What is Uber Black? It is Uber’s premium tier, built around late-model luxury cars and professional drivers, and it has the strictest entry rules of the standard Uber ride options. Uber’s driver page says drivers need commercial auto insurance rather than a personal policy, every permit their city requires and a 4.90 rating.[1]
This guide covers what the service is from the rider’s side, the driver requirements Uber lists, and what to check in your own city before you spend money on insurance or a permit. The car has its own guide, Uber Black car requirements.
What is Uber Black?
Uber’s rider page describes the Uber Black fleet as high-end, late-model luxury sedans and SUVs, with experienced drivers who, in Uber’s words, prioritize your comfort. Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are named as examples of eligible brands, and the page adds that specific vehicle eligibility and models vary by city and market requirements.[2]
A standard Uber Black car takes up to 4 passengers, and the Uber Black SUV option seats up to 6. The rider page does not show a fare: it only has a button that leads into the booking flow. So when people ask what an Uber Black is, the accurate summary is a higher-priced, higher-spec option for riders who want a professional driver and a premium car, with the exact price shown only in the app.
On the driver side, Uber says the service matches riders with top-rated drivers in luxury vehicles. Drivers can choose to receive only Uber Black requests, or also accept UberX and UberXL trips, which matters when premium demand is thin in a given area.
Compare car rental
500+ rental companies. Free cancellation on most bookings.
Which car does Uber Black need?
The car rules are covered in the Uber Black car requirements guide, so this one stays on the driver and the program. In short: only specific makes and models qualify, the model year can be no more than 5 years old, and the car needs a black exterior and a black leather or vegan leather interior. Uber keeps the Uber Black car list, also called the Uber Black vehicle list, on its eligible vehicles page, where the year beside each model is the minimum model year. A model that does not meet the requirements for the ride option in your area is not eligible.[3]
Tip: Treat the color and interior rules as part of the car, not an afterthought. A model on the eligible list still fails if the paint or upholstery is wrong, so check both before you buy or finance.
Why your own city decides
Eligibility can be tied to one market: Uber’s rider page gives an example of a model eligible only in a single city, which is a reminder that a car accepted in one place does not automatically qualify in another. For a driver that means the checks that count are the ones for your own city, from the permit office to Uber’s list.
What are the Uber Black driver requirements?
Uber’s driver page says drivers must be professionals, with commercial auto insurance: personal auto insurance does not qualify. They also need all permits their city requires to operate a commercial livery vehicle in their area. The page does not name a single national license class, so the permit side is set locally.
Beyond that, the general rules for driving with Uber apply. Uber’s requirements page lists a minimum age to drive in your state, at least one year of licensed driving experience in the US (3 years if you are under 25), an eligible 4-door vehicle, and an online screening that reviews your driving record and criminal history. Required documents include a valid driver’s license, proof of residency, proof of vehicle insurance if you drive your own car, and a profile photo.[4]
Each city sets its own vehicle regulations, and Uber says you get more information after you sign up to drive. That is why this guide sends you to your city’s list rather than quoting one national standard.
Do not buy a car on the strength of a list you found elsewhere. Uber says the vehicle must meet the requirements for the ride option in your area, so confirm it on Uber’s own pages first.
What rating do Uber Black drivers need?
Uber requires Uber Black drivers to maintain a 4.90 or higher rating. The rating is an average of your most recent 500 rated trips, counted across all trip types, and canceled trips do not count. Each 5-star trip can help raise the average over time.
If the rating drops below 4.90, Uber reassesses the driver after every 50 completed trips. When the rating, still based on the latest 500 trips, is back at 4.90 or higher, eligibility is restored. The driver page does not list a minimum number of trips to qualify, so the rating is the main performance gate.
Because ratings from UberX and other trips count towards the average, how you drive on standard requests affects your Black eligibility too.
How does Uber Black change waiting time and fees?
Uber’s earnings page says the wait time fee starts after 2 minutes on most trips, but after 5 minutes for Uber Black and Uber SUV. It applies the same longer window to cancellations: for most trips a rider pays a cancellation fee 2 minutes after the driver accepts, and for Black and SUV it is 5 minutes.[5]
The same page says commercial insurance is not provided by Uber for commercially licensed drivers of black cars, limousines or taxis. That fits the requirement above: the driver brings the commercial cover, not Uber. Because that cost is yours, price it in before you decide the tier is worth it.
Neither that page nor the driver page for the service makes an earnings claim for Uber Black, so this guide quotes none. Uber says that in most cities drivers see what they will make before accepting a trip.
Is Uber Black worth it for drivers?
That depends on numbers Uber does not publish for the service, so any yes or no here would be a guess. What you can weigh with certainty is the cost side: a qualifying car, commercial auto insurance, any city permits and the 4.90 rating you have to hold.
A practical way to decide is to build your own comparison from your city’s figures. Get the cost of a compliant car and commercial cover, add permit fees, and compare the total with what you currently earn on standard trips. For how pay compares between the two tiers, see Uber X vs Uber Black for drivers.
If the numbers close, start with the checklist above, confirm the car on Uber’s list for your city, and check the permit rules with your city before you commit.
