Applying to drive for Uber and Lyft is as easy as filling out an online application, but finding out if you were accepted or rejected isn’t always so easy.
Your application can get stuck in limbo, with weeks going by without a word from Uber or Lyft about the status of your application.
And if Uber or Lyft rejects you, they may not tell you exactly why or if there is a way to reapply.
It is possible to reapply to Uber and Lyft, but you typically have to wait ~6 months and your chances of being accepted following a rejection are low.
There is no official reapplication process, but you can contact Uber or Lyft and ask to reapply.
How to find out if you were accepted or rejected by Uber/Lyft
Uber and Lyft don’t always make to easy to know the status of your application.
Both companies give a vague answer about how long the process will take. Uber says 7–10 days, and Lyft says the process could take up to several weeks.
Uber will send an app notification and email when you are accepted or rejected. But you might not hear anything at all if you were rejected. In that case, you must contact Uber and ask for an answer.
Lyft will also send an app notification and email when they make a decision about your application. If you’re not accepted, they will send a message that lets you know that they chose not to approve your application.
Check your application status in the Uber or Lyft driver app
The best way to find out your current status is to log into the Uber Driver app or the Lyft driver app and check for updates. Both apps will show you if there are still more steps to complete.
If it’s been more than 10 days since you applied without hearing back from Uber or Lyft, check the driver app and consider contacting the company.
Why applicants get rejected by Uber or Lyft
The most common reason for a rejection is usually issues with your criminal background or driving record.
- Issues on your background check — Uber and Lyft can reject you for just about any issues on your background check, even if the timing of your charge falls outside their stated guidelines. Pending issues and arrests without convictions are also common causes of rejection.
- Issues on your driving record check — Generally, more than than 3 minor violations or one major violation will trigger a rejection. Offenses for driving on a suspended license or driving without insurance on your record will almost always cause a rejection
Uber and Lyft reserve the right to reject you for just about any reason, and their final decisions aren’t always consistent.
Background check issues are a common reason for rejection
More reading on Uber and Lyft requirements
- Will you pass the Uber background check?
- The Lyft background check
- Fired by Uber: Why drivers get deactivated, and how to get reactivated
- Deactivated by Lyft? Steps to get your account back
Accepted by one company but not the other: Why?
If you’re accepted by one company, you might expect to be accepted by the other because they both have similar requirements.
But some drivers are surprised when they get accepted by one, but rejected by the other.
The final hiring decision is made by a human, which can cause some inconsistency.
There are also market forces at play: If demand for new drivers on one app is very high in a particular city, they might loosen their standards while the other company keeps its standards the same.
Neither company publishes the specifics of their hiring policies for drivers, so there’s no way to prepare for this or work around the differences in hiring practices.
You can reapply to Uber and Lyft, but you have to wait. And odds of success are low
It is possible to reapply to drive for both companies, but neither company gives direct guidelines on when you can reapply.
There is no special application for reapplicants or other systems to process reapplicants.
In emails with support staff from both companies, I’ve gotten answers varying from “We take it on a case-by-case basis” to “rejected applicants can reapply after X time goes by.”
- Uber: Try to reapply after 3 – 4 months
- Lyft: Try to reapply after ~6 months
How to reapply to Uber
Uber does not provide a method for rejected applicants to directly reapply, but it is possible. To reapply to Uber after being rejected, contact Uber support and ask if they can reconsider. Let them know you want to reapply and ask if there’s anything you need to do.
Some drivers have found success with this method, especially if enough time has passed to allow a driving issue to drop off the motor vehicle record.
Don’t fill out the normal online application a second time because you’ll only get an error message saying you already have a driver account.
How to reapply to Lyft
It is possible to reapply to Lyft. Like Uber, Lyft doesn’t provide a unique application for reapplicants or instructions on how you can reapply.
To reapply to Lyft after being rejected, contact Lyft support and ask to reapply. Lyft will only consider your reapplication if it’s been around 6 months since your rejection.
If you try to fill out the driver application a second time, you’ll get an error message saying that you already have an account.
The reality: Your chances of acceptance are low if you’ve been rejected
Even though it’s possible to reapply with both companies, your chances of being accepted following a rejection are low.
If you were rejected due to your background, it’s very unlikely that either company will reconsider your application.
But it’s worth trying if you are motivated to drive for Uber or Lyft. Other rejected or deactivated drivers have been accepted, so it’s worth contacting Uber or Lyft now and then to try your luck.
Can’t drive for Uber or Lyft? Try these apps instead
There are many other ways to earn with your car. These companies offer similar work and compensation, and may have more lenient standards for drivers.
- DoorDash — On-demand delivery apps that have easier requirements and accept younger applicants
- Instacart — Grocery delivery
- Amazon Flex — Use your car to deliver packages
- Other delivery apps
DanielC says
Hi I applied for both Uber and Lyft but because if my points I got rejected . I just took defensive driving and got my points reduced . Any idea on if I’ll still be able to reapply or not ? Can I get pass the waiting period and make a different account? Please help
DougH says
You could try again in 3 months for Uber and 6 months for Lyft.
Danielle says
Uber “rejected” (I think? Have only gotten vague answers that they blame on Checkr) my application because the background check company says I have been a licensed driver for under a year, despite having my entire DMV record on file going back to 2007. My license expired and I didn’t renew in time, so I retested to renew it and passed. I uploaded my prior license to Checkr but there is no way to track or get any answers from Uber. Do you think I will be reconsidered? Uber won’t even answer my question if I’ll be reconsidered and gives me run around responses.
Also, a few months after my license expired I got a ticket for driving without license/an expired license. This is not the same as suspended or revoked, correct? I am still waiting to be approved by Lyft. They say my DMV check was approved and waiting on my background check.
Thank you for taking the time to respond!
Yousef Kashkeesh says
I just got rejected by Lyft. Due to my record. Never convicted of any of the charges, but I guess it looked bad still being there. If I get my record cleaned and expunged, would they hire me back if I reapplied?
DougH says
Yes, you could reapply after the expungement because I imagine that the expungement will take at least 6 months.
Ian McRoberts says
I applied both for Uber and Lyft. I got accepted byUber but rejected by Lyft.At first, I find it strange because I though they have a similar process of reviewing applicants because they have the same service. But it doesn’s matter anyway, I didn’t bother to make an effort why but this article is just worth reading.
Kenneth WarnerShook says
Been trying to contest my Lyft rejection to no avail of info how to even though they say you can contest
DougH says
Very few people successfully contest their rejection.
Gene says
I was just denied by both Uber and Lyft. You may want to this out for 100% accuracy, but I believe that Uber has a strict 7 year policy on reckless driving where Lyft states theirs to be 3 years. However, both count insurance tickets as disqualifying infractions, which is why I was refused. FYI. I am looking for another gig before I sell my CR-V that I specifically bought and restored to drive. I’m bummed out, but not defeated. Another adventure awaits! Thanks for your knowledge sharing and good luck to you!
Michael says
I drove for uber for 4 years until I was deactivated because a passenger complained I was intoxicated. I later emailed uber and told them I don’t even drink, at all! I drive for a living. I completed over 3,500 5star trips and this is how they show there gratitude. Never even responded back to my email. I recall driving on a Sunday night trying to reach my goal of 120 rides/week bonus $500 and excuse me if I’m a little tired. If I happened to cross the line for a second. Y’all know how tiring it can be when your sitting at 118 rides and trying to get that bonus but Instead I gets deactivated for being intoxicatingly/tired and the end of my uber career. Thank you uber!
DougH says
Sorry to hear that Michael. Keep fighting it. It’s possible that they will do an investigation and re activate you, but only if you are persistent and stay calm and polite. Vent to me, but when you talk to Uber try to keep it cool and things could go your way.
Donald Shue says
I just recently was having trouble with the UberEats app. It would allow me to accept trips, but it would not allow me to start them after pickup. UberX was working fine.
Then Mardi Gras started and my UberEats started working flawlessly the entire weekend. As I drove around the French Quarter I would see people with luggage standing in front of hotels everywhere, staring wild-eyed at their smartphones, waiting for their Ubers. But I kept getting Eats orders that I accepted dutifully and made the deliveries. After the busy weekend was over my Eats app started experiencing the same difficulties once again. I called the UberEats number in the app and explained the situation to a support rep I know only as ‘Frank.’
Frank told me he was going to take a personal interest in my issue and that it would definitely be addressed.
The next day I tried to login to go to work to only get the message that my account needs attention. I emailed Uber support to find out what was wrong and received a reply within an hour.
Uber support claimed that a passenger had filed a complaint that I had made racial slurs and my account was under suspension pending investigstion.
About twenty minutes later I received another email from UberEats support asking for feedback,” Did we resolve your situation?”
I clicked ‘YES’ and left the comment, “Deactivation is certainly one way to resolve the issue.”
Thanks Frank.