Uber Background Check and Uber Driving Record Check

Uber Background Check and Uber Driving Record Check

The Uber Background check is one of the most criticized part of Uber lately. Uber drivers complain that it is too tough and passengers and the media believe the Uber background check doesn’t go far enough. There has been numerous articles highlighting how previous criminals and drivers with a bad driving record get past the Uber background check and Uber driving record check and end up driving on the Uber platform.

One of the most common questions I get asked is what is covered in the Uber background check? Do they do a local background check, state background check or national background check? Do they consult the national sex offender registry?

Will you pass the Uber Background check?

Ultimately, there is only one way to find out and that is to sign up for Uber. You can use this link to sign up for Uber and at the end of the application, type in your social security number and submit to the background check.

• Sign up to drive on Uber

Also, read up on Uber Driver Requirements and Uber vehicle requirements.

The Uber Background Check

In order to drive on Uber, every Uber driver needs to pass an Uber background check, like every job. The Uber background check starts after the application process. At the end of the application process, you type in your social security number and submit to the background check through a form. The Uber background check comprises of multiple levels and encompasses an Uber background check and an Uber driving history record check.

Here are the multiple levels in the Uber background check:

• Social Security trace
• County courthouse records for the last seven years
• Federal courthouse records for the last seven years
• Mult-state criminal records for the past seven years
• DMV motor vehicle records
• National Sex Offender Registry

Here are the Uber background check and Uber driving record check requirements:

• None of the following criminal violations in the last seven years:
  • Any felony, any driving-related criminal offenses, violent crimes, sexual offenses, child abuse or endangerment
• None of the following driving violations in the last seven years:
  • Speeding 100+ MPH, Hit and Run. Reckless driving, Street Racing, Speed Contest, Driving under the influence (DUI) driving offenses, and Drug-related driving offenses
• None of the following driving violations in t he last three years:
  • Driving on a suspended, revoked, or invalid driver’s license or vehicle insurance
• No more than three in the past three years
  • Non-fatal accidents, Moving violations, Speeding tickets, Traffic light violations
• Drivers 23 and over must have one or more years of driving history
• Drivers age 21 or 22 must have three or more years of driving history

You can consult the below table that comes directly from Uber:

Top Recommendations about Uber Background Check:

• The first step to starting with Uber is apply with them and running the background check. Even if you don’t have a car, apply anyway and make sure you can pass the background check. You can handle the vehicle later.
• Don’t get a vehicle before signing up for Uber. You can sign up for Uber without a vehicle.
• If your background check doesn’t pass, dispute it by emailing [email protected]
• If you are rejected, you are told why you didn’t pass. They will also inform you whether or not you can reapply.
• If you can reapply to work on Uber, you can reapply within 3 months.
• Just because you passed Uber Background check and driving record check, you may not pass on Lyft.
• If you want to test your background check on another service, I would recommend applying for Caviar. Caviar background check (on Checkr) took almost as long as Uber. The background check on Postmates, Doordash, Grubhub were very quick (1-3 days), which would lead me to believe it is not as comprehensive as Uber’s and Caviar’s.

Your Uber Application status:

Uber doesn’t do a good job notifying you about your Uber background check status. Uber provides Profile status that you can find in your Uber driver profile. Go to partners.uber.com and click My Profile on the top right to find out your status. Here’s are the five different status an Uber Driver can have:

• Onboarding: Uber is reviewing your documents, Uber background check and Uber driving record. If you are in this status for more than 7 days, you should contact Uber.
• Waitlisted: It can mean a lot of things. It can be an issue with your documents, or it could mean that they are running your Uber background check or Uber driving record check again if you’re already a driver.
• Consider status next to your Uber background check means that the background check is still underway, or that they’re taking a another look at your background check because there are issues. If your status stays ‘consider’ for several days, you will likely be rejected.
• The Active status means you’re able to log into driver mode and accept rides.
• The Rejected status means your Uber driver application was rejected, or you’ve been deactivated. In that case, get a copy of your Uber background check and Uber driving record check to see what issues there are. Also, contact Uber and find out why you were rejected. The best you could do is to reapply at a later date

Uber Driving Record Check

When you apply to be an Uber driver, Uber also performs a Uber driving record check to ensure that you are a safe driver. They typically look at accidents and moving violations.

The first thing they check is your driving history. Uber drivers need to have at least one year of driving experience in the US before being approved to drive on Uber. This requirement is three years if the Uber applicant is 23 years or younger. Uber does not count international driving experience.

Uber uses a third party called Checkr to check every potential driver’s Uber driving record. You are ineligible to drive on the Uber platform if any of the below are found on your Uber driving record:

• More than three moving violations in the past three years (e.g. accidents, traffic light violations)
• A major moving violation in the past seven years (e.g., driving on a suspended license, reckless driving)
• A DUI or other drug-related driving violation in the last seven years
• Any driving-related convictions in the last seven years (e.g. hit-and-run, felonies involving a vehicle)

What if you have a major violation 6 years ago?

The seven year time frame is not an exact measurement. Uber takes into consider severity and time frame. Some major violations are ranked more severe than other major violations, so it all depends on what the major violation was.

If you believe you won’t pass the driving record check, wait another year until that major violation falls off your Uber driving record. Just because the violation is more than seven years old doesn’t mean that Uber won’t see it. They may still see it, but they won’t count it against you for your Uber driver application.

Does Uber Consider Points on Your License

As far as I know, Uber does not have direct access to the number of points on your license, but they can probably figure it out based on your driving record check. Uber has their own system of grading your Uber driving history, based on the nature of the violation and the amount of time that has elapsed.

Do Pending violations count against you?

As far as I know, they may not be able to see pending violations against your background check or driving record check. It is only when you are convicted or have the violation dismissed that they can see that. Uber does have the ability to see dismissed violations and it is unclear how they take that into account.

Uber Background Check Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Who performs the Uber background check?

It is a company called Checkr. Checkr provides a quicker and easier way to do background checks. They have automated the screening process through their mobile friendly web forms and an API that can be easily integrated into existing workflows, such as Uber’s application process.

Here is a FAQ for Checkr: Checkr Background Check FAQ

How long does the Uber background check take?

When I first started back in 2013, it literally took one day. Just a few months ago when I moved from Boston to Seattle and had to clear another background check, it took about a week. Checkr, the company that performs the Uber background check, notes that it takes 3-7 business days while most drivers claim that it takes 3-5 days.

How do you check the status of the Uber background check?

When you apply to other companies and they run the background check through Checkr, you get a link to find out the status of your background check. It doesn’t tell you much other than if it is process or the results of the background check.

To check the status of the Uber background check, go to the below link:

Check the Status of your Uber Background Check

Make sure you put in the right email address and phone number. I use a number of email address for the various on-demand services so sometimes I have a hard time using the right email address. Below you will see the below screens:

The last screen on Checkr says whether your passed or not (not shown above).

If you have trouble using the above instructions, you need to email [email protected] or email Uber support at [email protected]. Even if Checkr has finished the background check, Uber still needs to make a decision from the outcome of the background check. They have a normal pass/fail criteria, but they also get full results of the background check

My Uber background check says “consider” next to it. What happens now?

If you see “consider” next to the status of your background check, it means that there is an issue with it. Most of the drivers I spoke to with this status did not get approved to drive on Uber unfortunately.

If you see this status, wait until your background check clears and you can get a copy of it. Review your background check and see what is in there and if there is something wrong with it, email [email protected] to dispute your background check.

Who has to pass the Uber background check?

All Uber drivers (UberX, UberXL, UberSelect, UberLUX, UberBlack, UberSUV) has to pass the Uber background check. From the above chart, UberBlack and UberSUV has slightly age, license requirements, and driving history requirements.

“I have a misdemeanor/felony/major driving violation on my record almost seven years ago. What should I do?”

I encourage all potential drivers in this situation to just wait a few months to make sure these issues fall off your record before applying. If you do not pass the Uber background check, you would need to wait at least three months before reapplying. Uber has been known to reject drivers who had a felony on their Uber background check more than 7 years ago.

If you want to test your background check, try to apply for Caviar.

I have been charged with a felony but haven’t been convicted. Does Uber see pending charges?

Uber typically sees pending charges on the Uber background check. It may take a while to clear your legal issue, so you may want to apply now and see if you get accepted. However, just keep in mind that even if you are approved to drive on Uber, they may deactivate you when you have been convicted or if it ends up on your record so don’t depend on working on Uber.

I failed the background check. When can I reapply?

Uber states that you can reapply within 3 months. If you failed the Uber background check or not approved to drive on Uber, they typically tell you the reasons why, if you can reapply, and when you should consider reapplying. If there is an issue with your Uber background check, email [email protected] to get it cleared up and then reapply 3 months later.

Uber reran my background check after I have been driving on Uber for a while, and they deactivated me. What can I do now?

Uber regularly rerun background check on all of their drivers. I have heard they normally do it anywhere between 6-12 months. Uber sometimes updates their background requirements and if they rerun it and find that you no longer meet the requirements, they will deactivate you. Neither Checkr nor Uber can tell you why you didn’t pass, just that you didn’t pass the background check.

Your only recourse is to get a copy of your background check and dispute anything you see wrong with it. You can email [email protected] to dispute your background check.