You must be at the minimum age to drive in your city
You must have a valid U.S. driver’s license
You must have at least a year of licensed driving experience in the U.S. (that’s 3 years for those under 25 years old)
You have to be driving an eligible 4-door vehicle

Looks easy enough, right?

If you’re seriously considering being a rideshare driver, you might already tick those boxes off.

The only thing you might have to worry about is Uber vehicle requirements, but we’ll talk more about that later.

Required Documents

Aside from the minimum requirements, your Uber driver application will also require you to share a few documents.

Here’s what you need to prepare:

A valid US driver’s license
Proof of residency in your city, state, or province
Proof of vehicle insurance if you plan to drive your car
A driver profile photo

Forward-facing; includes your full face and top of shoulders, no sunglasses
Must be a recent solo shot of the driver, well-lit and in focus
Cannot be the driver’s license photo or other printed photograph

Driver Screening

And once you clear the requirements and the documents, you’ll head on to the third and final step of the application process -- driver screening.

Since Uber prioritizes the safety of its rideshare passengers, this is an important part of the process.

The screening makes sure drivers have a clean driving record with no criminal history.

No customer would want someone shady to drive them to places, right?

You’ll be completing the screening online and Uber will do a quick background check on you.

Uber will also need you to share your Social Security number (SSN) during the screening and for tax purposes.

Approval

According to Uber, you’ll get news about your driver status anywhere within 3 to 10 business days.

That gives them enough time to review your application and complete the background check.

However, some factors could affect the speed of this approval.

Uber could find something questionable in your record that they would need to clear.

Or, depending on the state you live in, there might be a high volume of applications so it would take them a while to get to yours.

In any case, you have to constantly check the app to find out whether you’re been approved, rejected, or on hold.

Once you get that “Active” status, that means you’re now officially an Uber driver.

Congratulations!

You can now start earning towards your goals.

If you only got part of that, this video does a good job explaining everything you need to drive for Uber.

What are Uber’s Vehicle Requirements?

Before we get to the other steps to becoming an Uber driver, you’ll have to answer an important question:

Is your vehicle eligible?

Just like for their drivers, Uber has their standards for a vehicle too.

Your car has to:

Be a 2001 model or newer
Be a 4-door car or minivan
Be in good condition with no cosmetic damage
Have no commercial branding
Pass a vehicle inspection

However, just because your car meets those requirements doesn’t mean it’s green lights for you.

Each state or region has different regulations for Uber cars.

Some require car models that are 15 years old or newer while others might have a different rule.

Read up on your state or city’s requirements first before applying for an Uber driver account.

Vehicle Inspection

Before you get your car in the system and take your first trip, you’ll have to complete Uber’s vehicle inspection.

Don’t worry, Uber promises the process will only take around 30 minutes of your time.

To get your vehicle inspected, you have to book an appointment and drive to the nearest Uber Greenlight Hub in your city.

If you’re curious to know what awaits you at a hub, this guy did a tour of one in Canada:

Once you drive for Uber, you’ll be required to have a vehicle inspection at the Greenlight Hub every year or after 50,000 miles.

Here are the steps for Uber’s annual vehicle inspection:

Download Uber’s inspection form here. You can also find forms at most inspection centers but it’s better if you come prepared.
Find an inspection center. It could be the same Greenlight Hub near you or a third-party mechanic. But Uber won’t cover the inspection costs for third parties.
Upload the form to your account.

What happens if your car fails Uber’s inspection?

Let’s say you keep forgetting to replace your dim tail lights or your tires look like they’ve seen better days.

Well..

Uber won’t cover the costs for your repairs and maintenance.

Unfortunately, you’ll have to get those concerns fixed on your own.

It is your car after all.

After you’ve addressed the concerns, you can go ahead and have your car inspected again.

And if you pass this time, you’re good to go!

Don’t Own a Car?

Don’t own a car but still want to drive for Uber?

No worries!

That’s possible.

Uber allows you to use a car that isn’t registered under your name.

That means you could even take your parent’s car out on a gig (as long as you have permission, of course).

BUT

Uber will require that you’re listed as an insured driver on the car’s insurance policy.

Before you get sad that your dreams for driving for Uber got shattered because you don’t own a car, there is another way around that.

And that is by renting a vehicle to drive for Uber.

Rent a Car With Uber

Yup, it’s a legit concept.

In case you didn’t know, you could still be a rideshare driver on a rental.

But you can’t just rent a car from anywhere -- it has to be from an approved Uber rental company.

Online platforms exist where drivers put their cars up for rent specifically so others could use them for gigs.

Here are the car rental companies with Uber’s seal of approval:

Aviz
Hertz
KINTO
Getaround
Zipcar

You can also check out other car rental options like HyreCar, RideShare Carz (Dallas-Fort Worth area), or Sally.

These companies not only let you drive for Uber, but you can use the cars for other gigs such as food delivery too.

How exactly does car rental for Uber work?

Let’s use Getaround as an example.

Getaround’s partnership with Uber lets you link your accounts together for a smoother transaction.

You have to have both apps downloaded on your phone with your accounts signed in.

Choose a car to rent on the Getaround app, find it, drive trips with Uber or Uber Eats, and return the car.

It’s that easy!

Rental with Getaround will only cost you $4 per hour with no long-term contract required.

These rentals already come with insurance policies of their own and basic maintenance.

Check out this guy’s cool experience on driving for Uber with a Getaround car rental:

The best thing about renting a car with Uber is that you’re not locked in on a contract.

You can choose to rent vehicles hourly or weekly and it even includes a low-cost refundable deposit.

We know what you’re thinking: “The rent must be expensive!”

Well, honestly, you’re not far off.

Uber estimates a weekly rental rate of $260 a week without taxes.

Although the lowest price can still vary depending on which state you live in, that’s still pricey.

Maybe you’re better off asking to drive your parent’s car after all.

But then again, there’s the matter of insurance..

What Kind of Insurance Do You Need?

Let’s talk vehicle insurance!

What areas does Uber cover?

Uber says their drivers have to maintain their own vehicle insurance policy.

Ergo, your name needs to be on that document.

Whenever you’re offline, your personal auto insurance will cover you.

However, once you’re on the clock, the company is prepared to cover some costs on your behalf.

This insurance coverage starts the minute you go online and press “Go” on the app to wait for ride requests.

There are two different coverage policies for Uber drivers:

For drivers waiting for a ride request, and
For drivers en route to pick up passengers or during trips.

The coverage for drivers waiting for ride requests includes

$50,000 for the driver's liability for bodily injury per person in a covered accident
$100,000 per covered accident
$25,000 for property damage for which the driver is responsible for in a covered accident

When you are on your way to pick up a passenger, the insurance policy can cover more. These include

$1,000,000 third-party liability
Uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury and/or first-party injury insurance (this varies by state)
Contingent comprehensive and collision up to $2,500 deductible “as long as you have personal insurance that includes comprehensive and collision coverage”

You can deep dive into Uber’s auto insurance policy for its riders here.

Now, the topic of insurance could be tricky especially since there are dozens of problems you might encounter.

Attorney Justin "JZ" Ziegler on YouTube explains Uber accident claims and settlements in a 20-minute video easily understandably by anyone.

You never know when you might need this knowledge!

What are the Different Uber Ride Options?

Those who’ve used the app as a passenger before know that Uber has several services to choose from.

There’s UberX, UberX Share, Uber XL, UberComfort, Uber Black, and Uber Green.

What is the difference between these?

Can you drive for all of them?

If you’re confused, don’t worry!

Here’s how these services differ from each other:

UberX is the basic 4-door vehicle option everyone uses.

Typically, it’s a sedan that gets passengers anywhere they need to be.

We can bet our left leg that UberX is the most booked option on the app.

After all, it’s affordable and they get the ride all to themselves.

UberX Share (previously Uber Pool) is the company’s carpool service that matches multiple passengers with one driver.

That means the Driver app will connect you to passengers going along the same route and you’ll drop them off at different points.

Some Uber passengers love choosing UberX Share since the rates are supposed to be cheaper.

Uber drivers love it for the opposite reason -- it allows them to earn a little bit extra combining rides.

Uber XL includes bigger cars that can fit five or six people in one ride.

Passengers choose this option if they’ve got a big family, a lot of friends, or a lot of things to carry.

Uber Comfort gives passengers the option to book newer vehicles for that added layer of comfort.

Cars with great spacious legroom and highly-rated experienced drivers fall under this category.

Another familiar ride option is Uber Black.

This option gives a customer access to high-end cars that scream luxury.

Some folks book Uber Black for the prestige it brings with it.

It’s flexing on a budget since they won’t have to pay for the actual car.

Which category fits your car?

Depending on what you drive, you could probably even qualify to drive for two ride options at the same time.

Let’s say you own an 8-seater car.

You could sign that up for UberX and UberXL since it could fit up to six passengers.

If you own a hybrid or electric vehicle, you can even sign that up for Uber Green!

It could be a niche Uber market but there are folks out there willing to shell out extra to save the planet.

With Uber Green, the company targets to make the city sustainable by “producing at least 25% fewer carbon emissions than the average trip.”

Uber even has a goal to be a zero-emission mobility platform by 2040.

Interested in going electric?

Learn more about Uber Green here.

Navigating Uber as a New Driver

Once you’ve sorted out your requirements and fixed your vehicular availability issues, now you’re ready to hit the road.

And boy is it an open world out there!

But first, now that you’re part of the network of thousands of riders, you need to learn the ropes.

Did you know Uber has a simulated trip for beginners?

If you’re nervous to take your first trip, you could try the simulation out!

It’s designed to (virtually) hold your hand through the process by teaching the basics step-by-step.

You’ll even get to practice accepting trip requests and completing them.

It’s like a fun little game for those of you nervous before the first day of a new job.

Once you’re ready, you can finally accept your actual first trip.

And that’s going to be the first of many!

What’s it like as a first-time Uber driver anyway?

This woman recorded her experience on her first day driving for Uber.

Check out what she has to say about it:

How to Use the Uber Driver app

As a driver, you will rely on the Uber Driver app to connect you to ridesharers.

It’s the most important tool you need for the job.

When you’re ready to drive, you just have to open the app and tap “Go.”

Don’t be alarmed by the flood of trip requests you’ll receive!

You get the total freedom to pick the one you want.

Once you decide, swipe on the request and follow the navigation app to head to where the customer is waiting.

During the trip, just follow the turn-by-turn directions from the Driver app’s GPS until you reach your destination.

Finally, you can drop your passenger off and accept a new request to pick up another one!

If you’re still struggling to navigate the Driver app, this comprehensive video from The Rideshare Guy will walk you through everything about it:

See what we mean when we say this is an easy gig?

I mean, that’s minus the small talk some of the passengers might have you go through.

You can read more about the basics of driving with Uber here!

How Do You Earn From Uber?

We’ll make a wild guess:

This is the part you’ve been waiting for!

It’s finally time to talk about money.

Of course, you’d want to know if you’ll be well compensated for your time and effort with Uber.

Or if you should just try your luck with a different gig.

How much will you make driving for Uber anyway?

According to Salary.com, Uber drivers in 2023 earn an average of $18 an hour.

But the range typically falls between $15 to $22.

This quick video by The Rideshare Guy does a superb job breaking down how Uber drivers earn.

It also talks about the number of factors that ultimately determine how much an Uber driver earns.

(More on that later!)

However, Uber will charge you 25% for every single fare you make.

The hefty fee is supposed to cover the following:

The use of Uber software
Collection and transfer of fares
Credit card commission
Distribution of invoices to clients

Ridester says that “25%” Uber claims to take isn’t actually accurate.

Uber might charge passengers with a “booking fee” or a “safe rides fee” for $1-3 but that goes to the company and not to the driver.

Ridester found that realistically, Uber takes 42.75% of a driver’s cut on a minimum fare ride.

You have to account for that cut especially if you’re planning on renting a car.

On top of the gas and vehicle maintenance fees, your car rental fee might just wipe out your earnings.

But the good news is you get to keep 100% of your tips.

Uber also has the Uber Pro rewards program that gives outstanding drivers a few perks.

These include priority pick-ups, tax-deductible insurance and vehicle maintenance, gas savings with the Uber Debit Card, and more.

Qualifying drivers can even get 100% tuition coverage in online classes for them or a family member.

You can read more about qualifying for Uber Pro here.

Getting Paid With Uber

While there are a few challenges in earning big with Uber, the payout for your income is the total opposite.

Your earnings are made available almost immediately.

Uber’s Instant Pay feature lets you cash out up to five times a day.

You’re only charged $0.05 per cashout on your personal debit card.

And if you have an Uber Debit Card, that small fee is waived.

It’s that fast and that smooth!

Here’s a quick tutorial video from Uber on how to set up your Instant Pay:

How to Earn More

Since you’re an independent contractor, you never really know how much you’ll earn with Uber.

The longer you drive for them, the more you’ll notice your earnings per week or month fluctuate.

Seasoned Uber drivers know that earning more is all about the strategy.

Here are a few tricks and tips to make the most out of your hours:

Delivering food with Uber Eats

Aside from ridesharing, Uber also offers another opportunity to earn.

Uber Eats is a popular delivery platform that delivers food from a restaurant to a customer’s doorstep.

Instead of ferrying passengers, you’ll get to pick up all sorts of food instead.

You don’t even have to own a car to be an Uber Eats driver.

Use your bicycle, scooter, or motorcycle -- just make sure you have the app so you can take orders.

If you’re already an Uber driver, you can just activate your Uber Eats platform to start accepting requests.

A lot of drivers alternate driving and delivering for Uber.

It’s a useful trick when passengers are scarce or not many people are placing orders for delivery.

You just have to outsmart the system and work harder.

That’s the gig economy for you!

Drive during surges

“Surge pricing” is a magic phrase for Uber drivers.

It’s synonymous with “earning more” (a total opposite of what happens for passengers).

In the Driver app, your map will indicate areas in your city where the driver demand is high.

Uber themselves suggest that drivers take advantage of their “studied” peak hours from 7 AM to 9 AM and between 5 PM to 8 PM.

That’s probably the time when folks hustle to and from work.

But the peak hours vary from state to state and city to city.

For example, Ridester found out that the best time to drive for Uber in New York on weekdays is from 4 AM to 9:30 AM and 4 PM to 10:30 PM.

In Atlanta, you’re better off taking advantage of the nightlife rush between 11 PM to 3 AM.

As you spend more time driving for Uber, you’ll discover the best times to drive in your own city.

Dedicate your weekends to a shift

Do prices surge during weekends?

There are certain peak hours but generally, on weekends, everyone is out and about.

Plenty of passengers run errands, meet with friends, and do their thing.

Friday nights to the whole of Saturday is a good schedule to start with.

You can experiment with the best hours and locations and optimize your schedule from there.

Drive odd hours

Think outside the box here.

That’s what’s great about controlling your own time.

Instead of the usual 9-to-5, you’d follow if you were at a traditional job, you can do shifts in the dead of night.

Why?

That’s when some office workers clock out for the day or groups of friends go home from a party.

We mentioned earlier that Atlanta nightlife is one of the best hours for Uber drivers to earn.

In Chicago, the same peak hours are observed, and even in New York, the city that’s literally famous for never sleeping.

Take advantage of in-app promotions

Sometimes, Uber helps its own drivers to maximize their earnings through in-app promotions.

When you reach a set number of trips, you’ll earn a bonus.

For example, complete 20 trips in one week, and you’ll get a $30 bonus.

Another promo you could take advantage of is driving during busy hours.

If you complete three trips in a row between 4 PM to 6 PM, Uber will let you earn extra.

However, not all drivers are qualified for promotions.

Uber even says that in-app promotions aren’t available in California.

To know if you’re qualified, you’ll have to wait for Uber to inform you through a text or an app notification.

Utilize the Passenger app

Uber’s Passenger app gives a different perspective that might benefit you as a driver.

For example, the Passenger map can show you other Uber cars in the vicinity.

So if you see a lot of them in your area, you can simply drive to a new location that’s less crowded.

The Passenger app can also give you an idea about the surge pricing in certain locations.

Although the Driver app does have this too, some find it takes a bit longer to show up on the Driver app.

And those minutes could cost you precious dollars

Get tips

Drivers get to keep 100% of tips from passengers.

Uber -- or other ridesharing platforms -- won’t take a cut of that.

Tips are also a great way to boost your earnings.

So it wouldn’t hurt to make sure your passengers are as comfortable as they can be.

Can’t think of tactics?

Some drivers keep free snacks and candies to hand out to their passengers.

Others just engage them in friendly banter or go the extra mile by helping them with their bags and getting in the car.

When passengers experience a pleasant hassle-free ride, they’re more likely to rate you higher and leave a generous tip.

Try in-car entertainment

Did you know you could earn from an added source of passive income while driving for Uber?

There are companies that will provide drivers with FREE entertainment tablets to display their ads in transit.

Play Octopus is one.

It lets passengers play games on the tablet, win prizes, and enjoy offers from brands all while watching short ads in between.

According to Play Octopus, drivers typically earn $50-$75 a month.

You can even refer other drivers to get a $25 referral fee.

If that sounds too good to be true, what’s the catch?

You have to complete 100 rides a month to be able to earn and keep the tablet for another month.

But if you’re determined, to earn, that’s totally doable.

Check out this quick and informative Play Octopus review from the perspective of an Uber and Lyft driver:

Tracking your earnings on the app

Now that you’re boosting your Uber earnings, all your hard work will reflect on the app.

Uber’s Driver app makes it easier for you to keep track of what you’ve earned.

Here’s how you can check out your income overview:

On the main menu, tap “Earnings” to see how much you’ve earned for the week
Tap “See details” for the complete breakdown
Tap “Earnings activity” to view your income in a different time frame or on specific dates
To see the fare breakdown for a specific day, tap the chart.
To add a stat (earnings, hours online, and trips) to a chart, tap on it. Tap it again to remove it.
Tap “See earnings activity” to view recent trips and tap a trip to see how much you earned.

You can even customize your chart depending on the week, hours online, or total trips you’ve taken.

It’s perfect for those who want to get into the nitty-gritty of their Uber gigs.

What Do Previous Uber Drivers Have to Say?

By now, we’ve probably established that Uber is a great way to earn money.

And if you’re not convinced, don’t take our word for it.

There are a ton of rideshare drivers out there who have shared what being an Uber driver is like.

Someone on Quora asked if driving for Uber is still worth it in 2023.

The response was a mix of negative and positive reviews left mostly by ex-Uber drivers.

Check out what they have to say:

On Indeed, the reactions were the same.

Some drivers loved working for Uber while others criticize the huge pay cut and reiterate that it’s only a side job that can’t fully pay the bills.

The consensus is this:

Yes, being an Uber driver is a good experience.

However, don’t expect it to be a sustainable full-time job!

Why You Should Be an Uber Driver

So there you have it!

That’s everything you need to know to become an Uber driver.

But before we wrap this up, we can’t miss the most important thing.

The “why.”

Why should you be an Uber driver?

Why would you want to drive for strangers, letting them in your own car?

How can this benefit you in any way?

If you’re reading this article, you probably already have some answers.

But let’s clear that up for you really quickly.

It doesn’t require much

First of all, anyone can be an Uber driver.

Uber drivers come from all sorts of backgrounds.

You don’t need to be a college graduate or have a double degree in anything to be able to drive for them.

You don’t even need to have years of experience in a certain field.

Uber’s only requirements are your age, a driver’s license, auto insurance, and a car.

If you can get from point A to point B via car safely, then you could be an Uber driver.

You get to make money with your car

Driving for Uber lets you make money using something you already own.

Even if you don’t have a car, if you have access to one, it’s still a good option.

Besides, as we discussed earlier, Uber gives you the option to rent a car and drive for them.

That’s why college students, employees, and professionals consider Uber as a sustainable side hustle.

Some even get pretty serious about the gig enough to make it full-time.

But you don’t have to do that.

So instead of letting your car gather dust in the garage or complaining about the costs of maintaining a vehicle, drive people around and get extra cash.

Opportunity for more income streams

If we haven’t said it enough yet, Uber is a great opportunity to earn money on the side.

And if you’re resourceful, there are lots of ways you can maximize your earnings.

Driving during surges is one.

But you could also shift to delivering food with Uber Eats during slow hours.

When you’re on a trip, you could partner with companies to put ads inside your car.

And if you’ve got your own business to promote you can even insert that into the conversation with your passengers.

What we’re saying is that you’re the boss here.

You get to develop your own strategy to make a simple gig more profitable.

You get paid fast

Unlike traditional desk or company jobs that pay its employees once or twice a month, Uber does it better.

In the Driver app, you’ll get access to records of your earnings.

Whenever you want to cash out, Uber’s Instant Pay feature lets you do that.

So let’s say your goal for the day is to earn $50 (depending on factors, that’s nearly 3 hours of driving).

When you reach your goal, you can withdraw that amount and have it immediately in your personal account by the end of the day.

Flexible schedule

Being an Uber driver is a job that fits into your life and not the other way around.

Don’t want to work for a day?

That’s cool.

Feel like working for only two hours?

That’s possible too.

You’ve got the freedom to set your own hours and how far or often to drive.

Uber is a great alternative to traditional 9-to-5 jobs with rigid schedules.

So if you’re not the type to conform to the usual work hours, maybe sidelining as a rideshare driver will work well for you.

And if somewhere down the road (pun intended) you’re not interested in the gig anymore, you can always keep your driver account.

In other words, you control everything about your time and schedule.

Frequently Asked Questions

Now that you know how to become an Uber driver, let’s answer some questions you might still have!

How much do Uber drivers make?

According to Salary.com, Uber drivers in 2023 can earn an average of $18 per hour.

But the range normally falls between $15 to $22 an hour.

However, this depends on a number of factors.

That includes how frequently you drive, surge pricing, and traffic conditions during your shift.

If you get stuck in a traffic jam, that means you lose the opportunity to complete trips faster.

But if you stay active during rush hour and drive to areas in your Driver app that signals surge pricing, you could earn more.

Other factors to consider are driver expenses -- fuel, maintenance -- and rental fee if you don’t own a vehicle.

To sum it up, as the driver, you’re the one who can ultimately determine how much you can earn in a week.

Is it worth being an Uber driver?

Want the short answer?

Yes.

If you’ve got a car and lots of free time, driving for Uber is a great side hustle.

You won’t be bound to a traditional 9-to-5 job since you can pick your own schedule.

Want to drive in the wee hours of the morning?

Go ahead!

You can even skip driving on weekdays and focus on weekends.

The flexible schedule also allows drivers to focus on other side hustles they might have.

Uber is also quick to pay its drivers.

So the minute you decide to end your shift (or this side hustle), you won’t have to wait weeks to get your payout.

Outside of earning, driving for Uber gives you the opportunity to meet new people and learn from them.

Although be warned -- this includes frequent small talk on your part.

What’s better: Lyft or Uber?

That’s the ultimate question, isn’t it?

Lyft is another rideshare platform similar to Uber.

Drivers sign up, accept trips, and get paid.

Aside from a few differences in pricing, vehicle option, and coverage area, they’re basically the same.

In 2023, Lyft drivers earn an average of $17 per hour to Uber’s $18 per hour average.

But you don’t have to choose between the two!

Why not drive for both?

Just like how this guy did it:

Create a driver account on both Uber and Lyft and switch apps whenever you feel like it.

Drivers are independent contractors anyway so that’s totally possible.

But according to Gregory in the video, you’ll have to be quick to log off one app when you’ve accepted a trip on the other.

Otherwise, you’ll run the risk of accidentally accepting a new passenger on Lyft while you’re still 20 minutes from completing an Uber trip.

As for the pay, it varies.

It depends on certain areas or hours.

Sometimes you’ll find that Uber will pay more and sometimes Lyft offers you better options.

That’s why it’s resourceful to have both apps available.

And if you really want to maximize your earnings, you can also add being an Uber Eats delivery driver into your side hustle mix.

Final Thoughts

That’s it!

You can find an awesome opportunity to earn by being an Uber driver.

There’s really nothing to lose!

What’s great about a ridesharing platform like Uber is that it’s sooo easy to be a part of it.

You just have to visit their website or download the app to get an account.

Even if you decide you don’t want the job after activating the account, you can leave the minute you want to.

Driving for Uber offers a great way to earn passive income and make money with your car.

You get a flexible schedule that lets you be your own boss and an income that’s enough to contribute to your car costs or even bills.

And if you’re resourceful, you can even maximize your earnings through a number of ways (including switching to Uber Eats from time to time).

So what’s not to like?

Let us know in the comments below if you do decide to drive for Uber!

Or maybe you’re already a seasoned rideshare driver and you’d like to share your experience.

Either way, we can’t wait to hear from you!

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