Show All Answers

1. How long can a vehicle park in the street?

Columbus City Ordinances State: "It is unlawful for any person to stop, park, or leave standing any vehicle upon any street for a continuous period in excess of 24 hours."

2. Does my child need to ride in a car seat?

Nebraska law requires that all children under the age of six should use an appropriate child restraint system. Children 6 through the age of 17 also must use an occupant protection system like seat belts.

3. How do you handle disturbing the peace complaints?

Our officers will use the least amount of enforcement necessary to gain compliance with the law. There are two situations that are often encountered by officers:

• The noise can be heard more than 50 feet away and is between the hours of 10:00 pm and 7:00 am. In this situation the officer does not need to have a named victim in order to issue a citation.
• The noise is between 7:00 am and 10:00 pm. In this situation the officer will need a named victim who is willing to file the complaint before they can issue a citation.

4. How do I register my utility type vehicle (UTV) or golf car?

The limited use of utility type vehicles and golf cars are approved by Columbus ordinance. In order to operate these vehicles you must have valid registration obtained from the city of Columbus. The registration form can be downloaded from this site and completed in advance. You will have to bring the completed registration and proof of ownership to the Columbus Police Department along with the required $20.00 fee. The owner must bring their title for all utility type vehicles 2011 and later. All registrations will require an inspection by the Police Department.

5. What happens to the fine and court costs I pay for my citation?

None of the fines or court costs associated with traffic or criminal violations comes back to either the Columbus Police Department or the City of Columbus. Fines are usually appropriated to local schools (see Nebraska Constitution, Article VII-5). Court costs are distributed according to Nebraska State Statutes (see the breakdown of various court costs and where they go).

The City of Columbus can not specify how any fines or court costs are distributed.