Every state, county or political subdivision officer having the custody of a public record or writing is bound to give any person on demand a certified copy thereof on payment of the legal fees therefor. Where fees are not otherwise expressly provided by statute, the fee shall be thirty cents per hundred words if the copy is a typewritten copy, and the cost of the mechanically reproduced copy when the copy is made by photographic or offset process. In addition thereto a fee of one dollar shall be charged for the certificate of the officer.
§ 25-1280.Official records; certified copies; duty of custodian to furnish; fees.
Article 12: Evidence and Witnesses · Last amended 1977 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceThis section requires every state, county, or political-subdivision officer holding a public record to give anyone a certified copy on request and payment of the legal fee, and it sets the default fee for typewritten, photographic, or offset copies plus a one-dollar certificate fee.
Full Text of § 25-1280
Source
R.S.1867, Code § 409, p. 461; R.S.1913, § 7973; C.S.1922, § 8914; C.S.1929, § 20-1280; R.S.1943, § 25-1280; Laws 1957, c. 86, § 1, p. 335; Laws 1961, c. 454, § 1, p. 1383; Laws 1977, LB 126, § 1.
Plain-English Summary
Public records belong to the public, and section 25-1280 backs that principle with a concrete duty. Any state, county, or political-subdivision officer who has custody of a public record or writing must furnish a certified copy to anyone who asks, once that person pays the legal fee.
Where no other statute sets a specific fee, this section supplies the default: thirty cents per hundred words for a typewritten copy, or the actual cost of reproduction when the copy comes from a photographic or offset process. On top of that, the officer charges one dollar for the certificate itself, the part that makes the copy an official record rather than a plain photocopy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to provide certified copies of public records?
Every state, county, or political-subdivision officer who has custody of a public record or writing.
Can an officer refuse to provide a copy on request?
No. The officer is bound to give any person a certified copy on demand, once the legal fee is paid.
What does a typewritten copy cost under the default fee schedule?
Thirty cents per hundred words.
What about a photographic or offset copy?
The fee is the cost of the mechanically reproduced copy.
Is there an extra charge for the certification itself?
Yes, a fee of one dollar is charged for the officer’s certificate.
Does this fee schedule apply if another statute already sets a specific fee?
No. The default fees in this section apply only where fees are not otherwise expressly provided by statute.
Source & verification. Section text and the amendment-history citation are
reproduced verbatim from the Nebraska Legislature, Revisor of Statutes, enacted by the
Nebraska Legislature. Last verified July 22, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: certified copy of public record nebraskafee for certified copy nebraskaduty to provide public record copycost of certified government recordnebraska public records custodian duty