Signing up to drive for Uber is easy and doesn’t require a lot of steps. Here is how to fill out your Uber driver application, plus how to maximize your earnings and get out on the road.

Why Become an Uber Driver?

Aside from the obvious where you get to choose your own hours, Uber also is a great choice for what options they give their drivers. For instance, they have a “No Thanks” button when a request comes through, giving you the option to turn down a ride for whatever reason you have — low passenger rating, too far away, etc.

Uber offers bonuses based on how many rides you give from Monday through Thursday and from Friday through Sunday. With different tiers to choose from, you’ll be able to decide what bonus will work best for you. But first, you’ll want to fill out an application to become an Uber driver!

Get started on your Uber driver application by signing up to be an Uber driver.

By the way, you don’t need to give those rides during “peak hours” or rush hour. It can be anytime during those days, as long as you get as many rides as you signed up for. Here’s what my bonus tier looks like for this week:

They also have streaks available throughout the day, where you can earn more money as you do consecutive trips. Here’s what my offerings look like for this coming Saturday:

Another plus to driving for Uber is they allow drivers to help protect themselves. Drivers are allowed non-lethal weapons in their vehicles (if allowed by law in your area). This is a layer of protection so we might be able to avoid instances where passengers cross the line.

My favorite part is that you get paid weekly but also have the option to cash out your earnings instantly whenever you need money fast. This has come in handy for paying bills and filling up my gas tank.

How Much Can Uber Drivers Make?

Uber driving is not a get-rich-quick plan by any means, but it’s a great way to help pay your bills or pad your savings account. With an average earnings (before expenses) of about $15-20 an hour, it’s better than a basic minimum wage job where you’d have to stick to a schedule and answer to a manager.

You can get started and sign up to drive for Uber here.

After you fill out your application to be an Uber driver and are accepted, you’ll receive your rates based on calculations given by Uber that differs from city to city. Your earnings are based on the number of miles and the number of minutes the trip lasts. During surges, or times when passenger demand is higher, you’ll receive a boost in your pay. Uber has a flat rate surge fee where you’ll see upfront what your extra earnings will be when in a surge area.

You are not paid for the following:

• Waiting for a ride request.
• Driving to pick-up a passenger — with the exception of long pickups (see below).
• Waiting at the pick-up point for your passenger to come outside.

Long pick up fees are paid out to drivers when you have to go a far distance and/or it will take you longer to get to your passenger. I’ve never gotten a solid answer from Uber on how they figure which rides earn a long pick up fee, but they are a nice surprise if you stick it out and take those longer rides.

Best part of your earnings is you keep 100% of your tips. Passengers are able to tip within the app, which makes it easy for them to actually do it. You can receive tips even several days after you completed a ride. It’s nice to get a surprise 5 bucks here and there.

How to Fill Out Your Uber Driver Application

It’s easy to sign up for Uber and to really utilize it, it’s best to sign up with an Uber referral code, such as RSG’s: 3e3dg (or you can click here and sign up to drive for Uber – the referral code is embedded!).

The referral code will help you earn more money when you’re first starting out. Uber has a guaranteed earnings when using a referral code. For example, if you’re guaranteed $1,000 after your first 100 rides in 90 days, if you earn less than $1,000 Uber will make up the difference.

When you first go online to sign up to drive with Uber, it’ll look something like this:

Choose the option of “I have a car” or “I need a car” based on your needs and fill out the Uber driver application form. On the next page, it’ll tell you the vehicle requirements they have so you know if your vehicle will be suitable.

Next, your background check will need to be approved before moving forward with the rest of your application. It also lists what needs to be done before you’re ready to go. You can take care of a good chunk of the items while waiting for the background check to go through. Here’s what you need to do:

Once your approval goes through, and you’ve checked off all the items on this list, you should be ready to get out and start earning as long as you also meet the following requirements:

Make Sure Your Car Meets the Minimum Requirements

Your vehicle must be 15 model years old or newer. If the vehicle is older than 10 model years, it cannot have more than 150,000 miles on it. The vehicle also must have 4 doors and not salvaged, reconstructed or rebuilt.

Keep in mind the specific requirements for your location may be different from these general ones I’ve laid out for you. To find out if your vehicle qualifies, you’ll need to go to Uber support and find out if your city’s requirements differ.

If for whatever reason your personal vehicle doesn’t fit these requirements, check out our Vehicle Marketplace for even more vehicle rental and lease options.

Your Uber Driver Application is Done! Now What?

While you’re waiting to hear back on if you’re approved (which should only take a couple of days but can take up to two weeks), there are a few things you can take care of in the meantime.

One thing you’ll need is a vehicle inspection. You can do this at any local oil and lube place. This inspection will need to be updated at least once a year or if you change vehicles at any time.

A vehicle inspection is needed for a few situations. If you’re a new driver, you’ll need one before you get started and if you’re an existing driver, you’ll need an updated one each year.

The easiest way to find where you can get an inspection done is on Uber’s website in their help section. In the search, enter “inspection” or something along those lines. That will get you to where you need to go and it should direct you to something that looks a little like this:

You can scroll through that drop down to find the best location for you. In some cities, the Uber Greenlight Hub or Spot will take care of the inspection for you for free, but keep in mind, this is not available for all locations.

If you need to go someplace else, such as Midas, Jiffy Lube or other approved location, it will likely cost you anywhere from $20-$30 to get the inspection taken care of.

An upside for going to a mechanic would be having a physical paper copy of your inspection that you can use for Uber and possibly also double for Lyft. That has worked for me in the past. If you go to a Greenlight location for Uber, you might not get the opportunity to take the paper copy home, but you can always ask.

You can see what Harry did to get his vehicle inspected for free below:

You’ll also need to upload a profile picture and it would be a good idea to add your bank information so you can get paid via direct deposit every week.

Get started on your Uber driver application by signing up to be an Uber driver.

Driving Strategies for New Uber Drivers

Being a successful Uber driver is more than just waking up, hopping in your car and going. Here are a few strategies to help you maximize your earning potential or just to make your driving life easier.

Dress your best. Some drivers find that dressing your best will increase your chance in earning tips. People appreciate when you go the extra mile and they’ll believe you to be a true professional and will be more likely to treat you as such.

Learn the hotspots of your city. There are neighborhoods that always seem to be surging or there are ones you will learn to avoid. Get a jump start on this by networking with local drivers and get tips from people who have been out there.

Know your strengths. If you can stand obnoxious drunk people, bar close is a good option for you. Beware of the downfalls though. Working late nights ups your chances of someone throwing up in your car, which will get you a cleaning fee, but basically shuts down your ability to drive for the rest of the night.

Consider screening your rides. You can potentially screen your rides so you can get a better shot at reaching your goal for your bonus. The basic concept is that when you get near to picking up a passenger, you change the ride status to “Picked up” and see where you’ll be heading after you do actually pick up your passenger. If the trip is a long way away, this time could eat into your chance for a bonus by taking more time.

If you cancel this trip, the rider will be connected with another driver and you can find someone who will need a shorter trip so you can squeeze more trips into your day and get that much closer to meeting your quest bonus. Learn more about how to screen your Uber rides.

Finally, use the destination filter to your advantage. Uber allows you to set your destination up to two times per day. I use it on my route to my regular job and on my way home. You can also use it to head toward a busy spot while hopefully picking up passengers along the way without getting off course from where you want to end up.

Wrapping Up Your Uber Driver Application

Ok, now that you’ve got everything taken care of, what’s next? It would be a good idea to run through the checklist once more to make sure you have all your bases covered. Maybe you forgot to add your bank info for your direct deposit, or you haven’t uploaded your profile picture yet. Be sure to get every piece of the puzzle done while waiting for your background check to come back. That way, as soon as you’re approved through that you can get out there and start earning!

Make sure you signed up to drive for Uber with a referral code such as Harry’s: 3e3dg. That way you can potentially earn even more when you’re first starting out. Having that set number of rides you need to get done in a specific time period is a great way to get into the groove of driving on a schedule that works for you but also earns you as much as possible.

It shouldn’t take you more than a week to get approved, so if it does take longer, be sure to check in by sending a support request through your app or going to your local Greenlight Hub to talk to a representative there. That way you can get any questions cleared up as quickly as possible.

Ready to drive for Uber? Complete your Uber driver application by signing up here.

Want to drive for Uber but don’t have a car? Check out our review of Fair, a rental car program for Uber drivers.