Uber Driver Application: Steps, Documents and Timeline

This page walks through the application in order. What you need to qualify is in What you need to become an Uber driver, and what the background check actually looks for is in the background check post. Details below are as of October 2026 and the screens change, so follow what the app shows you if it differs.

Before you start

Have these on hand:

• Your driver’s license, current vehicle registration and proof of insurance showing your name.
• Your Social Security number (the background check needs it).
• A clear profile photo.
• In many cities: proof of residency and a vehicle inspection form. Uber’s US page says a vehicle safety inspection is required, and which kind depends on your city.
• A bank account for payouts.

Step 1: Create your account

Start from the Uber driver sign-up on uber.com/drive, or in the Driver app (iPhone, Android). You enter your personal details, choose your city, and pick your vehicle.

In 2015 I warned that Uber would not let you reuse your rider email. I cannot confirm that rule today. Uber says a driver or delivery account is one account per person, and that you can use the same login in the rider app. If sign-up says your email or phone is already in use, try signing in with the details you used before. If that does not work, Uber has a help article for it (“My email or phone number is already in use”) and its support can help if you can prove the email is yours.

Step 2: Upload your documents

In the Driver app, open the menu, then Account, then Documents, and either pick a photo from your library or take one. My 2015 advice was to upload your driver’s license first, because the background check did not start until the license was in. That still seems like the sensible order, since Uber needs it to cross-check everything else.

What gets documents rejected, according to Uber:

• Blurry or dark photos, or a photo that does not show the whole document
• A photocopy instead of the original
• Documents that are expired or close to expiring

Insurance must show your name, and your registration must be current. Photograph on a flat surface with good light and upload one document at a time. You can track each document’s status in the app.

Step 3: Consent to the background check

You have to give consent before the check starts, and you will provide your Social Security number and license. Uber uses outside screening companies (Checkr, HireRight and Samba Safety have been named), and the check is free to you. It includes a driving record check first, then a criminal check. It is not a credit check. See the background check post.

Watch your email, including spam, in case the screening company writes to you for more information.

Step 4: Any inspection or ID step

Depending on your city, you may need a vehicle inspection form and a live photo ID check. Do these as soon as the app asks. Uber also re-checks your identity from time to time with a selfie check, so a failed one can lock you out later (see “Losing access” in the requirements post).

Step 5: Wait for activation

Uber’s help pages say the background check typically takes 3 to 5 business days. Its US screening page says to allow up to 7 business days, and sometimes longer. Your account is activated once the screening and all your documents are complete, and you get an email and a text.

Realistically, plan on one to two weeks from start to finish. My 2015 estimate of about two weeks was in the same range, but your timing depends on your county’s court records and how fast your documents are approved.

If you are stuck

• Check the app first. It shows what is missing or rejected. Fix that and resubmit.
• Check for stalls from your side. Expired documents, mismatched names, and an unread email from the screening company are the usual causes.
• You cannot rush it. Uber says it cannot speed up the check; delays commonly come from county courthouse searches. If it is stalled, use the in-app help rather than guessing. Uber’s help center has a “My background check is stalled” article.
• Updated your license or DMV record? Uploading the new license triggers a new driving-record request, which Uber says can take up to 7 business days.
• Failed the check? Uber’s help pages explain how to dispute errors with the screening company; see the background check post.

My 2015 rule of thumb was “if it takes longer than two weeks, something is wrong.” That is still a fair time to contact support, but check the app status first.

Step 6: Set up the app and your payout

Once you are active:

1. Add your bank account in the app under Account, then Payment, and double-check the numbers. Uber says wrong bank details can delay your weekly payment by up to two weeks.
2. Turn on notifications and location, and set a phone mount.
3. Go online in a busy time and place for your first trip.

If you want deliveries too, you can add them from the app (Account, then Work Hub) where Uber Eats runs in your city.

After you go live

Read the start-here guide for costs, taxes and insurance. Referral and sign-up offers vary by city and time, and I do not list any here; only trust what the app shows you. This site is independent and not affiliated with Uber.