as a PDF. File it with the county court clerk in the same county where the guardianship case was established. Most Nebraska county courts accept both in-person and mailed filings.

Keep a personal copy. If the court's records are ever unclear, having your own copy prevents any dispute about whether you met the deadline.

What the Course Covers

The OPG course walks through:

• The legal distinction between guardianship (personal decisions) and conservatorship (financial decisions)
• Annual reporting requirements — which packet applies (Packet A through E) based on the guardian's level of financial control
• Financial management boundaries: no co-mingling of funds, no ATM withdrawals without court approval, no self-reimbursement over $500 without court order, no attorney fees over $1,000/year from the ward's estate without court petition
• The ward's retained rights under limited and full guardianship orders
• How to file the annual report and the $5 filing fee per report

What the Course Does Not Cover

The course teaches the duties of an already-appointed guardian. It does not teach how to file a guardianship petition, how to complete the mandatory background checks, or how to evaluate whether guardianship is the right option for your family.

For families still deciding between guardianship and less restrictive alternatives — or who need a step-by-step guide to the filing process itself — the Nebraska Adult Guardianship & Alternatives Guide covers the complete decision framework and court procedure from initial capacity assessment through post-appointment compliance.

See more Nebraska guides →