Use the following article to begin preparing your taxes as a Lyft driver. We'll do our best to break taxes down for you, but keep in mind that the following isn't tax advice.
For questions about your specific tax situation or how to file taxes, speak with a tax professional.
Skip to:
- How drivers are classified
- How to view tax info and 1099 forms
- Proof of income
- Form 1099 Eligibility
- Drivers with Form 1099-K or 1099-MISC
- Drivers without Form 1099
- Driver Dashboard annual summary
- Troubleshooting the Driver Dashboard
- Region-specific taxes
- Save on filing your taxes with TurboTax
- B notices
- B notice FAQs
How drivers are classified
Drivers and riders are users of the platform and aren't employees of the company. As members of the community platform, drivers and riders aren't entitled to benefits, worker's compensation, or unemployment insurance.
Lyft is a peer-to-peer transportation platform, meaning drivers use their own cars to pick up passengers, who use the app to request a ride. Because Lyft is committed to safety and community, drivers go through a series of screenings, including background checks and car safety inspections.
Lyft doesn't fit into the traditional taxi or limousine model. Our government relations team works hard to create regulations that fit the needs of drivers and passengers, and, most importantly, keep everyone safe.
Proof of income
We've found that weekly pay statements or annual earnings will suffice for most cases (for example, loan applications).
If you need to access a history of weekly pay statements, log in to the Dashboard and tap 'Driving History.' From there you can view your summaries and earnings by ride, day, week, and year.
How to view and download tax info and 1099 forms
We provide tax information for any given tax year by January 31st of the following year.
Your Annual Summary and any 1099 forms you qualified for (requirements below) are available in your Driver Dashboard.
To view or download using a computer:
- Log into the Dashboard at https://lyft.com/login
- Go to the 'Tax Information' tab
- Under the ‘Documents’ header, select ‘Download’ to download your Annual Summary or tax forms
To view in your Lyft Driver app:
- Open your Lyft Driver app
- Tap your profile photo in the top left
- Tap 'Dashboard'
- Tap the menu icon in the top left
- Tap 'Tax Information'
- Under the ‘Documents’ header, select ‘Download’ to view your Annual Summary or tax forms
You can switch between years using the pink links at the top of the page. If you qualified for a 1099 form, it will be available here. All drivers will have an Annual Summary with their earnings details as long as they had earnings during that tax year.
Visit our tax site to for additional resources, including a list of events where you can get help at your local Hub.
Form 1099 Eligibility
All drivers are considered users of the Lyft platform. No matter the type of income you report, you are not considered an employee of Lyft.
Some, but not all, drivers are eligible to receive a 1099-K or 1099-MISC from Lyft. The following drivers will receive these types of 1099s:
To qualify to receive a 1099 from us, you must have met the following requirements:
1099-K: At least 200 rides and at least $20,000 in gross ride receipts from passengers in the year.
If you were a resident of Vermont or Massachusetts, you would need to have earned at least $600 in gross ride receipts from passengers during the year. There is also no requirement for the number of rides given for residents of these states
1099-MISC: At least $600 from activities other than driving (example: referral bonuses, weekly guarantee, other bonuses) in the year.
Tax filing resources
Drivers with Form 1099-K or 1099-MISC
1099-K: If you receive a 1099-K from us, the dollar amount in Box 1 consists of the gross ride receipts from passengers from all rides completed during the year (including the Service Fee and other third-party fees, such as airport and city fees, sales tax, and other taxes if applicable).
See more instructions and graphics from our partner TurboTax at How to use your Lyft 1099.
- Heads up: This gross amount includes Lyft fees and tolls, so the number will be larger than what you took home in ride-related earnings. The 1099-K doesn’t provide a separate box for Lyft to report its cumulative fees or tolls to you, but you can find these breakdowns in the 'Tax Information' tab of the Driver Dashboard.
Read more:
1099-MISC: If you receive a 1099-MISC, the dollar amount in Box 7 is all income that isn't related to ride earnings, like referral or Express Drive bonuses.
See more instructions and graphics from our partner Intuit at Tax Help for Lyft Drivers: How to File Your Lyft 1099.
Read more:
- IRS Instructions for Form 1099-MISC
- IRS: About Form 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Income
- IRS Sharing Economy Tax Center
Drivers without Form 1099
Not eligible for a Form 1099? No sweat. Whether you receive a form or not, we’ll provide an Annual Summary in the Driver Dashboard with your yearly driver stats.
Your driver stats will include the number of rides you gave, gross earnings from rides, non-ride earnings (such as incentives or referral bonuses), tolls, and mileage information.
Driver Dashboard annual summary
The Driver Dashboard Annual Summary shows your gross and net earnings and your total miles.
Non-ride earnings include:
- Earnings Guarantees
- Weekly Ride Challenges
- Rental Rewards for Express Drive
- Referral bonuses
- Manual bonuses
- Promotion bonuses
Ride earnings include:
- Payments from passengers
- Tips from passengers
- Tolls automatically charged to passengers and paid to drivers
- Cancellation fees
- Lyft's fees (where applicable)
View an example Annual Summary.
Troubleshooting the Driver Dashboard
The Driver Dashboard is available for all drivers, even those who have been deactivated.
If you can't access your Driver Dashboard, try logging into the Driver Dashboard using a computer (or mobile web browser) at lyft.com/login instead of through your app.
If you are still having trouble, it may be because you have a new name, address, or phone number. Learn How to change your address or phone number.
B notices
If you received a Backup Withholding Notice (“B Notice”) from the IRS, this is because the IRS has indicated an issue with the name and/or Taxpayer Identification Number (“TIN”) you provided to Lyft in a previous year. In many cases, this could be simply due to a typo in tax information you provided to Lyft.
To correct this, the IRS will require that you provide Lyft with certain information. The B Notice Lyft has passed on to you will explain the IRS’s instructions.
If the information requested is not provided to Lyft within 15 days of when the notification was sent to you, the IRS requires that Lyft withholds a percentage of your earnings to remit to the IRS. This backup withholding will be reported on a 1099 tax form so that you can account for it on your next income tax return.
For questions about your tax status or for advice on how to file your tax return, please consult with a tax professional.
Region-specific taxes
Hawaii
Drivers in Hawaii may owe Gross Excise Tax ("GET") on their gross income. For additional information see Hawaii Tax Information Release No. 2018-01 and the Hawaiian Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs' Business Action Center. Always consult with a tax advisor.
Save on filing your taxes with TurboTax
We’re partnering with TurboTax and offering all drivers free access to TurboTax Self-Employed. We are also offering 50% off TurboTax Live Self-Employed, which connects you with a real tax expert for unlimited tax advice and a final review of your return before you file.
All drivers qualify for the following perks:
TurboTax Self Employed ($130 value)
- Free federal filing until 7/15
TurboTax Live Self-Employed ($100 value)
- 50% off federal filing until 7/15
The following perks are available only to Platinum drivers:
TurboTax Self-Employed ($130 value)
- Free federal and state filing until 7/15
TurboTax Live Self-Employed ($145 value)
- 50% off federal filing and free state filing until 7/15
You can claim your TurboTax offer in the ‘Tax Information’ tab of your Driver Dashboard.
As a heads up, you must access TurboTax through your Driver Dashboard in order for the discount to apply.
If you access TurboTax through your Dashboard and then later access TurboTax directly through their website, the discount will not apply. Lyft is not responsible for fees incurred by accessing TurboTax directly.
B notice FAQs
Did I provide the correct information to resolve my B Notice?
Lyft is unable to confirm if the information you provide for tax purposes is accurate to the IRS’s database. If you are unsure that you've provided the correct information to resolve your B Notice, we recommend that you consult a tax professional.
May I use Express Pay or Lyft Direct while B Notice backup withholding is applied to my account?
Unfortunately, you will not be able to use Express Pay or Lyft Direct until you resolve your B Notice and withholding is lifted from your account. Any earnings that you receive while subject to backup withholding will be included in your weekly deposits on Tuesdays.
The IRS said there was nothing wrong with my tax return.
A B Notice is not connected to your tax return. The notice was issued regarding the tax information you provided to Lyft that was subsequently used on a 1099 tax form. To resolve your B Notice and prevent backup withholding, we recommend following the steps outlined in the B Notice instructions.