Complete guide to becoming a driver for Lyft
If you know how to drive a car, one of the best ways to earn an income on the side or change careers is to become a Lyft driver. This service is available in many cities all across the United States and Canada, so if it operates in the place where you live, you should check if you fit the requirements and start your adventure in the ridesharing business with the Lyft driver app!
If you’re completely new to Lyft, take a look at our article on how to use the Lyft app.
What do I need to know before applying to be a Lyft driver?
Lyft tries to maintain the highest standard of service, so they have some requirements that every candidate (and their car) must meet. First, there is an age requirement you have to be at least 21 years old, with no exceptions here. Also, your driver’s license must be valid for a year or more before you send your application to be a Lyft driver.
What’s more, it must be issued in the same state where you plan to be working. Therefore, if you, for example, recently moved to Georgia, but you still have a Californian license, you should visit the DMV as soon as possible and get the local one. You may worry that in this way you will not be able to prove that you have been driving for over a year already – this problem can be solved by taking a photo of both your old and new licenses and attach them to your Lyft application.
Also, you need to have a clean driving record – it does not have to be perfect, Lyft understands that a simple infraction can happen to anyone at sometime. However, there should not be more than three moving violations in the last three years (that includes, for instance, traffic lights violations or road accidents).
Furthermore, you should not have any extreme infractions in the past seven years (such as felonies with a car involved, or hit-and-runs). Candidates for a Lyft driver cannot have any driving under influence incidents in the past seven years as well.
Apart from that, you will have to agree for a criminal background check. Your personal auto insurance is also very significant, and it must meet or exceed the state requirements. Your car must also meet all the criteria set by Lyft, and they can differ from state to state, so you need to check how your local vehicle inspection works.
Is driving for Lyft for me?
Meeting all the official Lyft requirements is not enough to know if you are a proper candidate for a Lyft driver. You need to keep in mind that it involves direct contact with clients, so it is a job that requires kindness, patience, and a thick skin. It is always good to do what you really like, so working for Lyft is most recommended for people who love to drive. Also, be prepared that your earnings will not be the same every day – sometimes you can get more, and sometimes less ride requests in the Lyft driver app
At the same time, the working hours here are very flexible, so if you see that particular time is more lucrative for you, you can try to fit in it. It is also essential to be fluent in using a smartphone because you will have work with the Lyft driver app all the time.
How to start a Lyft driver application
If you think that you meet all the Lyft requirements, you can begin the driver application process. For a start, you’ll need to open the website lyft.com/drivers or download the Lyft app and create an account. Provide all the necessary data, including your name, email address, and phone number, and submit it, so that the team can check if you are suitable for the job. You can feel free to sign out afterwards – the system will save your application info. In case you had a promo code, remember to use it while making an account. If you use an application link, the code will be added automatically.
To check if your application has been already considered, you can log on to the website again or open the Lyft app. Bear in mind that it may take a few weeks to do all the background checks and analyze the driving history. It is worth knowing that the Lyft support team cannot access any details of this process. There are many agencies involved in this task, and they only provide them with the information whether a candidate for a driver was cleared or not.
In case of any difficulties or questions with the application process, you can contact the Lyft support team through a website or app. Describe your problem as accurately as possible, and do not forget about including such essential info as:
- a screenshot of an error message, if there is any
- the region where you are trying to become a Lyft driver
- a promo code that does not work (if that is the issue)
Lyft background check and vehicle inspection
One of the main parts of Lyft onboarding is a criminal background check. We’ve written a whole article on the lyft background check which you can check out by following the link.
Lyft vehicle inspection
A potential Lyft driver, the same as a candidate for an Uber driver, needs to agree on vehicle inspection. You can read out complete guide to the Lyft and Uber vehicle inspection or schedule video vehicle inspection.
Tips for Getting Started
Some people may be discouraged by the fact that even if they have valid insurance, a clean driving history, and they meet the age requirement, they are deprived of the possibility to earn extra money with a Lyft driver app because their car milage is not appropriate or they don’t have car insurance. In such a case, you can use the Express Drive program created by Lyft or the services of an affordable car rental company, such as HyreCar.
Also, choose the best time to work, taking into consideration that Prime Time in Lyft (the same as surge pricing in Uber driving) may provide you with more money than usual. Also, even though the company provides the primary insurance, check with your provider to make sure that you are fully covered. Moreover, browse the driver mode on the Lyft app carefully before starting to use it at work. It is better to become fluent with it before you actually begin the ridesharing job to prevent your passengers from getting annoyed during the journey..
Conclusion
Overall, even though Lyft has some requirements to meet, it is not that hard to start working for them. If you think it seems to be a good way for you to make some additional money, go for it and send your application to get access to a Lyft driver app.
After a thorough background check, car inspection, and other formalities, you will be informed if you qualify for the job or not. It is worth knowing that for some people Lyft works so well that they even make a full-time living with it. Do not wait and start making money now, with your own car or a rented one!
