Uber Black and SUV are high-end services that offer on-demand rides in luxury SUVs or sedans.
Uber Black costs more than twice as much as UberX, so it’s no wonder that some of the highest-earning Uber drivers are Uber Black drivers.
Uber Black also has the strictest vehicle requirements—Only late-model luxury cars and SUVs can qualify (See the eligible vehicle list here). But becoming an Uber Black driver isn’t as simple as buying the right car.
Uber Black vehicles must have commercial registration, commercial insurance, and meet state licensing requirements for commercial livery services.
Uber X and Uber XL don’t require commercial registration, so it’s easy for anyone to become an UberX driver. That’s not the case with Uber Black.
The other major limitation is that Uber limits the number of Uber Black accounts in each market. Een if you meet all the extra requirements, Uber may not be accepting new Uber Black drivers in your area.
Most Uber Black vehicles that you see on the road are actually rented from a fleet owner. It’s similar to being a limo or taxi driver—drivers pay a fee to rent the vehicle and keep any earnings, or sometimes earn an hourly rate.
And there’s another complication: Uber replaced Uber Black with Uber Premier in many cities. Uber Premier doesn’t require commercial registration and insurance, but it doesn’t pay as much as Uber Black.
Want to be an Uber Black driver? Read on to learn more about Uber Black requirements and realistic ways to get started.
Article Contents
- Uber Black Driver & Vehicle Requirements
- Uber Black vs Uber Premier
- Earnings Potential: How Much Drivers Can Make
- Use Your Own Vehicle for Uber Black
- Drive for Uber Black Through a Fleet Owner
Uber Black and SUV driver requirements
Commercial registration and insurance are the main requirements that distinguish Uber Black from other Uber services like Uber X.
- Commercial Registration
- Commercial Insurance
- All required local permits and stickers, and other designations for commercial vehicles in your state
- All other Uber driver requirements: Be 21+, pass background screening
- Click here to apply to Uber
Do you need a commercial driver’s license (CDL) for Uber Black?
Uber does not require Uber Black drivers to have a CDL or a Chauffeur License. Typically a CDL is only needed to drive larger-capacity vehicles, but your city/state may have special requirements.
Uber Black and SUV vehicle requirements
The vehicle requirements for Uber Black and SUV are much more restrictive than the vehicle requirements for other Uber services.
Uber Black vehicles must be 6 years old or newer. Check Uber’s vehicle search tool for the requirements in your city.
The vehicle must also be in excellent condition, with black paint and a black interior.
List of qualifying cars and SUVs for Uber Black
Note: This is not a complete list. Visit the the premium vehicle eligibility list or the Uber vehicle search tool to see the full list of qualifying cars in your area.
- Audi A6, A7, A8, RS 6, RS 7
- Audi Q4, Q5, Q8
- BMW 5-Series, 7-Series, X3, X6, X7, 6-Series, 8-Series
- Cadillac CT6, CTS-V, Escalade, LYRIQ, XTS, XT6
- Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe
- Ford Expedition, Mustang Mach-E
- GMC Suburban, Yukon, Yukon Denali, Yukon XL Denali
- Genesis G90, GV60, GV70, GV80
- Infinity QX80, QX56
- Jeep Wagoneer, Grand Wagoneer
- Kia EV 9
- Land Rover Range Rover, Defender, Range Rover Velar
- Lexus GS, GX, LS, LX, TX, TX 350
- Lincoln Corsair, Aviator, Continental, MKT, Navigator, MKX, Nautilus
- Lucid Air
- Mercedes-Benz E-Class, EQS, G-Class, GL-Class, GLC, GLS, S-Class
- Porsche Macan, Taycan, Cayenne Coupe
- Rivian R1s
- Tesla Model S, Model Y, Model X
- Volvo S90, XC60, XC90
Uber has strict standards about the condition of vehicles for Uber Black and SUV
UberBlack has strict standards for the cosmetic condition of the vehicle that are more difficult to meet than the cosmetic standards for UberX vehicles.
- Black exterior
- No noticeable dents
- No visible paint scratches
- No stickers
- No paint flaws like oxidation
- No badly repaired body parts
- Must have factory emblems
Uber Black vs Uber Premier
Uber Premier replaced Uber Black as the top tier of Uber services in many cities. The main difference is that Uber Premier doesn’t require commercial registration and strict local licensing. It is much easier to qualify for Uber Premier than Uber Black: You only have to have a qualifying vehicle with a minimum star rating of 4.85 after 250 trips.
Earnings potential: How much Uber Black drivers can make
As the most expensive Uber service, Uber Black has higher earnings potential than other Uber services. A successful Uber Black driver in a busy market will likely be among the highest-paid Uber drivers.
Uber Black is generally 2x the cost of UberX, or more
Attaching a per-hour or per-year dollar figure to Uber Black earnings is hard, but $1000+ per week is achievable for full-time drivers.
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the rate card for Uber Black and UberX drivers in Los Angeles. The mileage rate that Uber Black drivers earn is more than 3.5x higher than UberX.
| UberX | Uber Black | |
|---|---|---|
| Per Mile | $0.80 | $2.92 |
| Per Minute | $0.28 | $0.71 |
| Base Fare | n/a | $8.75 |
| Minimum Fare | $6.50 | $15.75 |
There are other factors to consider when you compare the earnings potential of an Uber black driver with the earnings potential of a regular Uber driver.
Uber Black is significantly more expensive than other Uber services, so it typically sees much lower volume than UberX.
As a result, an Uber Black driver may only do a few highly-paid rides per day, while an UberX driver is doing back-to-back lower-paid rides.
Uber Black comes with higher vehicle costs. The vehicles are generally more expensive to purchase, and most Uber Black drivers use SUVs with low gas mileage.
Commercial insurance and regulatory costs from running a corporate entity are other costs you’ll only get with Uber Black.
How to drive for Uber Black with a personal vehicle
Many drivers simply plan to buy an eligible vehicle and drive for Uber Black. But the reality is that it’s an expensive and challenging process that isn’t always a good idea for someone new to the professional driving industry.
By becoming an Uber Black driver with your own vehicle, you have to take on the additional costs and the regulatory responsibilities of a commercial driver.
That said, it is possible to become a solo Uber Black driver.
Steps to become an Uber Black driver with your own vehicle:
- Check to see if Uber is accepting new Uber Black accounts by contacting Uber
- Start a business entity: LLC, S-Corp, etc.
- Get commercial insurance
- Get a qualifying vehicle
- Get all required local licensing and permits
- Begin the application process
- After background screening, begin driving
Is your area accepting new Uber Black drivers?
You can only start the Uber Black application process if Uber is accepting new accounts. Uber limits the number of Black cars that can be active in a market to control supply and demand.
To find out if Uber is accepting new Uber Black drivers, you have to contact Uber support or visit an in-person Greenlight Hub.
Contact Uber to find out if there are Uber Black openings in your city
Drive for Uber Black through a fleet owner
The majority of Uber Black drivers don’t drive with their own vehicle. Instead, drivers rent or lease the vehicle from a fleet owner and split the earnings or get paid an hourly rate.
After you pass Uber’s background screening, a fleet owner can add you as a driver to their Uber Black fleet account.
You are free to use the Uber driver app just like any other driver, but your access to the fleet vehicle and your pay depends on what you arrange with the fleet owner.
There are a few common payment arrangements for fleet drivers.
In one arrangement, drivers pay a weekly fee to rent the vehicle and keep any earnings, or a percentage of earnings. A slow week can be unprofitable, but a busy week with high-paying clients can be extra lucrative.
Another payment arrangement is to work shifts for a set hourly wage. Shift work is less flexible but provides guaranteed earnings. Hourly work means you’ll earn on slow days, but most of the upside will go to the fleet owner on busy days.
How to find Uber Black driving opportunities
Most fleet owners advertise driver openings online, on sites like Craigslist. Here are some common steps to find an Uber Black driving gig.
- Search the Craigslist.org transportation section for “Uber Black”
- Contact the fleet owner and discuss the terms
- Do background and driving record screening with Uber
- The fleet owner will add you to their fleet account
- Agree on payment terms and begin driving
In the transportation category on Craigslist in Los Angeles, a search for “uber black” turns up many different listings offering Uber Black driving arrangements.
Below is an example of an Uber Black driving opportunity where the driver pays a weekly rental fee for the vehicle and keeps all earnings.
Pay to rent the vehicle, keep your earnings
The ad below is for hourly shift work. Drivers may get guaranteed earnings, but lose flexibility.
Work in shifts for an hourly wage
Even though it might not be possible to purchase a car and start your own commercial driving business, driving with Uber Black through a fleet owner can be a good driving job.
Perks of driving under a fleet owner
Most fleet owners cover vehicle maintenance and insurance. Some provide private client work, and Uber Black fills the gaps between private work.
Want to drive for Uber Black? Start by driving with a fleet owner
It’s tempting to try to jump right into driving for Uber Black by buying an eligible vehicle, but the time & money investment is very high. And often, cities aren’t accepting new Uber Black accounts.
Start by driving with a local fleet owner to get a feel for the business. You may find that the local market is lucrative. In that case, consider starting your own Uber Black enterprise.
But you might also find that it’s not worth investing in Uber Black if your local market isn’t busy enough.
Or try UberX first
Another good option is to start with UberX using a vehicle you already own, or a rental. You might be happy with your income as an UberX driver, or you might decide that you want to step up to Uber Black.
More Reading
Tony Moore says
So I own a livery business with 4 cars, 2 vans (15 pax) in NY. Can I receive or work for uber? Would my employees be able to do runs for uber, but with me in control and dispatching out the work?
DougH says
You could get your cars onto the Uber platform if there are openings in your city. You can’t control the dispatching. That’s the benefit of using Uber’s platform. You use their app and benefit from their high demand, but of course you have to pay them a cut. The 15 pax vans won’t qualify.
Erik says
Hey Dave,I have a C class Mercedes (2014) I was looking at doing uber black ! But its only showing E class Mercedes for the job. Any leeway on this ? Thanks.
DougH says
There is no leeway. The C class should qualify for Select if your area has that.
Hector Jimenez says
I have been driving with Uber x for a while now I wanted to upgrade to Uber black or SUV what steps do I need to take in order to do this I am 22 years old.
DougH says
First you should contact uber and ask if there are any Black openings in your area. If there aren’t, you’ll have to drive someone else’s Black car and split the money. You can find that type of arrangement on craigslist and driver forums.
Donald Mascia says
What exactly is required to become an Uber black driver. Are you accepting drivers in Irvine 92604? How much is the commercial driver license. I am referring a friend who wants to start asap.
Gary Rinaldi says
Hi, What is the reason for needing a commercial license to drive Black? To drive limousines with less than 10 passengers in California, a driver would only need a reg driver license I think, or has this changed?
DougH says
I have a hard time getting a straight answer from Uber on this, but this Uber page only lists commercial insurance, so I think that’s all you need.
Terry says
As a cab driver I can say that doing uber x first is a must if u never driven people around before. Sure u can make 3x the amount driving black cars but driving , conversing ,navigating ,traffic , safety ,music , climate control , is all part of service. It’s not easy to do and you need some experience before you dig into expense
DougH says
I agree with this. The average Uber driver isn’t quite ready to step up to the pro level. It’s a higher end service job.
Luiz Gomes says
Hey Dough, I’m a UBER black driver in Boston MA, and I was thinking about to move over and continue to drive in Baltimore area… do you have any advice for me? Good or bad?
DougH says
I’m not sure if Baltimore is a good Uber Black market or not, but I can tell you that you should contact Uber when you’re moving just to make sure you’ll be able to sign on in a new city.
Paul says
Can I lease a luxury car and use it for uber black? The miles are crazy but would to know if it’s even possible. Thanks.
Dave says
It’s possible, but you still need the correct commercial license.