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
Debression says
I was an excellent employee and hard worker with Uber as a driver. I got complaints from one of the rider customers, I don’t know what was the complaints that I have been told from the uber office. I swear God I did not do anything wrong to my customers. My family raised me and treated me very well, I wish to meet in person to explain my kindly reaction or emotion to one of the Uber officers. Nothing I can say if my account is deactivated permanently. But I can let the whole office as I am a human being I can make a mistake as anyone else does. If I know that is my mistake usually I take my confess in church. thank you
Franklin White says
I’ve drove uber for 10 months with a very high rating also a Diamond Driver and they rejected me for a background check I don’t feel as if that was right I’ve haven’t got anything on my background in years I put many miles on my 1997 Toyota Corolla and now I’m stuck without funds or making funds on a day to day basis something has to be done with them doing things of this nature to good people
Forrest says
Kind of stressful to see so many driver got stuck at the background check. I just moved to Atlanta from NYC and surrendered my TLC plate. I was told driving in a new city have to use an unique email address. While now uber start to run my background check and ask for more information since my new georgia driver license without and driving history and I have to either provide previous driver license or abstract for background check. During the 5 years driving in NYC I completes over 13000 rides with an overall rating of 4.93. But probably I will be stuck at the background check. Since there’s violations during my driving history in NYC. But I’m an active uber driver in NYC, there’s no reason they deactivate me just because I switch to a new city.
So stressful ~
DougH says
I agree that the background check stage is the most complicated and lengthy, with so much potential for delays and stress. I recommend signing up for Lyft and delivery apps while you wait for Uber. Unfortunately there’s not much you can do with Uber other than to stay on top of each step and communicate frequently with Uber to try to get them to move the process along
Katie Franco says
I was a driver for Uber Eats for a year. They ran a background check without my knowledge, so my license wasn’t updated. I disputed it, gave CheckR the correct information, denied. I disputed it (name was spelled wrong on their end), denied. On CheckR, it states everything is fine! My status is “complete”, and it says everything is good to go.
I have ZERO criminal background, and no new driving infractions. I was pulled over once, in 2017 but that was it. Plus, that didn’t count against me the first time I applied. I have no idea why they would deny me after a year of driving and no criminal history or record, at all. I am so disappointed and mostly worried. What are they seeing that I am not?
Sandra McBee says
I drove for Uber & Lyft both for seven years when I got deactivated right after a run. Now it seems it’s going back 13 & more years on criminal even though my infractions aren’t ones that disqualify you. Well, I guess they really do. I used to be able to open Lyft to see busy areas but not log in. I drive a YellowCab now. Now I can’t even open Lyft at all. It states You are unable to drive for Lyft.
Willie Mobley says
We need to get together and file a class action lawsuit against checkr and Lyft for violating the 1970 Fair credit reporting act this is so wrong on so many levels
W. Brown says
The literal misspelling of your name counters as submitting Fraudulent information to them. The DMV put a 6 in place of a G. Uber suggested I get a letter from DMV showing fault. I jumped through hoops and they still rejected me.
Sue BeHoney says
Nothing, they just think there is an endless supply of drivers.
SadSam says
Permanently deactivated account cause my picture, I spent 15mins on the side of the road taking selfies that kept getting rejected for being to dark. Took a picture of a picture on max brightness and got banned. +3000 rides 4.9 rating, all complements. I pride myself in being that friendly voice at the end of a long day. Went to the hub and they said there is nothing they can do… Sucks cause I just bought a car to drive with, I never felt so useless and disposable in my life
Sandra says
I’ve been told that they deactivated me because I drove during bonus times! My rating were 4.91 and climbing and I always received whatever bonus was going on. I managed to drive only 10-12 hours a week n make $600 and heard that I was costing them too much money. That’s okay! YellowCab cost me $80/week to drive and everything over that is mine after insurance & gas and it’s always $2/mile all day every day!
Sanjuanita Montes says
They deactivated my account. After they could not verify my picture on my account.
Jack smith says
I applied for uber last year, got denied due to background check. There is no criminal background, only two traffic offenses from more than 7 years ago (one of them driving no inspection/insurance.) I was confused on why I got denied cuz 7 years falls outside their criteria. I also applied for lyft and got denied. Uber eventually accepted my application few months later, but few months after I started driving my account was closed(rider drama) anyway I have no choice but to try and reapply for lyft. My one question is: ifi get those violations expunged from my record will they rerun my background check if I reapply or will they deny me before every rerunning background check. The reason I am asking is it costs$500 to get those driving violations expunged and I don’t want to expunged them unless I am sure they will accept me.
DougH says
It’s hard to say for sure exactly what Uber or Lyft will do, in terms of your background. If you get them truly, fully expunged, I imagine they would accept you. But again, it’s hard to say exactly what they will do. You could also try delivery apps in the mean time. They usually have more lenient standards.
Deliveredbyduncan says
I would save that $500, in my experience lyft won’t give me the time of day after denying me over a year ago because of some false pending charge I had at the time that was soon thrown out of court as a error on someone in the courthouse administrative process. I’ve been driving for uber for over a couple years because that wasn’t in the system when I applied for uber. But when I applied for lyft, a charge that I had dismissed in 1989 had resurfaced somehow and a felony warrant was issued and served on me that I had dismissed but not after having to pay $3000 bail money smdh