UBER Vehicle Requirements Guide

Last updated: Monday, March 27, 2017

The first question most people ask when they are considering joining the rideshare craze are:  what are the Uber vehicle requirements and will my car meet those qualifications?

Will I be able to earn some money on the side driving for the most popular ridesharing company in the world?

Will I need to upgrade first?

If you are looking for answers to these and more such questions, read this post to get all the answers you need before you can apply to become a driver.

General Car Requirements for UBER

Does my car qualify for Uber?

Uber regularly, often annually, revises the requirements that cars must meet before they can join the company’s fleet of driver-owned ridesharing cars.

The first criteria the company uses?

The age of the car.

To qualify, your car must be the model year 2001 or later, meaning that it must be 16 years or younger.

The age requirement varies from market to market and city to city.

For instance…

The Uber vehicle requirement in Atlanta is 12 years (manufactured 2005) and in Pittsburgh, it is 2006 and 2004 for hybrid cars.

Your car must be a four-door sedan, a truck, SUV, or a minivan.

They do not consider hatchback vehicles.

The full names of the driver must appear on the insurance of the vehicle although it does not need to appear on the vehicle’s registration.

And finally?

The car must pass a vehicle inspection check.

UberX Car Requirements

The UberX car requirements are the most lenient.

This is because vehicles in this tier provide low-cost readily available transportation to the general public.

If your car is a four-door sedan that was first registered in 2001 or later and your name is on the insurance card, then it must also meet the following requirements to be an UberX car:

• It must be a personal car with in-state insurance and plates.
• It must not be a marked car including advertisements and decorations.
• The car must not be a taxi or a salvage car.
• Should not have cosmetic damage (you might get away with minor scratches and dings).
• The car should not be a passenger van, commercial vehicle, or heavy-duty truck. A regular 4 door truck may be allowed.
• It must pass the Uber vehicle inspection.

Requirements for UberXL

One step above the standard, UberXL is the ideal transportation option for a group of up to six people.

To qualify to drive in this tier with your car, it must seat up to six passengers at any time and should be a minivan or an SUV type of vehicle.

If your car meets all the basic Uber vehicle requirements (including age and insurance), it must additionally meet these UberXL requirements to be considered for this tier of rides.

• It must not have cosmetic damage on its body. Minor scratches and dings may be overlooked.
• The vehicle cannot be a large passenger van, a commercial vehicle, or a heavy-duty truck. A regular 4 door truck may be accepted.
• It must not have taxi color painting or commercial branding on it.
• The car should not be from salvage.
• It must pass the Uber vehicle inspection.

Pro Tip:  If your vehicle qualifies for UberXL, you can still get requests for regular UberX rides as well!  This can ensure more frequent fares, with the added benefit of padding your hourly wage with those higher-cost XL rides.

UBER Vehicle Inspection

To drive for Uber, every car must pass a rigorous inspection process carried out at any of the company’s many stations set up in cities where the company operates.

You can find the closest Uber Activation Center to you by downloading and installing the smartphone app & navigating to ‘Vehicle Inspections.’

They do not charge any fees for vehicle inspections.

The process takes about 15 to 20 minutes and it involves testing the various parts and components of the car covering:

• Lights
• Brakes and steering
• Windows and other glass
• Seats and doors
• Other parts like bumpers, exhaust system, tires, speedometer etc.

Drivers whose vehicles pass the inspection receive the official sticker which they to stick on the windshield of the car.

Special UBER Vehicle Requirements

Drivers that use high end powerful and luxury cars earn much more per trip compared to the drivers of the popular standard services UberX/XL.

As you may have guessed, to drive a special Uber car and enjoy all the perks they come with, you must meet special Uber car requirements.

Some of these Uber car qualifications depend on the service tier for which you are applying.

Also…

They may vary from city to city.

Requirements for UberSELECT

One of their premium offerings, UberSELECT is a mid-range service just above UberX/XL.

To enter your car into this tier, and provided it has an in-state insurance (in your name) and plates, it must also meet these UberSELECT requirements:

• Newer model premium sedan (first registered in 2008 or later).
• The vehicle must be full-luxury or semi-luxury.
• It must carry up to four passengers.
• The interior trim of the car must be leather or ‘vegan leather.’

The most popular Uber-approved cars for UberSELECT are Audi, BMW, and Mercedes.

Requirements for UberBLACK

UberBLACK is their premium car service, the flagship offer that brings luxury and exclusivity to car sharing.

These cars have seating space for 4 passengers.

Here are the most important UberBLACK requirements every prospective driver considering it should know:

• The car must be new or in excellent condition.
• It should have black paint and black leather interior.
• The vehicle must be commercially registered and insured.
• It must have been first registered in 2013.
• It must have city-specific airport permits.

Some examples of these Uber luxury cars include Mercedes-Benz E- and S-Class, Tesla Model S, Porsche Panamera, Cadillac XTS, BMW 5 & 7 Series, Jaguar XJ and XF, and Audi A6 A7 A8.

Requirements for UberSUV

UberSUV is essentially the UberBLACK luxury service, but with a larger car that could pass as a limousine.

If you want to drive for this top tier service, here are additional UberSUV requirements your car must meet to qualify:

• The vehicle must have been manufactured in 2012 or later.
• Your vehicle must have a seating capacity of six passengers.
• They recommend a full-size SUV although a mid-sized vehicle may pass the test.
• The car must have solid black paint and a classic black interior.
• The driver must keep the vehicle in premium condition.

Some of these popular SUVs include Lincoln Navigator, Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Suburban, Ford Expedition, Infiniti QX56, GMC Yukon XL, and Mercedes-Benz GL-Class.

Requirements for UberLUX

UberLUX is the company’s top premium car service and also the most expensive package.

These Uber luxury cars can carry a minimum of four passengers and they do not operate everywhere the platform is present.

IF you are considering applying to drive within this luxury tier, your car must meet the following conditions:

• It must be a top-of-the-line premium luxury car model.  Examples include Tesla Model S, Audi A6, Lexus QS, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class just to name a few.
• Check if this service is available in your city.  At present, it is available in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Miami, and Austin among other cities.
• The car should have been registered in 2012 or later.
• The interior trim must be leather or ‘vegan leather’ in immaculate condition.
• It must be new or in mint condition. This means no scratches or dings.

UBER Car Requirements Q&A

Is there a maximum mileage requirement for vehicles?

No, there is no maximum mileage limit for Uber cars.

The important thing is for the car to pass the vehicle inspection.

Can I hire, or lease a car that meets Uber requirements to use it on the platform?

You may use your own personal car or a leased car on Uber, provided the insurance details are in your name.

However, you cannot drive for Uber in a rented car.

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