Thanks for your interest in joining our vibrant Lyft driver community!
Requirements to Become a Lyft Driver
To become a Lyft driver, all applicants and their vehicles must meet the following requirements:
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Be at least 21 years old* with an active U.S. driver’s license for at least 1 year. Read more 21 years is the minimum age to apply to be a Lyft driver.* You can create a passenger account at 18. You must be licensed to drive for at least a year prior to applying. There are some cases where you may see an error message on your application regarding your driving history — if your license was recently reissued, or your state does not provide the issue date. Get the details on how to handle these issues here. *In New York City, DMV and criminal background checks are conducted by the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) according to their licensing standards, instead of through Lyft. |
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Pass a driving record check and a background check. Read more Every potential driver is required to undergo both a driving record check and a criminal background check. Lyft reviews the results of the checks and disqualifies individuals who fail to meet the standards set by both Lyft and local regulations. DMV Check Lyft uses a third party to check every potential driver’s driving record. You are ineligible to drive on the Lyft platform if any of the below are found on your driving record:
Background Check Every driver is screened for criminal offenses and driving incidents. Lyft’s criminal background check is provided by a third party and includes national and county-level databases, and when necessary, local courthouse record checks. You will be ineligible to drive on the Lyft platform if, among other things, the background check results reveal convictions for any of the following in the past seven years:
In New York City, DMV and criminal background checks are conducted by the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) according to their licensing standards, instead of through Lyft. More restrictive standards may apply based on local requirements specific to ridesharing. Lyft reserves the right to disqualify a driver at any time should either their driving record or background check reveal any of the above items, or for any other safety-related reason at Lyft’s discretion. If you do not pass your background check, you'll receive a copy via email and instructions for how to contest the results. To view more about our safety requirements, please visit lyft.com/safety. |
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Meet Lyft's and local governments' vehicle standards. Read more
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Have a license, valid plates, and insurance in your name. Read more
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Have a current smart phone. Read more You must have a smart phone in order to drive on the Lyft platform. Since the app requires a cellular connection, we do not support tablets or wifi-only devices, such as iPads. Current app requirements are for an iPhone 4 or newer running iOS 7.0+, and Android devices running 4.0+. |
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Comply with your region's local regulations. Read more
In certain markets, drivers must meet additional city or state requirements. Keep an eye on your email during and after the application process for instructions specific to your region. |
How to Apply
Applying to be a driver is easy. You can start your application online or through the app.
Start a driver application.
Create a Lyft account through the app, or on the web at lyft.com/drivers.
Enter your name, phone number, and email address, or connect through Facebook (which will input your name, picture, and email address from your Facebook account). Then follow the steps to enter all the info we need to make sure you meet the requirements.
If you have a promo code, enter it upon sign-up. If you apply through a link on a website, the code will be added automatically. See more about promotions and referrals here.
Can I exit the app or website and come back to finish my application?
Yes, all of your information will be saved, even if you sign out completely.
How can I check the status of my application?
You can check your application status any time at lyft.com/drivers.
Getting in Touch
What if I need to speak to someone about my application?
We’re happy to look into any issue you’re having with your driver application.
- Background check: Keep in mind that it can take several weeks to process. If you need to, send a message to our team here.
- Vehicle: See the 'Requirements' section above for Lyft's vehicle age and type requirements. If you need to, send a message to our team here.
- City or state-specific requirements or TNC permitting: See our city and state-specific requirement page for more information. If you need to, send a message to our team here.
- Mentor Session or inspection: Learn about the Mentor Session here, and to lyft.com/drivers to schedule a time to meet your Mentor.
- Referral code: See our promotions page, and be sure to check your inbox — we may have already sent you an email which answers your question. If you need to, send a message to our team here.
- Something else: Please visit our contact form here and choose the drop-down which most closely describes your issue. Click 'Send us a message' at the bottom left to get in touch with our team.
If you send us a message, we'll be best equipped to help you if you include:
- The region in which you're applying to be a driver.
- The context, or a screen shot, of the error message you're seeing (if any).
- The code you're trying to apply to your account (if any).
- A brief description of the issue you're experiencing.
Other Useful Resources
- The Mentor Session
- City and State-Specific Requirements
- Promotions
- Setting Up Your Account to Receive Earnings
- How to Find Earnings Information