Driver requirements
Thanks for your interest in joining our driver community! To drive with Lyft, applicants must meet the general driving requirements listed below.
Applicants must also meet regional requirements and vehicle requirements. See our driver application requirements for the full list.
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Province and city requirements
In certain markets, drivers must meet additional province or city requirements. Learn more about province and city driver info here.
Age requirement
The minimum age requirement to drive with Lyft is 25.
Vehicle requirements
All Lyft vehicles are required to have 4 doors and a minimum of 5 seatbelts (including the driver's). Taxis and stretch limousines are not allowed on the Lyft platform.
Driving history
Depending on your location, you may be required to have between one to three years of driving history to drive with Lyft.
You will not be eligible to drive if the issue date listed on your current driver’s licence card doesn't meet these requirements.
This could happen if:
- Your licence was renewed or reissued in the past year
- You recently moved
Required driving history:
- British Columbia: 3 years of driving history
- Will only accept out-of-province driving history as an Abstract (not driver’s licence)
- Ottawa: 1 year of driving history
- Will accept out-of-province driving history
- Toronto and Greater Toronto: 3 years of driving history
- Will accept out-of-province driving history
- Kitchener-Waterloo and Niagara: 2 years of driving history
- Will not accept out of province driving history
- Québec: 1 year of driving history
- Will not accept out-of-province driving history
- Nova Scotia: 3 years of driving history
- Will accept out of province driving history
- Saskatchewan: 2 years of driving history
- Will accept out of province driving history
Uploading proof of driving history
To verify your driving history, we'll need one of the following:
- A photo of an older driver's licence
- A copy of your abstract
You can upload either of these in your Lyft Driver app. Once you're done, we'll review your application within one business day.
If you do not have your previous driver’s licence, you can get a copy of your abstract through your province's drivers licencing website. Make sure the report includes the original issue date of your licence.
Background check
Lyft driver applicants must also pass a criminal background check. This is separate from the driving record check.
Lyft uses a third-party company, Checkr, to review records. If further action is required on your background check, you'll get a notification on the app.
Lyft reviews the results of these checks and disqualifies applicants who don’t meet Lyft standards and local regulations.
Lyft conducts background checks annually and can disqualify a driver at any time if the background check shows a disqualifying offense. Lyft can also disqualify drivers for any safety-related reasons.
If there’s an issue with your background check, we’ll email you with your results. You can also log in to the Checkr applicant portal to check your record.
Please be patient while we process your application. It may take several weeks for Lyft to receive background check results.
Driving record check
Lyft driver applicants must pass a driving record check. We check everyone's driving record each year to make sure it's updated. Lyft disqualifies applicants who don’t meet Lyft standards and local regulations.
Lyft may disqualify a driver at any time if their driving record shows a disqualifying violation. Lyft may also disqualify drivers for any safety-related reason.
If there’s an issue with your driving record check, we’ll email you with your results.
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